---
title: ".docx file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .docx file is a Word Document (Open XML). The standard Word document since Office 2007 — a zip archive of XML underneath. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/docx/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .docx files

**.docx file: Word Document (Open XML)**

The standard Word document since Office 2007 — a zip archive of XML underneath.

## What opens a .docx file

- **Windows:** Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer, WPS Office
- **macOS:** Microsoft Word, Pages (built in), LibreOffice Writer
- **Linux:** LibreOffice Writer, OnlyOffice, AbiWord
- **In a browser:** Google Docs, Word for the web, Google Drive viewer

## What a .docx file is

DOCX is part of Office Open XML, standardised as ECMA-376 and ISO/IEC 29500. The file is really a zip containing XML parts, which is why a corrupt DOCX can sometimes be recovered by renaming it to .zip and opening it. Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer and Apple Pages all read and write it, with the usual caveat that heavy formatting, tracked changes and macros survive best in Word itself.

## Converting it

A .docx file is commonly converted to .pdf, .doc, .odt, .txt, .rtf or .epub. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .docx
- **Full name:** Word Document (Open XML)
- **Category:** Documents
- **MIME type:** application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
- **Created by:** Microsoft
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .docx file?

On Windows use Microsoft Word; on macOS use Microsoft Word; on Linux use LibreOffice Writer. The standard Word document since Office 2007 — a zip archive of XML underneath.

### What is a .docx file?

Word Document (Open XML). DOCX is part of Office Open XML, standardised as ECMA-376 and ISO/IEC 29500. The file is really a zip containing XML parts, which is why a corrupt DOCX can sometimes be recovered by renaming it to .zip and opening it.

### Can I convert a .docx file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .pdf, .doc, .odt, .txt, .rtf or .epub, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.pdf — Portable Document Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/pdf/)
- [.xlsx — Excel Workbook (Open XML)](https://atoneplace.net/file/xlsx/)
- [.pptx — PowerPoint Presentation (Open XML)](https://atoneplace.net/file/pptx/)
- [.txt — Plain Text File](https://atoneplace.net/file/txt/)
- [.doc — Word Document (legacy binary)](https://atoneplace.net/file/doc/)
- [.xls — Excel Workbook (legacy binary)](https://atoneplace.net/file/xls/)
- [.ppt — PowerPoint Presentation (legacy binary)](https://atoneplace.net/file/ppt/)
- [.md — Markdown Document](https://atoneplace.net/file/md/)
- [.rtf — Rich Text Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/rtf/)
- [.pages — Apple Pages Document](https://atoneplace.net/file/pages/)
- [.odt — OpenDocument Text](https://atoneplace.net/file/odt/)
- [.eml — Email Message](https://atoneplace.net/file/eml/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)