There are many ways to convert a PDF to Word, but for math documents the results differ a lot: can you still edit the equations, do figures and tables stay as they were, do Vietnamese diacritics survive. This post compares four approaches so you can pick the right one.
Four ways to convert PDF to Word
- Opening the PDF directly in Word.
- Online converters built for general text.
- Apps that use AI through your own API key: you sign up for an AI service and paste its API key into the app.
- MathCopy, built specifically for math documents.
Comparison table
| Criterion | Open in Word | Online converters | Apps using your AI API key | MathCopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equations after converting | Loose characters or images | Plain text or images | Depends on the AI, often LaTeX | Editable MathType or Equation |
| You sign up for AI and enter an API key | No | No | Yes | No |
| Figures, graphs, tables | Partly kept | Fairly good | Often need extra work | Kept in place as in the PDF |
| Accented Vietnamese text | Can break with old fonts | Can break with old fonts | Depends on the AI | Diacritics kept; warns about old fonts first |
| Ease of use | Simple | Simple | Setup, plus API costs to watch | Pick a file, pick pages, convert |
What sets MathCopy apart
- No AI API key to enter. You don't sign up for an AI account, paste a key or manage AI usage costs. Open MathCopy, choose the PDF and convert.
- You don't have to use AI yourself. No writing prompts, copying back and forth, or inserting each equation by hand.
- Two equation output types: MathType (default) or Word Equation. Both are double-click editable, not images.
- Images, graphs, tables and illustrations appear as they do in the PDF.
- Proper Vietnamese: diacritics are kept, with a warning before converting PDFs that use old fonts prone to broken marks.
- Pick the pages to convert, and only selected pages count; failed conversions don't use pages.
Even with high accuracy, review the result before printing an exam, especially for multi-column or figure-heavy documents. The checklist is in convert PDF to Word with MathType equations.
Which one should you choose?
- Mostly text, few equations: opening in Word or an online converter is enough.
- You want to configure and control your own AI: an app using an API key fits, but you manage the key and the costs.
- Math, physics or chemistry exams that need editable equations with figures and tables kept: use MathCopy's PDF to Word. You can download MathCopy and try 10 free pages on each computer.
See also: how to convert a PDF exam to Word without losing the equations and PDF to Word breaks math equations.
Convert PDF to Word with MathCopy
MathType or Word Equation, tables and figures kept — 10 free pages on every computer.