There are a lot of file formats out there, so it can get confusing if you are not the most technically savvy individual. Luckily, they are pretty easy to navigate once you get some information. In this case, we are talking about the PDF format. PDF, which stands for portable document format, is a very common format that you have likely seen or used numerous times.
So, why is PDF so important? Well, PDF has many important uses, and it has many benefits. This guide will help you understand why you should use it whenever you can.
Contents
Formatting Remains Unchanged
One huge problem that comes with changing a file from one format to another, such as .docx (Microsoft Word’s default format) to .pdf, means that any formatting in the document will be intact. This is very important for school or business projects that have an extensive amount of images or other elements that can be subjected to unfortunate rearranging when switching to another file format.
Small File Compression Sizes
Efficiency is always key for file formatting, and PDF can be king for this. It takes time to identify which one is secured and easy to use in converting a certain file into a PDF version. As explained at Soda PDF, it is easy to convert other formats that are compatible with PDF because it is quick due to those small file sizes. The benefit of this is that online file conversion sites can switch something to PDF so quickly, you will not need to wait and you will not lose data either.
Universal Format
PDF is a universal format, which means if you are running on a Mac operating system or a Windows operating system, there is no difference to the file itself. Mac uses a different word processor than Windows, which can mean a problem for converting files or transferring. PDF removes this issue because it works the same on any other OS, saving you time and troubleshooting.
Password Protection is Available
The ease of password protecting your files is a great advantage for the PDF format. If you are handling sensitive documents, or using files that contain some personal information, then you might want to consider how advantageous it would be to keep these out of the wrong hands. Schools, businesses, and government files are often in PDF format, which goes to show how much they trust it as a reliable and safe file format for even the most confidential data.
Easy to Use
Lastly, PDF should be your go to because of how easy it is to use. With the benefit of format converters available online, and the fact that they have the other benefits listed, PDF allows you to include images and other elements. Without the worry of formatting issues when switching file types, you can be sure that your document will remain unchanged, and is easy to edit and create.
Even for those that are not well versed in computer talk, this should shed some light on why PDF is such an important file format. The fact that it is so widely used is a benefit because of its versatility, and it has many benefits for any kind of computer user. In today’s generation, confidentiality is also important. Though using the PDF format has a high potential to maintain your content, it can also help to avoid editing by someone. Therefore, everyone can benefit using PDF format, it just takes time to start and how to use it.
