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CPDX PDF
File conversion

Convert CPDX to PDF

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 17, 2026
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Is it possible to convert CPDX to PDF?
Yes - CPDX converts to PDF.

There is no one-click .cpdx-to-PDF export. You import the Captivate Draft storyboard into desktop Captivate, then produce a PDF two ways: the built-in publish (which historically embedded a Flash/SWF movie in the PDF) or the more reliable File > Print to Word followed by Save As PDF. Since Flash reached end of life, the Word-to-PDF route is the one that still opens everywhere.

Also to PDF: LTX · TEX · DWG

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert CPDX to PDF?

A PDF is an easy way to share or archive an eLearning storyboard so reviewers can read it offline without any Captivate software. Because .cpdx cannot be exported straight to .pdf, the workable path is through Captivate's publish or print output.

How to convert CPDX to PDF

Adobe Captivate print to Word, then save as PDF PAID

Import the .cpdx, choose File > Print, pick a layout like Handouts, and Publish to .doc. Open that in Word and use Save As > PDF (or Save As Adobe PDF if Acrobat is installed).

Adobe Captivate publish (interactive PDF)

When publishing to SWF, tick the option to also create a PDF. Note this is a Flash-based interactive PDF that needs an old Flash-capable Reader, so it is largely obsolete.

Adobe Acrobat PAID

Use Acrobat's Create PDF / print-to-Adobe PDF on the Word handout Captivate produced to get a clean, standard PDF that opens in any viewer.

About these formats

.CPDX Adobe Captivate Storyboard Project

A .cpdx file is a storyboard project created by Adobe Captivate Draft, an iPad app for sketching out eLearning content before building it. It holds slides with text, drawings, and embedded…

Open .CPDX details →
.PDF Portable Document Format

A PDF (Portable Document Format) is a fixed-layout document that looks identical on every device - fonts, images, and layout are all embedded. Open it in any browser or the built-in viewer…

Open .PDF details →

Quality & what to watch

  • The old Captivate 'publish to PDF' embeds a Flash SWF; with Flash discontinued this PDF no longer plays, so prefer the print-to-Word-then-PDF route.
  • Whichever route you use, the result is a flat document - interactivity, audio and animations from the storyboard are lost.
  • You still need a licensed desktop Captivate to open the discontinued .cpdx format in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I export .cpdx directly to PDF?
.cpdx is a Captivate Draft project, not a document format. You must open it in Captivate and publish or print it first.
Is the Captivate 'publish to PDF' a normal PDF?
No - historically it was a Flash SWF embedded in a PDF. Since Flash is dead, use the Word-then-PDF method for a standard PDF.
Do I need Adobe Acrobat?
Not necessarily; Word's own Save As PDF works. Acrobat just gives extra print-to-PDF control.
Will the PDF be interactive?
No. The reliable PDF route flattens everything to static pages of text and images.