CV PDF or Word: Which File Format Should You Send?

You've polished your CV, trimmed it to a sensible length, and the application form is waiting for a file. Then the doubt: CV PDF or Word?

Short answer: send a text-based PDF unless the employer asks for Word. The details matter: why a PDF can still fail, what can go wrong with a .docx, and how to test your file in two minutes before you hit send.

CV PDF or Word: the quick answer

The employer's instruction always beats your preference. If the posting or the form specifies a format, follow it, even if you'd rather send the other one.

Why PDF is the default

A PDF looks the same everywhere. Your margins, fonts, bullet points and spacing stay put on a laptop, a phone or a printer.

A Word file depends on whoever opens it. A missing font, a different version of the software, or a quick preview inside an email app can push your one-page CV onto two pages, shift a column or wrap a date onto the next line. You may never see it happen, but the recruiter might.

A PDF also guards against accidental edits. Nobody changes a date or deletes a line by mistake.

PDF and ATS: what we know and what we don't

Many candidates pick a format because of the applicant tracking system (ATS). Be careful here: ATS behaviour varies from one product to the next, and from one employer's configuration to another. Nobody can promise that one format works everywhere.

What is widely accepted:

• modern ATS generally read a PDF that contains real text without trouble;
• they also generally read a standard .docx;
• they struggle much more with a CV that is just an image of a page.

So the real question isn't "PDF versus Word". It's "text versus image". For a broader look at what is true and false about automated CV reading, see our article on ATS myths and facts.

Text PDF vs image PDF

A text PDF contains characters a computer can recognise. You can select, copy and search them. This is what you get when you export from Word, Google Docs or an online CV builder.

An image PDF is a picture of a page. It looks like a CV, but to software it's a drawing. It usually happens when you:

• scan a printed CV;
• take a screenshot and save it as a PDF;
• export from a design tool as a flattened image;
• "print to PDF" with certain rasterising options.

Some systems apply OCR (optical character recognition) to recover the text, but results are less reliable: typos, merged words, lost accents. Don't count on it.

How to check that your PDF is selectable text

Three tests, from quickest to most telling:

1. Select text with your mouse. Open the PDF and drag across a paragraph. If it highlights line by line, good. If one big blue block covers the page, it's an image.
2. Use search (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F). Type a former employer's name or a word from your CV. If the viewer finds it, the text exists.
3. Copy and paste into a plain-text editor. Select all, copy, paste into Notepad or TextEdit. Your sections should appear in a sensible order with the right characters. If the order is scrambled (columns interleaved, dates far from the job title), the layout is too complicated.

The third test is the most revealing: it's a rough approximation of what parsing software gets to work with.

When an employer asks for Word

Sometimes a posting asks for .doc or .docx. Reasons vary: an agency that reformats CVs with its own logo, an HR team that copies sections into its own system, an older internal process. Whatever the reason, send what's asked.

A few precautions so your Word file arrives intact:

• Prefer .docx over .doc. It's the newer, sturdier format.
• Use common fonts (Calibri, Arial, Georgia, Times New Roman). An unusual font will be swapped on the recipient's machine.
• Avoid text boxes, nested tables and shapes to position blocks. They shift easily and parse poorly.
• Keep contact details out of the header and footer. Some tools skip those areas. Put them in the main body.
• Check the result by opening it in another app (Google Docs, LibreOffice) or exporting to PDF to confirm the page breaks.
• Remove tracked changes and comments left in the file.

If you can, send the Word file and add that you're happy to provide a PDF too. It shows you know what you're doing without ignoring the instruction.

ATS settings differ. If an application form asks you to re-enter your work history after uploading the CV, do it carefully. It makes what the recruiter sees more reliable.

Name your file properly

Recruiters receive dozens of files. A document called `CV_final_v3.pdf` or `Document1.docx` disappears in a downloads folder and says nothing about you.

Before and after:

• Before: `resume final (2) copy.pdf`
• After: `CV_Jordan_Ellis_Project_Coordinator.pdf`

Simple rules:

• First name + surname + job title, plus the company if you want to be precise;
• hyphens or underscores rather than spaces;
• no special characters, since some systems mangle them;
• no version numbers and no "final";
• start with CV (or "Resume" if that's the local term) so it's easy to spot.

Apply the same logic to your cover letter: `Cover_Letter_Jordan_Ellis_Project_Coordinator.pdf`.

File size: keep it light

A two-page, text-only CV usually weighs a few dozen to a few hundred KB. If yours is over a megabyte or two, something's off: a high-resolution photo, decorative images, or a font embedded in full.

It matters because some email clients and upload forms cap attachment size, and a heavy file opens slowly on a phone. Aim for under 1 MB, and ideally much less.

To slim it down, compress or remove the photo, drop the logos and textures, then export again. And remember, a well-filled page beats a CV stuffed with graphics. See our guide on how long a CV should be.

Fonts: embedded, common and readable

A PDF embeds its fonts at export, so what you see is what the reader sees. That's another point in its favour. Two things still deserve attention.

• Pick a readable typeface at 10 to 11 pt for body text: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Lato, Open Sans, Georgia. Stick to one or two families.
• Avoid decorative fonts and icon characters (little envelopes, phones). On extraction they can turn into boxes or odd symbols in the middle of your contact details. Just write "Tel:" or leave the number on its own.

Example: what a good paste test looks like

This is roughly what you should get when pasting your PDF into plain text:

Jordan ELLIS — Project Coordinator — jordan.ellis@example.com | 07700 900123 | Manchester

EXPERIENCE — Project Administrator, Northgate Logistics, Manchester, 2021 - 2026

Coordinated 40 supplier deliveries a month, cutting average booking errors from 12 to 4. Built a weekly status report used by 3 regional managers.

Sections in order, dates beside the role, characters intact. If you instead get "Coordinator 2021 Manchester Administrator EXPERIENCE 2026" in a jumble, simplify the layout: one column, no tables, no text boxes.

The most common format mistakes

• Sending a screenshot or a scan instead of an exported file.
• A password-protected PDF, or one that blocks copying text.
• Leaving the default file name (`Untitled.pdf`).
• A busy multi-column layout with skill bars, rating dots and pictograms.
• Sending a Word file you haven't checked. Pagination changes between computers.
• Sharing a cloud link that asks for a login. The recruiter won't go further.
• Forgetting the document properties. An old title or author name can linger in the file.

Pre-send checklist

1. The file is in the format the posting asks for (otherwise: text PDF).
2. I can select and copy text from the PDF.
3. Pasting into a plain-text editor gives content in the right order.
4. The file name follows `CV_Firstname_Surname_Role`.
5. The size is under 1 MB (2 MB at worst).
6. Fonts are common and readable, with no icons for contact details.
7. The CV is the intended number of pages, with no nearly empty page 2.
8. My contact details are in the body, not the header.
9. I opened the file like the recruiter would: from the attachment, on desktop and on a phone.

Start from the right format

The easiest way to avoid surprises is to start from a clean base. A dedicated editor exports a text PDF straight away, with embedded fonts and a consistent structure, so you don't have to wrestle with tables in Word. Browse the CV templates to pick a restrained layout, and read our guide on how to write a CV in 2026 if you're starting from scratch.

If you're applying abroad, remember that terminology and conventions differ. Our article on CV or resume: country differences explains what to expect in each market.

If you are applying for remote roles, where the file is often uploaded online without any human contact, also read our guide to the remote job CV.

Frequently asked questions

Can an ATS read a PDF?

In most cases, yes, provided it contains text rather than an image. Systems differ, though, and nobody can guarantee it everywhere. To reduce the risk, keep the layout simple and run the copy-and-paste test.

Should I send PDF or Word if the posting doesn't say?

A text-based PDF, in most cases. It keeps your layout intact. If you're unsure, check which formats the upload form accepts.

Is it OK to send a scanned CV?

Better not to. A scan is an image, so software can hardly use the text, and quality is often poor on screen. Re-export the CV from your original file instead.

What size and file name should I use?

Aim for under 1 MB and a name like `CV_Firstname_Surname_Role.pdf`, without spaces or special characters. It avoids processing glitches and helps the recruiter find you.

Should I send Word so the recruiter can edit my CV?

Only if they ask. Otherwise stick with PDF: recruiters rarely need to edit your CV, and you keep control of how it looks.