Comparing .doc, PDF and Google Docs files: converting to .docx first

Updated 1 October 2026

Most comparison tools, including RevisionProof, work on .docx files: the format Word has used since 2007. If one of your versions is in another format, convert it first. Here is how, and what to watch for.

Old .doc files

The .doc format is the older binary Word format. Converting is usually lossless:

• Word (Windows or Mac): open the file, then File → Save As and choose Word Document (.docx).
• Pages: open the file, then File → Export To → Word and choose .docx.
• LibreOffice: open the file, then File → Save As and pick Word 2007–365 (.docx).

Convert both versions the same way, so any small differences the conversion introduces apply to both and cancel out.

Google Docs

In the document, choose File → Download → Microsoft Word (.docx). Headers, footers, tables and comments come across. If you want to compare against an earlier Google Docs version, open File → Version history, restore or copy that version, and download it the same way.

PDF files

PDF is a page layout format, not an editing format, so converting it back to Word is the least reliable route:

• Word can open a PDF directly (File → Open) and convert it. It works well for simple text, less well for tables, columns and headers.
• If you have the original Word file the PDF was made from, use that instead. It will give a far more accurate comparison.
• After converting, expect some false differences from line breaks and spacing. Turning on Ignore spacing in RevisionProof hides most of them.

Files with tracked changes

If a .docx still contains tracked changes, decide what you want to compare. Usually it's the text as it would read with all changes accepted. RevisionProof treats tracked changes as accepted and tells you when a file had them. To compare the text before the changes, reject all changes in Word and save a copy first.