What every format carries

Which parts of your design survive into each file the studio writes — and what happens instead when one cannot.

A design is not carried equally by every file. A PDF has pages, so it can honour a right-hand chapter opening; an EPUB has none, so it cannot. This table is read from the same data the export check uses, so it is what the software actually does rather than a description of it.

The two PDFs differ in three rows and nowhere else: a press file allows bleed, respects the inside margin the binding needs, and starts chapters on a right-hand page — inserting a blank leaf to reach one. A screen file has no binding and no trimming, so it drops all three and reads without blank pages.

Three answers, and the middle one is the one worth understanding:

Exact: Rendered as you set it.
The reader may override: Written into the file, and the reading system is entitled to ignore it. Most ebook typography is this: you set 11 pt, the file says 11 pt, and a reader who has chosen large type gets large type. It is neither honoured nor refused, and calling it either would be a lie.
Not carried: The format cannot express it. Hover or read the note beside the cell for what happens instead — nothing is dropped silently.

The page

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Trim size	Exact	Exact	Not carriedThe reading device decides the page size.	Not carriedWord repaginates with its own page setup; the trim size is not claimed.	Not carriedThe browser viewport decides the width.
Margins	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported as relative padding; most readers apply their own margins.	Not carriedWord's own page setup owns the margins.	The reader may overrideApplied as a reading measure, clamped on small screens.
Inside margin	Exact	The reader may overrideNo binding exists on screen, so the inside margin is cosmetic.	Not carriedThere is no binding, so the inside margin is dropped.	Not carriedWord's own page setup owns the binding allowance.	Not carriedNo binding exists.
Bleed	Exact	Not carriedBleed is dropped; a screen PDF has no trimming.	Not carriedBleed has no meaning without a trimmed page.	Not carriedA word processor has no bleed.	Not carriedBleed has no meaning on the web.
Facing pages	Exact	Exact	Not carriedSome readers show two columns, but you cannot control it.	Not carriedWord decides its own spreads.	Not carriedA web page is a single continuous column.
Page masters	Exact	Exact	Not carriedReflowable content has no page masters.	Not carriedWord has no page masters.	Not carriedNo page masters in continuous HTML.

Heads and folios

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Running head	Exact	Exact	Not carriedReaders draw their own chrome; running headers are dropped.	Not carriedDropped; Word's own header is left for the author to set.	Not carriedDropped; use the document header instead.
Running foot	Exact	Exact	Not carriedReaders draw their own chrome; running footers are dropped.	Not carriedDropped; Word's own footer is left for the author to set.	Not carriedDropped; use the document footer instead.
Page numbers	Exact	Exact	Not carriedPage numbers do not exist; readers show their own progress.	Not carriedWord numbers its own pages, which are not the ones Nueel composed.	Not carriedContinuous HTML has no page numbers.

Type

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Typeface	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideEmbedded, but most readers let the reader choose another face.	Exact	Exact
Type size	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported as a relative size; the reader's setting wins.	Exact	Exact
Weight	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported, but the reader may substitute or synthesize a nearby weight.	Exact	Exact
Line spacing	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported, but many readers override it with their own spacing.	Exact	Exact
Letter spacing	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideSupported unevenly across reading systems.	Exact	Exact
Justification	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideMost readers expose their own justification setting.	Exact	Exact
Hyphenation	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideDepends on the reader's hyphenation dictionary and setting.	Not carriedWord hyphenates per document rather than per style, so the book's per-style setting cannot travel.	The reader may overrideDepends on the browser's dictionary for the document language.
First-line indent	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Drop cap	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideRendered with CSS; appearance varies and may break at small sizes.	Not carriedThe opening letter is written as ordinary text rather than as a Word drop cap.	Exact
Small caps	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Columns	Exact	Exact	Not carriedColumns are reflowed into a single stream.	Not carriedColumns belong to Word's page setup, which this export does not write.	The reader may overrideCollapses to one column on narrow screens.
Vertical writing	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported with CSS writing-mode; reader support and controls vary.	Not carriedVertical writing is not projected; the text runs horizontally.	Exact

Breaks

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Page break	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Not carriedIgnored on screen; honoured only when the reader prints.
Break to a right-hand page	Exact	Exact	Not carriedThere are no left and right pages; treated as a normal break.	Not carriedWord starts the section on an odd page of its own pagination, which is not the leaf the printed book uses.	Not carriedNo left and right pages on screen.
Keep with next	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideHonoured by some readers only.	Exact	Not carriedThe HTML stylesheet does not currently emit a keep-with-next rule.
Widows and orphans	Exact	Exact	Not carriedThe reader repaginates, so widow control cannot apply.	Not carriedThe widow and orphan rules are left at Word's own default rather than written per style.	Not carriedThe HTML stylesheet does not currently emit widow or orphan rules.

Pictures

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
In the text	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Full measure	Exact	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideThe image fills Word's text column, whose width Word decides.	Exact
A page of its own	Exact	Exact	Not carriedThere are no pages; rendered as a full-width figure.	Not carriedThe image sits in the flow; Word decides which page it lands on.	Not carriedThere are no pages; rendered as a full-width figure.
Off the edge of the page	Exact	Not carriedRendered full-width inside the margins instead.	Not carriedRendered full-width instead.	Not carriedA word processor has no trim edge.	The reader may overrideSpans the viewport width rather than a trimmed page.
Text wrap	Exact	Exact	Not carriedFloats are unreliable in readers; the image becomes a block.	Not carriedThe image is inline, so text runs above and below it rather than beside it.	Exact
Wrap to a shape	Exact	Exact	Not carriedThe image becomes a block without a text exclusion contour.	Not carriedWord cannot trace a silhouette from an inline image.	Exact
Anchored to the page	Exact	Exact	Not carriedWithout pages, the image stays in the reading order.	Not carriedThe image stays in the reading order.	Not carriedWithout pages, the image stays in the reading order.
Behind the chapter title	The reader may overrideThe requested strength is rendered with live opacity; print profiles may require transparency to be flattened afterward.	The reader may overrideThe requested strength is rendered with live opacity; print profiles may require transparency to be flattened afterward.	Not carriedText cannot sit over an image; it moves to the chapter opening.	Not carriedA background image has no Word form and is dropped.	Exact

Blocks

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Nested lists	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Definition lists	Exact	Exact	Exact	Not carriedWord has no definition list; each term and definition gets its own named style, which stays editable and machine-readable.	Exact
Verse	Exact	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideEach line is its own paragraph in a verse style with contextual spacing, so the lines survive; Word may still wrap a long one.	Exact
Conversations	Exact	Exact	Exact	Not carriedEach message becomes a hanging-indent paragraph led by the speaker's name in bold.	Exact
Compositions	Exact	Exact	Exact	Not carriedArrangements have no Word form; the blocks flow in order.	Exact
Composition on its own page	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideReaders may treat the page break as an ordinary break.	Not carriedWord decides its own pages, so a dedicated one cannot be claimed.	The reader may overrideContinuous reading shows the interlude as a separated passage.
Composition kept together	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideReaders may split the presentation when they repaginate.	Exact	The reader may overrideThe browser may split it when printing.

Notes

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Footnotes at the page foot	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported as a popup note; readers that lack popups show endnotes.	Exact	The reader may overrideRendered as an inline disclosure or a link to the note.
Notes at the end of a chapter	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Notes at the end of the book	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact

Tables

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Wider than the measure	The reader may overrideA table wider than the text block is scaled down or rotated; check the preview.	The reader may overrideA table wider than the text block is scaled down or rotated; check the preview.	The reader may overrideWide tables scroll horizontally or overflow; consider a simpler table.	Exact	Exact
Split across pages	Exact	Exact	Not carriedThe reading system decides where a table breaks.	The reader may overrideWord splits a long table across its own pages.	Not carriedContinuous HTML has no fixed page fragmentainers.
Repeating header row	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideSemantic header and footer rows are exported; repetition depends on the reader.	The reader may overrideWord repeats header rows across pages, but has no repeating footer; footer rows are written as ordinary last rows.	The reader may overrideSemantic rows are preserved; repetition applies only when the browser prints.
Column alignment	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Decimal alignment	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideAligned on the decimal point where the reader supports it, on the right edge otherwise.	The reader may overrideWord's decimal alignment needs a tab stop per cell; the column is aligned on its right edge.	The reader may overrideAligned on the decimal point where the browser supports it, on the right edge otherwise.
Column widths	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact

Code

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Line numbers	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideRendered as CSS counters; alignment varies by reader.	The reader may overrideThe numbers are written into the text of each line, because Word numbers lines per section rather than per block.	Exact
Syntax highlighting	Exact	Exact	Exact	Not carriedColouring tokens would need a colour on every run, which is the direct formatting this export refuses; the code keeps its monospaced style.	Exact
Highlighting in colour	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideExported as CSS; a reader in night or sepia mode may override the colours, though weight and slope survive.	Not carriedNo colour is written on individual runs.	Exact

Charts

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Drawn as a chart	Exact	Exact	Exact	Not carriedWord receives the chart's data as a table rather than as a drawing, so nothing is lost except the picture.	Exact
Size and proportion	Exact	Exact	The reader may overrideThe width is exported as a percentage of the reader's measure, which the reader owns; the aspect ratio holds.	Not carriedA table has no declared size.	The reader may overrideThe declared width is a fraction of the reading measure, which the viewport sets; the aspect ratio is exact.
Text wrap	Exact	Exact	Not carriedFloats are unreliable in readers; the chart becomes a block.	Not carriedThe table sits in the flow rather than beside the prose.	Exact

References

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Citations in the text	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Bibliography	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact

Navigation

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Internal links	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact
Note shown in place	ExactThe note is set at the foot of the same page, so the reader never leaves the sentence.	ExactThe note is set at the foot of the same page, so the reader never leaves the sentence.	The reader may overrideExported as an epub:type="footnote" aside; readers without popups link to the note instead.	Not carriedWord shows the note at the foot of the page and in a hover tip of its own, rather than through a popup this export controls.	The reader may overrideRendered as a native disclosure the reader expands in place, not a floating popup.
Cross-reference to a page	Exact	Exact	Not carriedPage numbers do not exist; the cross-reference degrades to a link naming its target.	Not carriedWord's page numbers are its own, not the ones Nueel composed; the cross-reference names its target instead.	Not carriedContinuous HTML has no page numbers; the cross-reference names its target instead.
Link back from a note	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact	Exact

Composed pages

Feature	PDF for a pressBound	PDF for a screenRead on a tablet	EPUBFor shops	DOCXFor an editor	HTMLFor the web
Free placement	The reader may overrideComposed blocks are painted inside their fixed canvas boxes; inspect unusually long content for clipping.	The reader may overrideComposed blocks are painted inside their fixed canvas boxes; inspect unusually long content for clipping.	Not carriedFree placement is flattened to an image with alt text; see flattenCanvasSection.	Not carriedPlaced zones are written in reading order and their positions are dropped.	Not carriedContinuous HTML currently renders the section's blocks in reading order and drops fixed placement.
Placed zones	The reader may overridePicture zones are placed exactly; composed blocks reflow inside their fixed zone box.	The reader may overridePicture zones are placed exactly; composed blocks reflow inside their fixed zone box.	Not carriedWithout pages there is nothing to place against, so a zone's content re-enters the reading order where its anchor sits.	Not carriedZone content stays in reading order; fixed position is dropped.	Not carriedZone content remains in reading order where possible; fixed position is dropped.
Text wrap in a zone	The reader may overrideText follows the paginator's zone exclusion; inspect long composed-zone content for clipping.	The reader may overrideText follows the paginator's zone exclusion; inspect long composed-zone content for clipping.	Not carriedProse cannot be excluded around a zone; the zone becomes a block in the flow.	Not carriedWord flows text around a floated shape, which this export does not emit.	Not carriedThe HTML writer does not project zone exclusions; prose returns to ordinary flow.
Zone off the page edge	Exact	Not carriedThere is no trim on screen, so a bleed-anchored zone is clipped to the page edge.	Not carriedA cover flattens to a single image, which the reading system fits to its own screen.	Not carriedA word processor has no trim edge.	Not carriedThe web has no trim edge; the zone spans the viewport instead.