Convert WPS Office Files to PDF: Free Options That Work

WPS Office's Writer application saves documents in .docx format by default — the same format Microsoft Word uses. This means any tool that converts Word to PDF also converts WPS documents to PDF. You have three options: WPS's built-in export, saving to .docx and using a browser converter, or converting a .wps file if you have one in the older WPS-only format.

WPS Writer's Built-In PDF Export

WPS Writer includes a direct PDF export option. Open your document, go to File → Export to PDF (in some versions, it's under Print as PDF or Save As). Choose your settings and save.

The built-in export is fast and handles WPS-specific formatting natively. It's the best option when you have WPS installed and just need a quick PDF from a document you're already editing.

WPS Writer's free version includes this export feature — you don't need WPS Premium for basic PDF export. The distinction is that WPS Free shows ads and has some feature restrictions, but PDF export is included.

Using a Browser Converter for WPS Office Documents

If your WPS document is saved as .docx (the default), the free Word to PDF browser converter handles it exactly the same as a Microsoft Word document. Open the converter, drag in your .docx file, and download the PDF.

This is useful when: you're on a machine that doesn't have WPS installed, you received a WPS document and need to convert it, you want to avoid WPS's export dialog, or you prefer the privacy of local browser-based conversion.

The browser converter reads the .docx structure directly — it doesn't know or care that WPS created the file instead of Microsoft Word. Headings, paragraphs, bold and italic formatting, lists, tables, and images are all preserved.

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What About .wps Files in the Old Format?

Older WPS Office files use the .wps extension, which is a proprietary format from WPS's history as Kingsoft Office. This format is different from .docx and not widely supported by modern tools.

To convert a .wps file to PDF: open it in WPS Writer (the only modern app that handles .wps reliably), then use WPS's built-in PDF export. Alternatively, open it in WPS, go to File → Save As, choose .docx format, save, then use the browser converter to convert the .docx to PDF.

If you don't have WPS installed, LibreOffice can open some .wps files — open it there, export to .docx or directly to PDF.

Does WPS Free Add Watermarks to Exported PDFs?

WPS Free has historically added watermarks to some exported PDFs in certain versions and regions. If you're seeing "Created by WPS Free" or a similar watermark in your PDF output, the free tier of WPS is adding it.

The workaround: save the document as .docx from WPS (File → Save As → .docx format), then convert to PDF using the free browser converter. Since the browser converter is separate from WPS, no WPS watermark is added. The output PDF is clean.

This is one of the more practical reasons to use a browser converter instead of WPS's built-in export — if the free WPS tier watermarks your PDFs, the browser route bypasses it entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the browser converter work on WPS documents?

Yes, if your WPS document is saved as .docx. WPS Writer saves in .docx format by default, so most WPS files work directly with any Word to PDF converter.

How do I stop WPS from adding a watermark to my PDF?

Save the document as .docx from WPS, then convert to PDF using a browser-based converter. The watermark is added by WPS's own export — not by the .docx format itself.

Can I convert .wps files without WPS installed?

LibreOffice can open some .wps files. For full compatibility, WPS Writer is the most reliable option for .wps files specifically.

Is WPS PDF export as good as Microsoft Word's?

For standard documents, yes. WPS Writer produces clean PDFs for text-heavy documents. Complex layouts may differ slightly between WPS and Word output.