---
title: "Exporting your resume"
description: "Download your resume or cover letter from Reactive Resume as PDF, DOCX, Markdown, or JSON, and pick the right format for each situation."
---

Reactive Resume can export your resume, and your cover letter separately when you have one, in four formats.

| Format | Best for |
| --- | --- |
| **PDF** | Job applications, recruiter emails, printing, and public resume downloads. |
| **DOCX** | Further editing in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Pages. |
| **Markdown** | Plain-text edits and sharing structured content with AI tools. |
| **JSON** | Backups, restoring a resume later, or importing into another Reactive Resume account. |

## Open the download dialog

Every export runs from the same **Download** dialog. You can open it two ways.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your resume in the builder">
    Go to the dashboard and open the resume you want to export.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Download">
    Select the **Download** button in the top-right of the builder header, next to the sidebar toggle. You can also open the same dialog from the **Export** section of the right sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick what to export">
    At the top of the dialog, use the tabs to choose **Resume** or **Cover letter**. The **Cover letter** tab is only available when your resume contains a visible cover letter section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a format">
    Select **Download** on the format you want. The dialog closes and your browser saves the file using the resume name as the filename.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  While an export is running, the trigger button and format buttons show a spinner and stay disabled until the file is ready.
</Tip>

## Export the resume and cover letter separately

If your resume includes a [cover letter section](/guides/adding-a-cover-letter), the download dialog treats the resume and cover letter as two distinct documents.

- The **Resume** tab exports only your resume content and excludes cover letter sections.
- The **Cover letter** tab exports only visible cover letter sections, rendered full width on their own page.

You no longer need to reorder pages or hide sections manually to produce a resume-only or cover-letter-only PDF. Select the tab that matches what you want, then pick a format.

<Info>
  The **Cover letter** tab is disabled when the resume has no cover letter section, or when every cover letter section or item is hidden.
</Info>

## Export as PDF

Choose **PDF** when you need a file that preserves your resume layout.

Use PDF for:

- uploading to job applications;
- emailing recruiters or hiring managers;
- printing from your browser or a print service;
- sharing a finished copy outside Reactive Resume.

<Info>
  The PDF is generated from your current resume data, template, typography, design, layout, and page settings.
</Info>

## Export as DOCX

Choose **DOCX** when you want to continue editing your resume or cover letter in a word processor.

Use DOCX for:

- making final manual edits in Microsoft Word;
- collaborating with someone who prefers Word or Google Docs;
- submitting to a system that requires a Word document.

<Warning>
  DOCX exports are useful for editing, but the visual layout may not match the PDF exactly. Use PDF when exact visual fidelity matters.
</Warning>

## Export as Markdown

Choose **Markdown** when you want a plain-text version of your resume or cover letter that is easy to edit anywhere and easy to feed into AI tools.

Use Markdown for:

- pasting into an AI assistant to review, rewrite, or tailor content;
- quick edits in any text editor without formatting overhead;
- storing a lightweight, diff-friendly copy in version control.

Section headings, lists, links, and rich-text formatting from the builder are preserved as standard Markdown.

For examples and common workflows, see [Exporting a resume to Markdown](/guides/exporting-resume-to-markdown).

## Export as JSON

Choose **JSON** when you want a structured backup of your resume.

The JSON export includes your full resume content and settings. You can import it later from the dashboard to restore the resume or create another version.

JSON is also useful when working with AI assistants that understand structured data. Export JSON, ask an assistant to review or edit the fields, then import the revised JSON as a new resume.

<Info>
  JSON export is only available on the **Resume** tab. Cover letters are exported through PDF, DOCX, or Markdown.
</Info>

<Warning>
  Review AI-generated changes before importing or using them. AI assistants can make mistakes or add details that do not reflect your experience.
</Warning>

## Printing your resume

To print, export a **PDF** and print it from your PDF viewer or browser. This gives you the same layout that recruiters see when you send them the file.

## Public resume downloads

If your resume is public, visitors can download a PDF from the public resume page. You can enable public access in the builder's **Sharing** section.

For the full public sharing workflow, see [Sharing your resume publicly](/guides/sharing-your-resume-publicly).
