how do I convert .txt to .pdf and keep the formatting

[Guest]

I have a large .txt file that I would like to convert to .pdf.  I have tried to print the file and choose Adobe PDF but the output is just a mess.  I loose all the formatting and get blank pages every so often.  Does anyone know if is possible to convert .txt to .pdf and keep the formatting.  I would try a virtual printer application but I am not able to just install any application on my office computer.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[~graffiti]

What application are you opening the .txt file in to create the PDF? Most basic text editors (Notepad and Textedit for two) don't recognize page size or breaks so you won't be able to pre-format the file. You would need to bring it in to something like MS Word.

[Guest]

I am opening the txt in notepad.  i tried opening in word but when I do that its even more of a mess then when I convert from txt to pdf.

[~graffiti]

Unfortunately, you will probably need to reformat it in Word to get a good PDF out of it.

[dalee451]

It may be a bit late for you now but in future (and for anyone else interested) I would recommend copying the text into a word document and changing the text font to Consolas. Adjust the size to fit the page again and it should match the original notepad formatting.

[MojoGene]

I was able to get exact results by copying all the text into a Word documents and changing the font to Consolas 8 pt. I also needed to use landscape page setup and modify the paragraph setting so that no spaces were added between paragraphs of like style. Voila.

[ThatgirlGrz]

This worked!

[Guest]

It worked for me too. Yeah, this tip should to be as the right answer. 

[andrewc74267665]

Somebody pin this as the asnwer. It worked perfectly!

[Mr_Doodle007]

No, you can't convert a .txt file keep the full formatting. However it is possible to convert with partial formatting, I have found this cool trick to convert a notepad txt file to pdf file. >> How to Convert Notepad txt to PDF file without software and online site for free . To keep all the formatting as it is you need to use word to pdf conversion >> How to Convert MS Word to PDF Files free without software & online converter sites

[Blog promotions removed. There is a way to do this with Adobe products]

[KraleMarko]

Maybe you want to try with [software advertisement removed. Adobe sells a product that does this] converter, and share your feedback.

[Mr.Pool]

Simply use the Print (Ctrl + F) function in Notepad and then Microsoft Print to PDF. That way the formatting stays the same.

[patricia_2924]

The format does not remain the same. Pagination is lost and other text is askew.

[AnandSri]

Hello @patricia_2924

I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out.

Could you please share more details about the issue and the workflow you are trying? Are you using the Acrobat or Reader desktop app, or the Acrobat Online services to convert the TXT to PDF using a browser? Are you on a Mac or Windows machine, and what is the version?

If you have Acrobat Pro desktop installed, then 

Convert to PDF via Acrobat

• • In Word, go to File > Save As > PDF or use Acrobat PDFMaker (if installed).
  • Alternatively, in Acrobat: Create PDF > Select your Word file.

Please ensure you have the latest version of Acrobat installed on the machine: Win: 25.001.20693 Planned update, Sept 09, 2025. Check for any pending updates from the Menu > help > check for updates, install the updates, restart the app and the machine, and try again.

Please refer to these articles for more information: 

https://adobe.ly/4mbEGVu

https://adobe.ly/3IhZDzZ

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.