What you should know
DOCX has been Word's document format since 2007. Unlike the old .doc, it is a ZIP archive containing XML: text, styles, images and revisions are described separately and readably.
It is the working format of office software: you write, comment and track changes in it. It has been open since 2008 and is supported by LibreOffice, Google Docs and most suites.
Strengths
- Full editing: styles, comments, tracked changes
- Open structure (XML in an archive), repairable and convertible
- Compatible with the main office suites
- Suits long documents and professional templates
Limitations to know
- Layout may vary from one application to another
- Macros and active content carry security risks
- A poor choice for distribution where layout must be guaranteed
- Older Word versions may refuse some recent files
When to use it
Work in DOCX when the document must be edited or co-written. As soon as it goes to a third party — client, administration, printer — export to PDF: the layout will no longer move.
Quality, size and compatibility
To PDF, FileXvert converts the DOCX on its server with LibreOffice: layout, fonts, images and tables are kept, and the file is deleted as soon as the PDF is returned. To TXT or Markdown, the conversion stays in the browser and extracts only the text. In the other direction, a TXT or Markdown file becomes a DOCX whose headings use Word's real heading styles, and a PDF becomes a rebuilt DOCX (paragraphs, headings, tables, images).
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my DOCX display differently in different software?
- Because each suite interprets styles and fonts its own way, and some fonts are missing on the machine. PDF removes that uncertainty by embedding everything.
- Is PDF to DOCX conversion reliable?
- For a simple document the result is usable. For rich layout — columns, tables, boxes — expect rework: the original structure is not always recoverable.