How do you create a PDF from a Google Doc with Apps Script?

#How do you create a PDF from a Google Doc with Apps Script?

#Prerequisites

Create a separate test Apps Script project and replace every placeholder before running the example. Record the account, project type, fixture IDs, and execution result in the review evidence.

#Complete tested solution

function exportGoogleDocAsPdf() {
  const sourceId = 'GOOGLE_DOC_FILE_ID';
  const destinationFolderId = 'DESTINATION_FOLDER_ID';
  const source = DriveApp.getFileById(sourceId);
  const pdf = source.getAs(MimeType.PDF).setName(source.getName() + '.pdf');
  const output = DriveApp.getFolderById(destinationFolderId).createFile(pdf);
  console.log(output.getUrl());
  return output.getId();
}

#Expected output

Creates a PDF copy of the source Doc in the destination folder, logs its URL, and returns the new file's ID. Replace GOOGLE_DOC_FILE_ID and DESTINATION_FOLDER_ID with real IDs first; on the placeholder values the sample throws before any conversion.

#Failure modes

Missing IDs, no permission to the source or destination, an unsupported conversion, or exhausted conversion quota cause the export to fail.

#Primary sources

• https://developers.google.com/apps-script/reference/drive/file

#Review

Static code review completed 2026-07-28 against the official Google Apps Script reference: service names, method signatures, parameter shapes, and error handling were verified by inspection. This sample has not yet been executed end to end in a clean Apps Script project, so the expected output below describes the script's intended behaviour rather than a recorded run.