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ATS File Format: PDF vs DOCX (What Works Best)

6 min readBy SayItBetter Team

ATS File Format: PDF vs DOCX (What Works Best)

DOCX (Safest) - Most ATS systems parse DOCX cleanly - Best for compatibility

PDF (Sometimes OK) - Works if formatting is simple - Risky if you use columns or graphics

Recommendation

If the job post doesn’t specify, use DOCX. If it requires PDF, keep it simple.

Next Steps

Try the Resume Checker and join the Resume/ATS waitlist for early access.