PDF Conversion: Complete Guide for All Formats in 2025

Why is PDF So Popular?

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a universal document format developed by Adobe in 1993. Today, PDF has become the de facto standard for document exchange thanks to its unique advantages:

• Cross-platform — PDF looks the same on Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile devices
• Preserves formatting — fonts, indentation, images remain unchanged
• Edit protection — you can set a password and prevent changes
• Compact — PDF compresses images and efficiently stores data
• Professional standard — used in business, education, government agencies

But precisely because of its "immutability," PDF often needs to be converted to editable formats (Word, Excel) or to extract data from it (images, text).

PDF → Word (DOCX): Editing Documents

Converting PDF to Word is the most common task. You need to edit a contract, modify a resume, or fix a typo in a report.

When is PDF to Word Conversion Needed?

• Editing a received PDF document
• Extracting text for reworking
• Creating a template based on PDF
• Translating a document (easier to work with DOCX)

Problems with PDF → Word Conversion

Main problem: formatting loss. PDF doesn't contain information about document structure (paragraphs, tables, lists) — it's just a set of positioned elements. The converter must "guess" the structure.

Common issues:

• Tables turn into plain text with spaces
• Multi-column text merges
• Complex formatting (superscripts/subscripts) may be lost
• Scanned PDFs (images) aren't recognized (OCR needed)

How to Preserve Formatting During Conversion?

1. Use quality converters — cheap online services give poor results
2. Check source PDF — if it's a scanned document, OCR is needed
3. Simple documents convert better — complex layouts are always problematic
4. Always verify results — don't send documents without proofreading

Tip: If you need to edit just a few words in PDF, use a PDF editor (like Adobe Acrobat) instead of converting PDF → Word → PDF. This preserves the original formatting.

Word → PDF: Creating Final Version

The reverse conversion — DOCX to PDF — is simpler and more reliable. You create a document in Word and convert it to PDF for sending to a client, university, or employer.

Why Convert Word to PDF?

• Edit protection — recipient cannot modify your document
• Professional appearance — PDF looks more official
• Display guarantee — other computers may not have required fonts
• Employer/client requirements — many require PDF specifically

Ways to Convert DOCX → PDF

1. Built-in Word Function ("Save as PDF")

• ✓ Free
• ✓ Preserves formatting perfectly
• ✗ Requires Word

2. Offline Converter (File Converter Pro)

• ✓ Batch conversion (hundreds of files simultaneously)
• ✓ Doesn't require Word
• ✓ Complete privacy

3. Online Services

• ✓ No software required
• ✗ Uploading files to third-party servers
• ✗ Size and quantity limitations

PDF → Excel: Working with Tables and Data

Converting PDF to Excel is needed when you receive a table in PDF and want to work with it: sort, filter, build charts.

PDF → Excel Conversion Problems

PDF doesn't store table information as structured data. It's just text with spaces and lines. The converter must recognize the table.

What can go wrong:

• Columns merge or split incorrectly
• Data goes into wrong cells
• Formulas don't transfer (they weren't in PDF)
• Number and date formatting may be lost

When Does Conversion Work Well?

• Simple tables with clear borders
• PDF created from Excel (not scanned)
• No merged cells
• One table per page

PDF → Images (JPG, PNG)

Converting PDF to images is needed for:

• Inserting PDF pages into presentations or documents
• Publishing on websites or social media
• Creating document previews
• Working with graphics editors

JPG vs PNG for PDF

Use JPG if:

• PDF contains photos or complex graphics
• Small file size needed
• Background transparency not important

Use PNG if:

• PDF contains text or diagrams (better clarity)
• Background transparency needed
• Quality without compression artifacts is important

DPI Settings for Conversion

DPI (dots per inch) determines image quality:

• 72-96 DPI — for web, previews (small size)
• 150 DPI — for screen viewing (normal quality)
• 300 DPI — for printing (high quality, large size)
• 600+ DPI — for professional printing

Images → PDF: Creating Documents

The reverse task — combining images into PDF — is often needed for:

• Creating PDF from scanned pages
• Combining photos into one document
• Sending multiple images as one file
• Creating portfolios or presentations

Tips for Creating PDF from Images

1. Same size — resize all images to the same dimensions for consistency
2. Correct orientation — verify all pages are rotated correctly
3. Compression — use compression to reduce PDF size
4. OCR (optional) — add text recognition for search

Scanned PDFs and OCR

Scanned PDF is actually images of pages, not text. Normal PDF → Word conversion doesn't work because the converter "sees" only a picture.

What is OCR?

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is optical character recognition. Technology that "reads" text in images and converts it to editable text.

When is OCR Needed?

• PDF created by scanning paper document
• PDF consists of images (page photos)
• Can't select text in PDF (means it's an image)

Quality OCR is available in File Converter Pro — recognition works even for complex documents with tables and multi-column text.

Online vs Offline PDF Conversion

With PDF conversion, data privacy is especially important. PDFs often contain confidential information: contracts, financial reports, personal documents.

Why is Offline Conversion Safer?

• Contracts and NDAs — uploading to third-party servers violates non-disclosure agreements
• Personal data — passports, medical records, tax returns
• Corporate documents — financial statements, strategies, price lists
• GDPR and legislation — personal data protection requirements

Important: Many online services state in their terms of use that they can store your files, use them for AI training, or transfer them to third parties. Carefully read Terms of Service.

Advantages of Offline PDF Conversion

PDF Conversion Best Practices

1. Always Save Originals

Conversion can lead to formatting loss. Don't delete the original PDF until you verify the result.

2. Verify Conversion Results

Especially important for:

• Tables — check data is in correct columns
• Formulas and special characters — may be lost or distorted
• Multi-column text — order may be disrupted
• Numbering and lists — may turn into plain text

3. Use Correct Settings

• DPI for images: 300 for printing, 150 for screen
• JPG quality: 85-95% (balance of size and quality)
• OCR language: specify correct language for better recognition

4. Batch Processing Saves Time

If you need to convert dozens of PDFs (e.g., scanned documents), use batch processing instead of converting one file at a time.

Common PDF Mistakes

Mistake 1: Multiple PDF ↔ Word Conversions

Each PDF → Word → PDF conversion degrades formatting quality. If you need to edit PDF regularly, keep the source file in Word and convert only the final version.

Mistake 2: Using JPG for Text Documents

JPG compresses images with losses, creating artifacts around text. For documents, use PNG (lossless) or high quality JPG (95%+).

Mistake 3: Ignoring PDF Protection

If PDF is password-protected from editing, conversion may be limited or impossible. This is legal protection by the document author.

Mistake 4: Online Conversion of Confidential Documents

Contracts, financial reports, personal data should never be sent to third-party servers. Use offline converters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PDF be converted without losing formatting?

Word → PDF conversion usually preserves 100% formatting. Reverse conversion PDF → Word depends on document complexity: simple documents convert well, complex ones (with multi-column text, tables, formulas) may lose some formatting.

How to convert protected PDF?

If PDF is password-protected from viewing, you need to enter the password. If protection from editing — conversion may be limited. Removing protection without owner's permission may be illegal.

What if PDF is a scanned document?

Scanned PDFs require OCR (optical character recognition). Simple conversion won't work as PDF contains only images. Use a converter with OCR support, like File Converter Pro.

What format is best for editing PDF?

DOCX — if you need to edit text and formatting.
XLSX — if PDF contains data tables.
Images (PNG) — if you need to work in graphics editor.

Conclusion

PDF is a universal but "frozen" format. Converting PDF to editable formats (Word, Excel) or extracting data (images, text) is a common task in work and study.

Key takeaways:

• Word → PDF converts perfectly, PDF → Word depends on complexity
• Scanned PDFs require OCR for text conversion
• For confidential documents use only offline converters
• Always verify conversion results before using
• Batch processing saves time when converting multiple files

For regular PDF work, we recommend offline solution File Converter Pro — complete privacy, no size limits, OCR support, batch processing. One-time payment €6.49 instead of monthly subscriptions.