Free screenwriting tool
FDX and Fountain to PDF Converter
To convert an FDX file to PDF without Final Draft, drop the .fdx (or a Fountain file) here and save the formatted pages as a PDF. The layout is standard screenplay format: Courier 12, letter size, industry margins. It all runs in your browser, so the script never leaves your computer.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
In short
To convert a Final Draft FDX file to PDF without Final Draft, drop the .fdx or a Fountain file here and save the formatted pages as a PDF. The layout is standard screenplay format, Courier 12 on letter size with industry margins, and the file never leaves your computer.
How to use it
- 1
Drop a .fdx or .fountain file anywhere on the page, or paste Fountain text.
- 2
Check the preview. Pages are laid out in standard format: Courier 12, letter size, industry margins.
- 3
Press Save as PDF and choose “Save as PDF” in the print window that opens.
What page setup does the PDF use?
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Paper | US letter, 8.5 by 11 inches |
| Font | Courier 12 point |
| Left margin | 1.5 inches |
| Right, top and bottom margins | About 1 inch |
| Lines per page | 55 |
What does the FDX to PDF converter keep?
Final Draft stores every paragraph with its element type: scene heading, action, character, dialogue, parenthetical, transition. We read those types directly, so nothing has to be guessed. Each element is placed at its standard indent, a title page is built from the script title, and pages are cut at the standard 55 lines.
Fountain is the plain text screenplay format used by Highland, Slugline, WriterSolo and many others. If your Fountain file has a title page block at the top, we use it for the cover page.
What does the converter not carry over?
Revision colours, scene numbers set inside Final Draft, dual dialogue columns and custom fonts are not carried over. The result is a clean, standard draft, the kind you send to a contest or a reader. If you need production features like locked pages, you will want a full screenwriting app.
Because the PDF is made by your browser’s print engine, it works on any computer and most phones. On an iPhone, tap Save as PDF, then use the share button in the print preview to save to Files.
Questions writers ask
What is an FDX file?
The file format Final Draft saves scripts in. It is XML that labels every paragraph as a scene heading, action, character, dialogue and so on.
How do I open an FDX file without Final Draft?
Drop it here to read and save it as a PDF. An .fdx file is plain XML, so free apps like WriterDuet and Fade In can also open it for editing.
Is my script uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser. The file is never sent to our servers.
Can I convert Fountain to PDF?
Yes. Drop a .fountain file or paste Fountain text and save it the same way.
Will the page count match Final Draft?
Usually within a page or two. Final Draft has its own rules for breaking pages around dialogue, and small differences add up over a long script.
Can I convert a PDF back to Final Draft?
Not here. A PDF is a finished page, so going back means an app that imports PDFs, like Final Draft or Fade In, or retyping. Keep the .fdx or .fountain as your working file.