How can I save a document as a .PDF file?

If you want to create your own .PDFs, you have several different options for how to do it.

Print it on a Mac

OS X has a handy and extremely easy way of saving documents as .PDFs. To do this, you'll have to print your document.

Click the PDF button, and you'll see a menu pop up with loads of options for .PDF files. You'll likely just want Save as PDF...

Use Adobe Acrobat

If you want to view .PDFs at all in Windows, you'll need some form of Adobe Acrobat. Most people just use the free Acrobat Reader that's available for download from the Adobe website. The lab computers have a full version of Acrobat that allows you to edit and save .PDF files. There is also a plugin for Microsoft Office which adds icons to the toolbar to create PDFs automatically.

Use some other program

PDF Creator

If you have a Windows PC, one free and easy to use program is called PDF Creator. You can download it using the link above, and install it easily. You can then create a PDF from any program by going to File, then Print. You will see a new printer listed called "PDF Creator". Select it from the list and click OK.

Another window should open and allow you to set properties for your PDF. You can then preview your PDF by using Adobe Acrobat or other software.