How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume in 2026 (Step-by-Step)
A practical, step-by-step guide to writing a resume that applicant tracking systems parse correctly and recruiters actually read — with examples and a checklist.
Free ATS Resume Creator & CV Maker
Write an ATS-friendly résumé with eight templates, selectable text, live PDF preview and a real-time health check. Your résumé stays in your browser, with no sign-up required.
No account needed. Your résumé stays in this browser.
8 layouts with selectable text
Smart templates for every career stage
Classic or colourful, every design keeps a single reading order, real text and standard headings. Switch any time without retyping.
Why layout decides what a recruiter finds
Applicant tracking systems extract your text line by line and file it into fields recruiters search. Layouts that look fine to a person can come out scrambled.
Two-column layout
“Experience Skills Senior Engineer Python Northwind SQL Payments Docker…”
The parser merges the sidebar into your job history, line by line.
Single column (every template here)
“Experience · Senior Engineer · Northwind Payments · Mar 2021 – Present…”
Titles, employers and dates arrive in order and land in the right fields.
Built for the way résumés are actually read
- The preview is the PDF
- One layout engine draws the preview, the PDF and print, so line and page breaks never surprise you.
- A health check that teaches
- Flags missing contact details, inverted dates, broken links, weak verbs and bullets without numbers, and jumps you to the field.
- Four ways to send it
- Vector PDF with clickable links, an editable Word file, plain text for application forms, and a web page that reflows on phones.
- Private by default
- No account, no upload, no tracking. Résumés live in your browser, with one-click backup and restore.
- Fits the page for you
- Smart page breaks keep headings with their entries; fit-to-one-page shrinks text without going below a readable size.
- Works on any screen
- Edit on a phone, tablet or desktop. Undo, autosave and keyboard shortcuts included.
From blank page to sent in three steps
Write it
Start blank, from an example, or import a backup. Use bold for emphasis in bullets.
Style it
Pick a template, accent colour, text size, margins and A4 or US Letter. Everything reflows instantly.
Check and send it
Fix what the health check flags, then download PDF, Word, text or a web page.
Résumé guides
All guides-
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ATS Resume Format: Fonts, Margins, Sections and File Types
The exact formatting rules that keep your resume readable by applicant tracking systems — fonts, sizes, margins, headings, dates and file types, with reasons for each.
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CV vs Resume: What's the Difference? (US, UK, India and Europe)
CV or resume? The answer depends on the country and the job. See how the US, UK, India, Europe and academia use each word, how long each should be, and which one to send.
Questions
Is Resume Creator really free?
Yes. Every template and export format is free, with no sign-up, watermark or paywall.
Are the templates ATS-friendly?
The templates use real selectable text, standard section headings and a single reading order. Contact icons are optional and accompany text by default. These choices support parsing, but results vary by employer and ATS. No template guarantees an interview or an ATS score.
Where is my résumé data stored?
Only in your own browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server. You can download a JSON backup at any time and restore it on another device.
Should I send a PDF or a Word file?
Use the PDF when you email a recruiter or upload to modern portals. If an application form asks for .docx, download the Word version. Both are generated from the same content.
Can I view my résumé on a phone?
Yes. Besides the PDF, you can export a responsive web page that reflows on any screen, and preview it at phone, tablet and desktop widths while you edit.
Can I edit my résumé later?
Yes. Résumés save automatically in your browser, so you can come back on the same device any time, or download a backup to continue elsewhere.