How the PDF to Word conversion works
A PDF stores text as positioned characters, not as paragraphs. The converter reads each page's text with its position, font and size, groups characters into lines and lines into paragraphs, detects headings from font size, and keeps bold and italic styling. Embedded images are extracted in reading order and each PDF page becomes its own section with the original page size.
The result is a normal .docx file you can edit in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice or Pages.
What converts perfectly and what needs tidying
Letters, reports, contracts, articles and CVs convert very well. Complex layouts such as magazines with many columns flow in reading order, and tables are converted as lines of text, so expect some light tidying in Word for those.
Scanned PDFs are pictures of text. Run OCR PDF first so the text can be recognised, then convert.
Who uses PDF to Word?
Office workers
Edit a contract or report when you only have the PDF.
Students
Reuse text from PDF readings in essays (with citations).
Job seekers
Update an old CV that only exists as a PDF.