Gear Doc Converter Free v2.0 build 111

Document Converter for Word, PDF, Excel & More

Quickly convert Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint, and other files with ease.
Monitor folders or directories for new files or changes and trigger conversions automatically by dragging and dropping files to folders.

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v2.0 build 111 · What's new

64-bit Windows 10 or greater (Arm too), .NET 4.8

  • Free for personal use
  • No account, no cloud
  • Word, Excel, PDF & more
Gear Doc Converter on the Windows desktop: the Gearmage header, named folder watches converting Word, PowerPoint and PDF files, the history with the time each took, and a Quick convert button snapped to the screen's edge with its formats in a strip

Free Document Converter lets you convert documents, emails, and files to over fifty popular formats directly on Windows.

Watch folders

Files saved in a folder you watch are converted as they arrive, hands-free. See how

Quick convert New

Drop files on a button that stays on top, then on a format. See how

Right-click to convert

A "Convert File" menu in File Explorer converts files without opening the program. See how

Headless command line PRO

gdc.exe converts with no windows or prompts, from scripts or Windows Task Scheduler. See how

50+ formats, all built in

Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, email, images and more, layout and formatting kept. All formats

Private: runs on your PC

Your files never leave your PC, and there's no analytics or telemetry. It goes online only to check for updates, to activate a PRO license with gearmage.com and, if you ask, to download LibreOffice.

No limits, no watermarks

Unlimited conversions, no sign-ups, no page, file-count or file-size limits.

In 11 languages

English, Español, Français, Deutsch, 日本語, العربية and more, the Explorer menu too. Pick one in Settings › Language.

Simple. Secure. Completely free.

Jump to: What's new · Quick convert · Watch folders · Conversion engine · Presets · Formats · Explorer menu · Pricing · Command line · FAQ

Quick Convert, and Your Choice of Engine

Quick convert buttons convert the files you drop on them, and you can choose the conversion engine: the built-in one or free, open-source libraries.

Click a screenshot to enlarge it.

Quick convert: drop files on a button

Quick convert buttons stay on top of your other windows. Drag files onto one from File Explorer, your desktop or an email, and the formats it offers appear around it. Drop the files on a format and they're converted, next to the originals or in the button's own folder.

  • Drop on the button itself to use the format you used last.
  • Hold Ctrl as you drop, or drop on Options..., to choose the options first.
  • Drag a button near an edge of the screen and it snaps to it; there the formats line up along the edge instead of in a ring.
  • Add as many buttons as you like, each with its own colour, formats, folder and settings. See a button for each job.

In the Free and PRO versions.

A Quick convert button on the Windows desktop with three Word files dragged onto it: pdf in the middle, and docx, png, jpeg, html and Options... around it The same button snapped to the bottom edge of the screen: its formats in a strip along the edge, pdf in the middle

Anywhere on the screen, the formats make a ring; snapped to an edge, a strip along it.

Watch folders, now in the Free version

Pick a folder, the types of file and the format, and every file saved there is converted as it arrives, into the folder you choose or next to the originals. Each watch shows where files come from, what's converted and where it's saved.

  • Named watches: give each watch a name, or keep the one it gets from its folder and format, such as "Invoices to PDF".
  • On and off: each watch has its own switch, and one switch on the tab (or the Folder watches button at the top of the window) turns them all on or off.
  • PRO A watch can have options of its own (Just this watch) or use one of your presets. The Free version converts with the Default options.

In the Free and PRO versions.

The Folder watches tab: five Contoso watches named after their folders, such as Invoices to PDF, each with its own switch, converting files to PDF, Word, CSV or PowerPoint

A button for each job

Add as many buttons as you need on the Quick convert tab. Each has its own colour, the formats it offers in your order, and where it saves: one for PDFs next to the originals, one that saves invoices to your finance folder, one for web images.

  • Click a button in the list and it pulses on the screen, so you know which one it is.
  • Each button has its own switch, and one switch turns them all on or off.
  • PRO A button can have options of its own (Just this button) or use one of your presets, such as "Archive (300 dpi)". The Free version converts with the Default options.
The Quick convert tab listing three buttons, To PDF, Invoices and Web images, each with its switch, formats, preset and folder

Choose your conversion engine

Convert with Gear Doc Converter's built-in internal engine, as before, or with free, open-source libraries: LibreOffice, PDFium, PdfPig, PDFsharp, ImageMagick, ExcelDataReader, Windows' own imaging and MsgReader. Or mix them: Custom picks what converts each kind of file, such as LibreOffice for documents, spreadsheets, presentations and emails, and the internal engine for PDFs and images.

  • Nothing breaks: when the free libraries fail on a file they try again (3 times, or as many as you choose), then the internal engine converts it, so every conversion still gets done. The status bar says which files needed it. Or turn the fallback off to see which files the free libraries can't do.
  • More without LibreOffice: PDFs to Word with their text, headings and pictures ready to edit (PdfPig), spreadsheets to and from CSV, Office files to another variant of their kind, and images from HEIC, AVIF, WebP, Photoshop and more, or to WebP, EPS and more (ImageMagick).
  • LibreOffice in one click: Gear Doc Converter downloads it and sets it up for itself, with no administrator rights and nothing else on your PC changed. Or point it at the LibreOffice you already have.
  • Everywhere at once: the program, Explorer's menu, Quick convert, folder watches and the command line all convert with the engine you choose.
  • Open about it: Settings › Conversion engine shows what converts each kind of file, and the libraries in use with their open-source licenses.

In the Free and PRO versions.

Settings, Conversion engine set to Custom: the free libraries (LibreOffice, ExcelDataReader, MsgReader) for documents, spreadsheets, presentations and emails, the internal engine for PDFs and images, 3 tries, the fallback to the internal engine, and LibreOffice installed

Drop files anywhere on the window

On the Convert files tab, drop files or whole folders on the window, or click Select files..., then pick the format and options. A folder's files are converted, with its subfolders' too if you like.

The Convert files tab: a large drop zone with Select files... and Quick convert buttons, and a tip about the Explorer menu

A clearer conversion window

Laid out like Windows' Settings, with a page for each step: When to convert, What to convert, Conversion options, Where to save and After converting. A preview at the top shows, with an example folder, where the converted files will go. A watch's or a Quick convert button's name is under it, where you can rename it.

  • Where to save: in the same location as the source, or in a destination folder, keeping the directory structure or putting every file directly in it.
  • Folders are picked with the Windows folder picker, with its address bar, search and Quick access.
  • PRO After converting: keep the original, or move it to the Recycle Bin or a folder once every converted file is saved. Changed your mind? Undo in the history puts it back.
Editing the watch Invoices to PDF: a preview of how an example folder is converted, the watch's name under it, and the pages When to convert (open, with the folder to watch), What to convert, Conversion options, Where to save and After converting

History when you want it

A one-line status bar at the bottom of the window says what's converting now. Click Show history to see every file converted, with an icon for converting, converted or failed and the time it took; point at a file name to see where it is.

  • A warning or failure shows the full error, with Copy details.
  • Undo puts back an original that was moved after converting.
  • Something went wrong? Report a problem puts a bug report together, with the logs and a screenshot if you like, and opens it as an email for you to look over before you send it. Your documents are never included.
The main window with the history shown below the folder watches: three files converted and two converting

Presets: options for every kind of file

The Presets tab holds the options files are converted with:

  • PDF: open password-protected PDFs, remove restrictions and certificates, fit to page or drop the margins, autofit spreadsheet rows and columns, page size and orientation, convert only some pages (such as 1-3, 7, 10-), set the title, author, subject and keywords, and encrypt converted PDFs with user and owner passwords.
  • Images: resolution (dpi), quality and TIFF compression.
  • Email: skip embedded attachments that can be shown, or the email header.
  • Spreadsheets: the CSV separator and encoding, and every sheet or only the first.
  • After converting: keep the original, or move it to the Recycle Bin or a folder.

The Free version converts everything with the Default options, shown on the Presets tab. PRO Change them, give each watch, Quick convert button or conversion options of its own, and save as many presets as you like under names of your own, such as "Archive (300 dpi)". Use them anywhere: in the program, in Explorer's menu, on a Quick convert button or on the command line (gdc --preset).

The Presets tab, the Default preset's PDF page: password, remove restrictions and certificate, fit to page, no margins, autofit spreadsheet rows and columns, page size, orientation and pages, and the title, author, subject and keywords
Presets, Images: resolution, quality and TIFF compression
Presets, Spreadsheets: separate values with a comma, UTF-8 encoding, and only the first sheet or a file for each
Presets, Email: skip embedded attachments that can be shown, skip the email header
Presets, After converting: keep the original, move it to the Recycle Bin or move it to a folder, with Undo from the history

More in version 2.0

  • Updates: Gear Doc Converter looks for a new version when it starts and once a day, and tells you at the top of the window. Install checks that the installer is the one Gearmage published and signed before it runs. Turn the checks off, or look now, in Settings › Updates, which also links to the release notes. PRO is updated within its major version; a new major version is a paid upgrade.
  • Settings › Explorer menu: turn File Explorer's menu on or off, and choose the kinds of files that have it and their formats. See how.
  • Settings › Language and Settings › EULA & Privacy, which opens the license agreement and the privacy policy.
  • 64-bit: runs natively on Windows on Arm too, and installs in Program Files.

Supported Formats

50+ File Formats

Word Processing Icon

Word Processing

  • DOC, DOCX, DOCM, DOT, DOTX, DOTM
  • ODT, OTT, WordML
  • RTF
  • HTML, HTMLFixed, MHTML
  • Text, XML, TEX
  • EPUB, MOBIXML
  • PDF, PDFNotes
  • PS
Presentation Icon

Presentation

  • PPT, PPTX, PPTM
  • PPS, PPSX, PPSM
  • POTX, POTM
  • ODP
  • SWF
Spreadsheet Icon

Spreadsheet

  • XLSX, XLSM, XLSB
  • XLTX, XLTM, XLAM
  • ODS
  • CSV, TABDelimited, DIF
  • SpreadsheetML
  • Excel
Image and Other Formats Icon

Image & Other

  • BMP, JPEG, PNG
  • TIFF, TIFFNotes
  • SVG, EMF
  • XPS, OpenXPS
  • XAMLFixed, XAMLFlow, XAMLFlowPack
  • FlatOPC, FlatOPCMacroEnabled
  • FlatOPCTemplate, FlatOPCTemplateMacroEnabled
  • With the free libraries: from WebP, HEIC, AVIF, JPEG 2000, Photoshop (PSD), Targa and SVG; to WebP, JPEG 2000, PSD, Targa, SVG and EPS

Free Version: Explorer Menu

Convert Right from Windows Explorer

The Free and PRO versions both add a Convert File menu to Windows Explorer, so you can convert a file without opening the program first.

Right-click → Convert File → To PDF

How to use it

  1. In File Explorer, right-click a document, spreadsheet, presentation, PDF or image. Select several files first to convert them all at once. On Windows 11, click Show more options first.
  2. Point to Convert File.
  3. Pick a format, such as To PDF or To DOCX. The converted file is saved in the same location as the original.
  4. Or choose Convert with options... to open the conversion window with your files already filled in, and pick any format, where to save and the options.
  5. PRO Turn on Ask for a preset each time in Settings › Explorer menu, and Convert with a preset... lets you pick one of your presets and a format, and converts in one step.

Good to know

  • Never overwrites: if report.pdf is already there, the new file is saved as report (1).pdf.
  • Stays out of the way: a small progress window shows each file, with Cancel and Show in folder, instead of the main window.
  • Make it yours: in Settings › Explorer menu, turn the menu on or off, and choose the kinds of files that have it and the formats each is offered (up to 14). Convert with options... is always there and offers all 50+.
  • Uses the Default options: the formats in the menu convert with the Default options from the Presets tab. PRO Pick another preset for the menu.
  • Nothing to set up: the menu is added when Gear Doc Converter first starts (the installer starts it for you) and removed when you uninstall it.
  • In your language: the menu, like the program, is in the language you choose in Settings › Language.

Available from v1.3 build 103.

Gear Doc Converter Pro Version

Buy Single User PRO Perpetual License

The Free version is for personal use. To use Gear Doc Converter at work, in a business or any other organization, get PRO: the commercial license for business use.

Free Version

$0free for personal use

Free for personal use only. Using it at work, in a business or any other organization needs a PRO license.

Fully functional and free for personal, non-commercial use: unlimited conversions, no watermarks! For business use, get PRO.

Download Free

Pro Perpetual Version

$9.99commercial license for business use

Commercial license granted. Use it at work, in a business or any other organization. One license per user.

A one-time fee for a perpetual license: it never expires, and there's no subscription to renew. The paid PRO version unlocks all capabilities. A new major version, such as 2.0, is a paid upgrade for licenses of earlier versions.

Own version 1.x? Upgrade your license to 2.0.

  • + Commercial license for business use
  • + Your own conversion options: change the Default ones, give each watch, Quick convert button or conversion its own, and save presets to reuse anywhere
  • + Headless command line: run conversions from scripts or Windows Task Scheduler
  • + Optimized for speed
  • + Merge documents (future versions)

Pro Version: Headless Command Line

Convert from the Command Line

The PRO version includes gdc.exe, a headless command-line converter: it opens no windows and never stops to ask, so it can run unattended from batch files, scripts or Windows Task Scheduler. It uses the same conversion engine and options as the program, and still runs entirely on your PC.

How to use it

  1. Buy PRO and activate your license in Gear Doc Converter's Settings › License (once).
  2. Open a Command Prompt in the installation folder, normally C:\Program Files\Gearmage\Gear Doc Converter.
  3. Run gdc convert with the format to convert to and the files or folders to convert:
gdc convert --to pdf "C:\Reports\report.docx"
gdc convert --to docx --out "C:\Converted" --recurse "C:\Incoming"
gdc convert --to png --image-resolution 200 "C:\Scans\scan.pdf"
gdc formats report.pdf
gdc --help

The first line saves report.pdf next to the Word file. The second converts every file in C:\Incoming and its subfolders into C:\Converted\Incoming, keeping the subfolders (add --flat to put every file directly in C:\Converted). gdc formats lists the formats a file can be converted to, and gdc --help lists every option.

Good to know

  • Safe by default: existing files are kept and the new one is saved as name (1).ext. Add --overwrite to replace them.
  • Same options as the program: image quality and resolution, TIFF compression, PDF margins and fit to page, the pages to convert, email headers and attachments, CSV separator and encoding, and more. --recycle-source or --move-source moves each original away once it's converted.
  • Use your presets: --preset "Name" converts with a preset saved in the program (--preset Default for your Default one); any other options you add change just that run. --settings still works too.
  • PDF passwords stay private: they are read from an environment variable or a file (--user-password env:NAME), never typed on the command line.
  • Headless: no windows, prompts or pop-ups, even when something's wrong: problems are reported in the output and the exit code.
  • On a schedule: Gear Doc Converter has no scheduler of its own; add gdc convert to Windows Task Scheduler to convert a folder every night or every hour.
  • Built for scripts: one line per file, or JSON with --json, and an exit code: 0 all converted, 1 some failed, 2 none converted, 3 a mistake in the command, 4 no PRO license.
  • Stops cleanly: Ctrl+C finishes the current file and stops.

Available from v1.3 build 104.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the PRO version get me?

The FREE version is fully functional, has no watermarks and watches folders for you. The PRO comes with the following features:

  • Commercial license: PRO is the license for business use: at work, in a company or any other organization. The FREE version is for personal, non-commercial use only.
  • Speed: Optimized for speed for large bulk conversions.
  • Command line: Convert files and whole folders headlessly, with no windows or prompts, from a Command Prompt, a batch file or Windows Task Scheduler with gdc.exe. See Convert from the Command Line.
  • Your own options and presets: The Free version converts everything with the Default options. PRO lets you change them, give each folder watch, Quick convert button or conversion options of its own, and save presets under names, such as "Web images" or "Print-ready PDF", to pick wherever you convert: in the program, in Explorer's menu (Settings › Explorer menu), on a Quick convert button, or on the command line with --preset.

Which conversion engine does Gear Doc Converter use?

Its built-in internal engine, unless you choose otherwise in Settings › Conversion engine: Free libraries converts with free, open-source libraries (LibreOffice, PDFium, PdfPig, PDFsharp, ImageMagick, ExcelDataReader, Windows' imaging and MsgReader), and Custom lets you pick for each kind of file. Whatever the free libraries can't make, or fail to make, the internal engine makes, so every conversion still works. Gear Doc Converter can install LibreOffice for you in one click, and the page lists the libraries in use with their licenses. See how.

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