I have a PDF file that I need to use as a figure in a Word document. I can insert the PDF without problems, and I can export the document as a PDF from Word, retaining all details in the figure.
But if I save the document as standard .docx
, close it, then later re-open it, the figure gets converted to a low-resolution bitmap image, and the vector data is permanently lost. This happens only with certain PDF figures, not all of them.
Is there a workaround? Does anyone know what property of the PDF is causing this to happen, so I can try to avoid it?
The behaviour is the same in Word 2011 and in Word 15.26 for Mac.
Note that Word for Windows works differently. This question is specifically about the Mac version. Linked objects are a Windows-specific feature and do not apply to the Mac version, which supports PDF directly, without the need for third party software such as Acrobat.
This is an example of a "bad" PDF file that triggers the problem (created for the purpose of demonstration). Steps to reproduce the problem: Create a new Word file, then drag and drop the PDF into it. It will render in high resolution, and it will be resizable. Now save the file, close it, and reopen it. Now it is rasterized at low resolution, and even worse, it has JPEG compression artefacts. Here's a screenshot: