What is a DOT file?
DOT stands for Word 97 to 2003 template. It was created by Microsoft and first released in 1997. A DOT file is a template: opening it in Word starts a new, untitled document with its styles, text and layout, and leaves the template itself untouched. Normal.dot held the defaults for every new document until Word 2007.
| Type | word-processing document |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| In a browser | opens in Word, where it starts a new document based on it, and in LibreOffice Writer |
| Common uses | letterheads, forms and company templates from older versions of Word |
| MIME type | application/msword |
How to open a DOT file
Whether a DOT file opens with a double click depends on the device. Here is what works on each, without buying software:
| Windows | Word or the free LibreOffice Writer opens DOC, ODT and RTF; WordPad opens RTF. Pages files need converting first. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Pages and TextEdit open DOC and RTF; LibreOffice opens ODT; Pages opens its own files. |
| iPhone and iPad | Pages and the Word app open DOC, RTF and Pages files; ODT needs an app such as Collabora Office. |
| Android | Google Docs and the Word app open DOC, ODT and RTF; Pages files need converting first. |
| Web browser | DOT opens in Word, where it starts a new document based on it, and in LibreOffice Writer. |
Want the technical details? See what a .dot file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
DOT compared with other document formats
How DOT stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Usually contains | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOT | Lossless | styles, page setup, boilerplate text and sometimes macros, in the binary Word format | 1997 | letterheads, forms and company templates from older versions of Word |
| DOCX | Lossless | formatted text, images, tables and styles in a ZIP of XML files | 2007 | letters, reports, CVs and most documents shared at work |
| DOC | Lossless | formatted text, images and tables in a binary file | 1997 | older Word files, templates and documents from legacy systems |
| ODT | Lossless | formatted text, images, tables and styles in a ZIP of XML files | 2005 | LibreOffice users and public-sector documents |
| RTF | Lossless | text with fonts, bold, italic and simple tables, written as readable control words | 1987 | documents exchanged between different word processors |
How to use the DOT converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your DOT files on the box, or press Choose DOT files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting DOT files
Converting a DOT file never loses the words: what can change is layout and styling, where formats do not match feature for feature. A few habits make the result as close to the original as possible.
- Keep the original document; converting to PDF is for sharing and printing, not further editing.
- Embed fonts when you save in Word or Pages, so the exact typeface survives any conversion.
- Accept or reject tracked changes and delete comments before converting, so they do not end up in the PDF.
- Remove any password first; encrypted documents cannot be opened for conversion.
- Very large documents are usually large because of photos. Compress the pictures inside them to stay under the size limit.
Convert DOT files from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to docx input.dotConverting 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.
DOT converter FAQ
What is a DOT file?
DOT stands for Word 97 to 2003 template, a word-processing document format created by Microsoft in 1997. A DOT file is a template: opening it in Word starts a new, untitled document with its styles, text and layout, and leaves the template itself untouched. Normal.dot held the defaults for every new document until Word 2007.
How do I open a DOT file?
DOT opens in Word, where it starts a new document based on it, and in LibreOffice Writer. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common DOT conversion?
DOT to DOCX is the conversion people search for most. The DOT is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and saved as a DOCX file.
Does converting DOT files here upload them?
Yes. DOT conversions need LibreOffice and MuPDF, open-source programs that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion 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.
Is the DOT converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert DOT files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your DOT files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several DOT files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.