ODF to PDF — How to convert OpenOffice to PDF documents.

Learn how to easily convert OpenOffice documents to PDFs. Take steps to help you avoid compatibility issues when sharing your documents.

To avoid incompatibility with other software when sharing OpenOffice documents, convert them to PDFs first. PDF is the standard for document exchange and presentation. Converting files created in OpenOffice to PDFs is quick and easy.

If ODF files aren’t as compatible or shareable as PDFs, what is ODF and why is it used? ODF files are used in free, open-source programs and can serve many different uses. Learn more about ODF so you can understand why it is used and why you might want to convert a file to PDF.

What is ODF (OpenDocument format)?

The OpenDocument format is native to OpenOffice, an open-source office productivity software that includes a word processor for creating text documents, a spreadsheet capable of performing calculations, a presentation app, and the ability to create drawings. OpenOffice works across multiple operating systems and creates files with various file extensions. ODF is the default format in many open-source programs, and its ties to those open-source programs can protect it from ever becoming obsolete. They can’t, however, be opened with many common programs. So converting an ODF to a PDF will make your ODF much more shareable.

One helpful advantage when working with PDF documents is their nearly universal readability. Regardless of their operating system or software, your colleagues will be able to open and view documents created in an OpenOffice application.

The file will be formatted exactly the same from device to device. As a PDF, your file can now be secured through password protection and redaction, and you can annotate, highlight, and edit your file with a PDF editor. You can also use Acrobat online to work on your file alongside colleagues in real time, or use AI Assistant to help you repurpose information in your PDF document to share a summary via email. If you need to share other OpenOffice file types as PDF, you can convert ODG to PDF and ODT to PDF as well.

Converting ODF drawings vs. ODF text files to PDFs.

You might want to convert an ODF drawing to a PDF for similar reasons you would want to convert a text file. Your drawing can be more easily shared and secured as a PDF.

Since PDF files can contain images and other multimedia, the process for converting ODF drawings to PDFs is the same as converting ODF text to PDF. Conversion to PDF will ensure that your drawing is not compromised or distorted, and its formatting on the page will now be preserved — no matter which device it is opened on.

Now that you can convert your OpenOffice files, explore everything else you can do with Acrobat to work with your PDFs.