# How do I save as PDF or Word, or copy with formatting?

> Turn a document into a PDF, a client PDF with a cover, or a Word file, and copy it as rich text, Markdown, a table or a section link in One Clear Reader.

Source: https://oneclearreader.com/help/export-and-share · Updated 28 September 2026 · One Clear Reader (Northlight Group Pty Ltd)

> [!answer] To save a document as a PDF in One Clear Reader, choose `File › Save as PDF…` (Pro). For a Word file, choose `File › Save as Word…` (Pro). Both are also in the More menu (•••) and in ⌘K. To paste formatted text into email, Slack or Google Docs, press ⌥⌘C for **Copy as rich text** (Pro). Copy as Markdown is free.

## Which One Clear Reader export option do I need?

Pick the One Clear Reader export option by where the document is going. This table matches each job to its option and plan.

| You want to | Use | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Send a file anyone can open and print | **Save as PDF** | Pro |
| Send a polished PDF with a cover page | **Save as client PDF** | Pro |
| Send something people can edit in Word or Google Docs | **Save as Word** | Pro |
| Paste into email, Slack, Notion or Google Docs with formatting | **Copy as rich text** (⌥⌘C) | Pro |
| Paste into your AI chat or another Markdown app | **Copy as Markdown** | Free |
| Paste one table into a spreadsheet or chat | Table **CSV** or **Markdown** button | Pro |
| Point your AI at one section | Heading **#** link | Free |

All of these work on your Mac. One Clear Reader uploads nothing to make them.

## How do I save a document as a PDF in One Clear Reader?

To save a document as a PDF, use **Save as PDF** (Pro).

1. Open the document in One Clear Reader.
2. Choose `File › Save as PDF…`, or press ⇧⌘P, or choose **Save as PDF** in the More menu (•••) or in ⌘K.
3. Pick where to save it and click **Save**.

You get A4 pages with real, selectable text. Tables, pictures and diagrams come through as they look on the page.

Save as PDF works for Markdown, text, Word, EPUB, web page and spreadsheet files. A file that's already a PDF can't be saved as a PDF again.

> [!note] Finish or cancel any edit before saving. The PDF is made from the page as you're reading it.

## How do I make a client PDF with a cover page in One Clear Reader?

To make a client PDF with a cover page, choose **Save as client PDF** (Pro) in the More menu (•••), or **Save as client PDF, with a cover** in ⌘K. It adds a cover with a title, a subtitle and a short details list: Prepared for, Prepared by and Date.

One Clear Reader fills the cover from the **frontmatter**: the block of `key: value` lines between two `---` lines at the very top of a Markdown file. Here's an example to copy and change:

```
---
title: Launch plan, October
subtitle: What we ship, when, and who owns it
prepared_for: Northwind Studio
prepared_by: Maya
date: 2026-10-01
---
```

Each cover line accepts a few different keys, so frontmatter your AI already wrote often just works. This table lists the keys each line reads:

| Cover line | Keys it reads, in order | If none is there |
|---|---|---|
| Title | `title` | The first main heading, then the file name |
| Subtitle | `subtitle`, `description`, `summary` | Left off |
| Prepared for | `client`, `prepared_for`, `for`, `company` | Left off |
| Prepared by | `prepared_by`, `author`, `by`, `owner` | Left off |
| Date | `date`, `updated`, `created` | Today's date |

Keys aren't fussy about capitals, spaces or dashes, so `Prepared for:` and `prepared-for:` work too. A date One Clear Reader can read is written out in full, in your Mac's date style. Anything else is shown as you typed it.

If the first heading repeats the title, it's hidden in the PDF so the title isn't printed twice.

> [!scribble] frontmatter in, cover page out.

## How do I save a document as Word in One Clear Reader?

To save a document as a Word file, use **Save as Word** (Pro).

1. Open the document in One Clear Reader.
2. Choose `File › Save as Word…`, or **Save as Word** in the More menu (•••) or ⌘K (Pro).
3. Pick where to save it.

One Clear Reader builds a real .docx. Headings become Word headings, so Word's navigation pane and table of contents work. Lists stay lists, tables keep their borders, links stay clickable, and pictures and diagrams go in as pictures. Maths comes through as one line of text.

Pages are Letter size if your Mac is set to US or Canadian English, and A4 otherwise.

Save as Word works for Markdown, text, spreadsheet, web page and EPUB files. It isn't offered for PDFs or for files that are already Word documents.

For free ways to do this and what each one keeps, see [how to turn a .md file into a Word document](/guides/markdown-to-word).

## How do I paste into email or Slack without the asterisks?

To paste a One Clear Reader document into email or Slack without the asterisks, use **Copy as rich text** (Pro).

1. Press ⌥⌘C, or choose **Copy as rich text** in the More menu (•••) or ⌘K.
2. Paste into email, Slack, Notion or Google Docs.

Headings, bold, lists and links come across as formatting. How much of it shows depends on the app you paste into. Buttons from the reading page, like code Copy buttons, are left out.

[Pasting AI text into Word](/guides/paste-ai-text-into-word) covers the other ways people get rid of the stray symbols.

## What does Copy as Markdown copy in One Clear Reader?

**Copy as Markdown** copies the file's own text, and it's free. Choose it in the More menu (•••) or ⌘K.

For a Markdown or text file, that's the Markdown you'd see in the editor. For other files, you get what One Clear Reader converted, as this table shows:

| File | Copy as Markdown gives you |
|---|---|
| Markdown, text | The file's Markdown text |
| Word, EPUB, web page | The converted page as HTML code, not Markdown |
| CSV, TSV | The raw comma or tab separated text |

To get real Markdown from a Word file, use **Edit a copy as Markdown** (see [Word files](/help/word-files)). From a web page, use **Save this web page as Markdown** in ⌘K.

## How do I copy one table from One Clear Reader?

To copy one table, hover over it in One Clear Reader. Two small buttons appear: **CSV** and **Markdown** (Pro).

- **CSV** pastes cleanly into Numbers, Excel or Google Sheets.
- **Markdown** pastes as a Markdown table, handy for your AI chat.

If you sorted the table by clicking a header, sorting only changes how it's shown. The file isn't changed.

## How do I point my AI at one section of a document?

To point your AI at one section, hover any heading in One Clear Reader and click the **#** that appears. It copies the file path with the heading on the end. Paste it into your AI chat to say "this part". It's free.

Other quick copies, all free:

- Click the path chip in the toolbar to copy the full file path.
- Every code block has a **Copy** button.
- ⇧⌘C copies the selected text with its file and section, ready for feedback. See [review with AI](/help/review-with-ai).

## Questions

### Is Save as PDF free in One Clear Reader?

No. In One Clear Reader, Save as PDF, Save as client PDF and Save as Word are Pro. The 30-day trial includes them, and Copy as Markdown stays free.

### Why is Save as Word missing in One Clear Reader?

Save as Word isn't offered when the open file is already a Word document or a PDF. It works for Markdown, text, web page, spreadsheet and EPUB files.

### What paper size are One Clear Reader PDFs?

One Clear Reader PDFs are A4. Word files are Letter size on Macs set to US or Canadian English, and A4 everywhere else.

### Do One Clear Reader exports send my document anywhere?

No. One Clear Reader makes PDFs, Word files and copies on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded.

### Can I add page numbers to a One Clear Reader client PDF?

Not today. One Clear Reader's client PDF adds a cover page and wider margins, without page numbers.