PDF creation methods by file type

Refer to the following lists to determine the methods available for the different types of files.

Most files

These methods can be used for documents and images in almost all file formats.

Requires a scanner and a hard copy of the document.

Create PDF menu: Within Acrobat, by choosing From Scanner. Or, for previously scanned paper documents, by choosing From File.
Document menu: Within Acrobat, by choosing Scan To PDF.

PDFMaker (Windows only): Within the authoring application, in the Acrobat PDFMaker toolbar and on the Adobe PDF menu. For Microsoft Office 2007 applications, in the Acrobat ribbon.
Adobe PDF printer: Within the authoring application, in the Print dialog box.
Drag and drop (Windows only): On the desktop or from a folder.
Context menu (Windows only): On the desktop or in a folder, by right-clicking.

PDFMaker (Windows only): Within Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes, by clicking Acrobat PDFMaker toolbar buttons. Or by choosing commands in the Adobe PDF menu (Outlook) or the Actions menu (Lotus Notes).
Adobe PDF printer: Within the email application, in the Print dialog box. Creates a PDF (not a PDF Portfolio).
Context menu (Outlook 2007 only): On an email folder or selection of messages, by right-clicking.

Create PDF menu: Within Acrobat, by choosing From Web Page.
PDFMaker (Windows only): Within Internet Explorer or when editing in a web-authoring application that supports PDFMaker, such as Word. Also, in the Acrobat PDFMaker toolbar and on the Adobe PDF menu.
Adobe PDF printer: Within Internet Explorer or when editing in a web-authoring application, such as Word; in the Print dialog box.
Drag and drop: On the desktop or from a folder, dragging the HTML file.
Context menu (HTML files): On the desktop or in a folder, by right-clicking the HTML file.

Create PDF menu: Within Acrobat, by choosing From Clipboard (Windows, all content) or From Clipboard Image (Mac OS, screen shots only).

Drag and drop: On the desktop or from a folder, by dragging to the Acrobat Distiller icon or into the Acrobat Distiller® window.
Double-clicking: (PostScript® files only) On the desktop or in a folder.
Open command: Within Acrobat Distiller, in the File menu.
Create PDF menu: Within Acrobat, by choosing From File.
Adobe PDF printer: Within the authoring application, in the Print dialog box.
Context menu: On the desktop or in a folder, by right-clicking.