ODT to PDF Converter
Turn an OpenDocument Text file from LibreOffice, OpenOffice, Google Docs or Word into a PDF anyone can open. The document's styles, headings, lists, tables, images and footnotes are read directly from the .odt file and typeset onto real pages, all inside your browser.
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Preview text flow; the PDF is split into real pages
How to use the ODT to PDF Converter
- Choose your ODT file or drop it on the box. A preview of the text, tables and images appears, with word, table and image counts.
- Pick the page size and margins. Same as document keeps the size set in LibreOffice or OpenOffice.
- Adjust the text size and fonts if you want larger print or a single typeface throughout.
- Choose the extras: images, page numbers and bookmarks built from the document's headings.
- Press Convert to PDF. The PDF downloads straight away; use Print / Save as PDF for documents in non-Latin scripts.
How the ODT is turned into a PDF
An ODT file is a ZIP package. The converter opens it in your browser and reads three parts of it:
- styles.xml and the automatic styles in content.xml: named paragraph and character styles (such as Heading 1 or Text Body), their parent styles, list styles, table and column styles, fonts and the page layout with its size and margins.
- content.xml: the body of the document. Paragraphs (
text:p), headings (text:h), lists, tables, sections, frames with images, footnotes and links are converted into a structured layout with each element's style resolved through its style chain. - meta.xml: the title and author, which become the PDF's document properties.
The text is then broken into lines using the real widths of the PDF fonts and flowed onto pages. Headings are kept with the text that follows them, long tables continue on the next page, and images are scaled down if they are wider than the page.
What is kept and what is simplified
| Document element | In the PDF |
|---|---|
| Headings 1 to 6 | Kept with their size and weight; become PDF bookmarks |
| Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, color, font size | Kept |
| Alignment, indents, first-line indent, spacing above and below | Kept |
| Manual page breaks | Kept |
| Bulleted, numbered and nested lists | Kept, including a, A, i and I numbering |
| Tables, merged cells, cell background colors | Kept, using the document's column widths |
| Images (PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, WebP, SVG) | Kept at their set size, placed on their own line |
| Footnotes and endnotes | Numbers kept; note texts listed under Notes at the end |
| Table of contents | Kept as text; bookmarks provide clickable navigation |
| Fonts | Mapped to Times, Helvetica or Courier |
| Headers, footers, text wrapping, shapes, charts without a preview image | Simplified or left out |
Tips for the best result
- Keep Same as document for the page size so the PDF uses the paper size chosen in LibreOffice or OpenOffice; choose Letter or A4 to switch for printing.
- Use real heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) in your document: they become the PDF's bookmark panel.
- For documents written in Greek, Cyrillic, Arabic, Hebrew or Asian scripts, use Print / Save as PDF, which uses your system fonts.
- For Microsoft Word files use Word to PDF, and for rich text files use RTF to PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ODT file?
ODT (OpenDocument Text) is the standard word processing format of LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice, defined by the OASIS OpenDocument standard (ISO/IEC 26300). An .odt file is a ZIP package containing the text and structure in content.xml, the styles in styles.xml, metadata in meta.xml and any pictures in a Pictures folder.
How do I convert an ODT file to PDF without LibreOffice?
Open the .odt file in the box above and press Convert to PDF. The tool unzips the document in your browser, reads its styles and content, lays the text out on pages and saves a PDF, so nothing needs to be installed and the file is never uploaded.
Will the PDF look exactly like it does in LibreOffice?
The structure and most formatting carry over: headings, paragraph spacing and alignment, bold, italic, underline, colors, font sizes, lists, tables, images, footnotes and the page size. The PDF uses the standard Times, Helvetica and Courier fonts instead of the document's embedded fonts, and floating shapes, text wrapping around images, headers and footers and multi-column page layouts are simplified, so line and page breaks can differ slightly.
What happens to footnotes and comments?
Footnote and endnote numbers stay in the text as superscripts and the note texts are collected in a Notes section at the end of the PDF. Review comments and tracked-change deletions are left out, as they would be in a final printed copy.
Why do some characters appear as question marks?
The built-in PDF fonts cover Latin alphabets, including accented letters, but not Greek, Cyrillic, Arabic, Hebrew or Asian scripts. When such characters are found the tool tells you; use the Print / Save as PDF button and choose Save as PDF in your browser to keep every character.
Can I convert a password-protected ODT?
No. Encrypted OpenDocument files cannot be read without the password, and the tool reports when a file is protected. Open it in LibreOffice, save a copy without a password, and convert that copy.
Is my document uploaded to a server?
No. The ODT is opened, parsed and converted to PDF entirely in your browser using JavaScript, so the content never leaves your device.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.