What happens when you convert ABW to DOC
- The ABW is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and saved as a DOC file.
- Text, formatting, styles, images, tables, headers and footers carry over. Complex layouts and some advanced features may shift or be simplified, so check the result before sending it on.
- LibreOffice reads AbiWord files with its own AbiWord importer, keeping paragraphs, headings, bold and italic, lists, tables and images.
- DOC is the binary format of Office 97 to 2003. Very new features, such as some chart types and effects, have no equivalent in it and are simplified.
- Password-protected files cannot be converted, because they cannot be opened without the password.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert ABW to DOC online
- Press "Choose ABW files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to DOC". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each DOC with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your ABW and the DOC by then.
Why convert ABW to DOC?
ABW files usually come from documents written in AbiWord, the small word processor of many Linux desktops. People convert them to DOC because some older Word versions, forms and upload portals still ask for the DOC format from Word 97 to 2003.
In short, ABW is good at what it was made for, and DOC is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. ABW opens in AbiWord and LibreOffice Writer; Word cannot open it, while DOC opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer.
How to convert ABW to DOC on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your ABW files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each DOC is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the ABW files from Finder onto the drop zone and the DOC files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose ABW files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted DOC appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose ABW files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The DOC is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for ABW to DOC
There are no settings to choose: the ABW is opened and saved as a DOC file, keeping as much of its formatting as the format allows.
Check the converted file before deleting the ABW. Simple files convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
ABW vs DOC: the differences
| ABW | DOC | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | AbiWord document | Word 97 to 2003 document |
| Type | word-processing document | word-processing document |
| Created by | the AbiWord project | Microsoft |
| First released | 1998 | 1997 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | formatted text, images and tables as a single XML file | formatted text, images and tables in a binary file |
| In a browser | opens in AbiWord and LibreOffice Writer; Word cannot open it | opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer |
| Common uses | documents written in AbiWord, the small word processor of many Linux desktops | older Word files, templates and documents from legacy systems |
| MIME type | application/x-abiword | application/msword |
About ABW and DOC files
What is an ABW file?
ABW is the native format of AbiWord, a small open-source word processor. It stores the whole document, images included, as one XML file that can even be read in a text editor, but Microsoft Word has no importer for it.
What is a DOC file?
DOC is the binary Word format used before 2007. Unlike DOCX it is not a ZIP of XML files, so its contents cannot be read without a program that understands the binary layout.
ABW to DOC not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images inside the file, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex files can pass the 90 second limit. Split the file and convert the parts.
- "This file is not really in ABW format." The converter checks every file before it runs anything, so a file of another format renamed to .abw is refused. Choose the page for its real format.
Convert ABW to DOC from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to doc input.abwConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
ABW to DOC converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting ABW to DOC?
The content is kept. Office formats do not match feature for feature, so complex layouts or advanced features in the ABW may shift slightly in the DOC.
Why is the DOC a different size from the ABW?
The two formats store content differently, and DOC is not compressed, so it is often larger. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my ABW files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful ABW to DOC conversion needs LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the DOC as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several ABW files to DOC at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a DOC file?
DOC opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer. DOC is common for older Word files, templates and documents from legacy systems.
Is this ABW to DOC converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert ABW to DOC on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the DOC is saved to your Downloads folder.