The question comes up constantly: should you submit your resume as a PDF or a Word (.docx) file? The answer isn't one-size-fits-all. It depends on the ATS platform the employer uses, the job application method, and how your PDF was created. Here's the definitive breakdown.
The Short Answer
- For most modern online portals (Greenhouse, Lever, Workday 2022+): Either format works. PDF is fine.
- For older enterprise systems (Taleo, pre-2020 SAP SuccessFactors): .docx is safer.
- For email submissions to a recruiter: PDF is better — it preserves your formatting exactly.
- For Indian job portals (Naukri, Shine): Both work, but .docx is slightly safer.
- If you used Canva or Google Slides to make your resume: Neither format is safe — rebuild it.
Why .docx Was King (and Still Matters)
For most of ATS history, .docx was the clear winner. Word documents contain structured XML with clear text layers — every ATS parser was built to handle them perfectly. PDFs, on the other hand, can be created in dozens of ways, and not all of them produce text that ATS parsers can reliably extract.
The specific PDF types and their ATS compatibility:
- Text-based PDF (created directly from Word, Google Docs, or LaTeX): Excellent ATS compatibility. Text is fully extractable. This is what you get when you "Save as PDF" from Word.
- Design PDF from Canva, Figma, or Adobe Illustrator: Poor ATS compatibility. Text may be embedded in graphics layers. Parsing is unreliable.
- Scanned PDF (physical resume photographed or scanned): Zero ATS compatibility unless OCR is applied. The document is an image — no text exists to parse.
- Flattened PDF: Poor compatibility. Flattening merges all layers into a single image layer.
- Password-protected PDF: Many ATS parsers cannot open these at all.
ATS Platform-by-Platform Breakdown
- Workday (2022+): Handles text-based PDFs well. .docx also works perfectly. Avoid design PDFs.
- Greenhouse: Excellent PDF support. Either format is fine. Known to handle modern resume layouts well.
- Lever: Same as Greenhouse — both formats parse reliably. PDF slightly preferred by some Lever customers.
- Taleo (Oracle): Historically preferred .docx. Older Taleo installations (pre-2021) have unreliable PDF parsing. Where possible, use .docx for Taleo.
- iCIMS: Good PDF support in current versions. .docx also fine.
- SAP SuccessFactors: .docx is safer, especially for implementations before 2022.
- Naukri RMS: Both work. But Naukri's own resume database is optimized for .docx uploads — profiles created from .docx parse more completely.
- LinkedIn Easy Apply: Both work. LinkedIn converts your upload to structured data regardless of format.
- SmartRecruiters: Both work well — modern parser handles PDFs reliably.
When PDF Is the Better Choice
PDF wins in these specific scenarios:
- Email attachments: A PDF looks exactly the same on every device. .docx files can render differently depending on the recipient's Word version.
- Networking and referrals: When someone is forwarding your resume to a hiring manager directly (not through a portal), PDF is professional and presentation-safe.
- When the job posting says "PDF preferred": Some companies, especially in design and creative fields, explicitly ask for PDF.
- When your .docx formatting might break: If you've used advanced Word formatting, converting to PDF locks it in.
When .docx Is the Better Choice
- When the portal explicitly says "Word format" or ".docx"
- When applying through Taleo-based enterprise portals (large banks, insurance companies, government contractors)
- When you're unsure which ATS a company uses — .docx is universally safe
- When your PDF was created from a design tool (Canva, Figma) — convert to .docx instead
The Format That Fails Everywhere: Canva PDF
No discussion of resume format is complete without addressing Canva. Canva exports create design PDFs with text in graphic containers, multi-column layouts, and icon-based contact info. These fail on virtually every ATS platform — even the modern ones that handle text PDFs well. If your resume was made in Canva, the format decision is already wrong at a level below PDF vs Word.
Not sure which format your resume is? Upload it to our ATS checker — it will flag parsing issues specific to your file format and tell you exactly what the ATS sees.
Check My Resume Free →The Practical Recommendation for 2026
Keep two versions of your resume: a .docx version for portal submissions where you're unsure of the ATS, and a text-based PDF for email, networking, and modern portals. Both should come from the same source .docx file — just save one as .docx and one as PDF. That way the formatting and content are always in sync.