How to Convert LaTeX to Word With Editable Equations

Sooner or later someone asks for your LaTeX document "as a Word file": a supervisor who reviews with tracked changes, a journal that only takes .docx, or a teammate who has never opened a .tex file. Exporting to PDF and pasting it into Word doesn't work, because every equation turns into an image or a mess of characters.

What you want is a .docx in which each equation is a native Word equation, so you can click into it and edit it in Word's equation editor. There are three ways to get one, depending on how much LaTeX you have.

Option 1: a free online converter (fastest for an equation or a short document)

If you have one equation, a page of homework or a short .tex file, an online converter is the quickest route and needs nothing installed.

1. Open the free LaTeX to Word converter.

2. Paste your LaTeX. For a .tex file, open it in any text editor and paste the whole contents. A snippet without \documentclass is wrapped in a basic document for you.

3. Select Convert to Word and open the downloaded .docx.

Equations supported by Pandoc are converted to native Word equations. Unsupported LaTeX commands may need rewriting or may be omitted. The converter runs Pandoc (Option 2), so it has the same limitations.

Option 2: Pandoc (best for a full paper)

Pandoc is a free, open-source document converter and the standard tool for this job. After installing it, run:

pandoc paper.tex -o paper.docx

A few options cover most real documents:

• Bibliography: pandoc paper.tex --citeproc --bibliography=refs.bib -o paper.docx turns your \cite commands into formatted citations and a reference list.

• Images: run the command from the folder that contains the .tex file. If you set a resource path, include both the working folder and the figures folder—for example, --resource-path=.:figures on macOS/Linux or --resource-path=".;figures" on Windows.” Pandoc requires the working folder to be listed when you set a resource path.

• Your own Word styles: --reference-doc=template.docx applies the fonts and heading styles from a Word file you choose, such as a journal's template.

Pandoc reads the LaTeX source directly and doesn't run a TeX engine, so it copes with most documents, including your own \newcommand macros.

Option 3: Word desktop app’s built-in LaTeX input (for typing a single equation)

Recent versions of Word in Microsoft 365 accept LaTeX inside the equation editor:

1. In desktop Word, go to Insert → Equation.

2. On the Equation tab, choose LaTeX as the input format.

3. Type or paste the LaTeX, for example \frac{a}{b}, then choose Convert → Professional.

This works well for adding one equation to a document you're already writing in Word. It handles one equation at a time and supports a subset of LaTeX, so it's not a way to convert a whole file.

Limitations of Pandoc-based conversion

Word and LaTeX lay out pages differently, so expect a close result, not an identical one. Check these after converting:

• Chemistry notation. Chemistry notation. Pandoc does not natively process mhchem’s \ce{...} syntax, so chemistry formulas may be omitted. Rewrite them in syntax Pandoc supports, or use desktop Word’s LaTeX equation input for a single equation; Microsoft 365 Word supports \ce syntax, with some limitations.

• TikZ and pgfplots drawings. They aren't converted. Export each one as an image and include it with \includegraphics instead.

• Equation numbers and cross-references. \label and \ref don't always come through as live Word references, so check the numbering.

• Custom packages and page layout. Margins, columns and your class file's styling are replaced by Word's defaults (or your --reference-doc).

LaTeX checker shows the first error in plain language.”“If Pandoc fails or omits content, check its error and warning output and review the limitations above. A successful LaTeX compile does not guarantee that Pandoc can convert every command or package, because Pandoc reads the source without running a TeX engine. If you suspect a LaTeX syntax error, use the LaTeX checker to find the first error.

Check the result in Word

Open the .docx and click into two or three equations. If Word shows the equation toolbar and lets you edit the symbols, they converted properly. Images of equations can't be edited that way. If you plan to open the file in Google Docs or LibreOffice, check the equations there as well, because each editor displays Word equations in its own way.

What if your math is handwritten?

If the equations only exist in a notebook or on a whiteboard photo, you don't need to type the LaTeX first. Scriveno reads a photo or PDF of the page and gives you a Word document with editable equations directly, along with the LaTeX source. Handwriting to Word Math Equations explains how that works.

FAQ

Can I convert LaTeX to Word for free?

Yes. Pandoc is free and open source, and Scriveno's LaTeX to Word converter is free to use without an account.

Will my equations be editable in Word?

Equations supported by the chosen method are native Word equations that you can edit. Unsupported LaTeX syntax may not convert and may need rewriting.

How do I convert a .tex file to .docx?

Run pandoc file.tex -o file.docx, or paste the file's contents into the online converter.

Why is part of my document blank after converting?

Usually because Pandoc skipped something it doesn't understand, most often mhchem's \ce{} or a TikZ drawing. See the list above.