How to Download and Print Your Resume
Updated November 12, 2026 3 min readBy the M2Toolkit team
The last step is where good resumes get spoiled: a Word file that reflows on the recruiter's computer, a PDF with the wrong paper size, or a printout with the edges cut off. Here's how to get a file that looks exactly as you designed it.
You'll learn how to
- Choose between PDF and Word for each application
- Set the right paper size for the country
- Print without clipped margins or missing colours
- Name and check the file before you send it
PDF or Word?
| Format | Use it when | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The default for almost every application | Keeps your exact layout and fonts on any device. Text stays selectable, so applicant tracking systems can read it. | |
| Word (.docx) | The employer or recruiter asks for Word, or wants to edit it | Word files reflow on other computers. M2Toolkit's Word export is a clean single-column version that edits well. |
| Plain text | Pasting into an online form | Copy the text version so line breaks and bullets come through cleanly. |
Downloading from the M2Toolkit builder
- Open your resume in the editor and check the preview — what you see is what the PDF will contain.
- Choose Download, then PDF. Your browser's print dialog opens with the resume ready.
- Set the destination to "Save as PDF" (or "Microsoft Print to PDF" on Windows).
- Make sure margins are set to None or Default and "Background graphics" is on, so colours and sidebars appear.
- Save. For Word, choose Download → Word instead; the file downloads directly.
Nothing is uploaded: the PDF is made by your own browser from the page you're looking at.
A4 or US Letter
The US and Canada use US Letter (8.5 × 11 in). Almost everywhere else — the UK, Europe, the UAE, Australia, India — uses A4 (210 × 297 mm). A resume made for the wrong size prints with a gap at the bottom or text cut off.
Choose your country in the editor's Setup and the paper size follows. You can also switch between A4 and US Letter in the template preview to see how each looks.
Printing a paper copy
- Print from the PDF, not the editor, so the layout can't shift.
- Set scale to 100% ("Actual size"), not "Fit to page".
- Turn on background graphics if your template has a coloured header or sidebar.
- Use bright white paper of 90–120 gsm (24–32 lb) for interviews and career fairs.
- Print single-sided; staple two-page resumes once in the top-left corner, or not at all.
Name the file and check it
Recruiters save hundreds of files. Name yours so it stays findable: FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf, or add the role for tailored copies (Priya-Nair-Data-Analyst-Resume.pdf).
- Open the PDF and select some text — if you can, an ATS can read it.
- Check every page break: no heading left alone at the bottom of a page.
- Click your email and links to make sure they work.
- Read it once more on your phone, where many recruiters will see it first.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my PDF have a blank second page?
Usually the paper size or margins are wrong. Set the paper size to match your resume (A4 or Letter) and margins to None or Default in the print dialog.
Why are the colours missing from my PDF?
Turn on "Background graphics" in the print dialog. Without it, browsers leave out coloured backgrounds such as sidebars and header bands.
Is a PDF made in the browser ATS-friendly?
Yes — it contains real, selectable text. Whether it reads well depends on the layout; check the template's ATS rating.
Can I edit my resume after downloading it?
Yes. Your resume stays saved in this browser, so you can reopen the editor, change anything and download again. To edit the file itself elsewhere, download the Word version.