What happens when you convert DOT to DOCX
- The DOT is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and saved as a DOCX 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.
- The result is an ordinary document, not a template: opening it edits it directly instead of starting a new copy.
- 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 DOT to DOCX online
- Press "Choose DOT 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 DOCX". 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 DOCX with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your DOT and the DOCX by then.
Why convert DOT to DOCX?
DOT files usually come from letterheads, forms and company templates from older versions of Word. People convert them to DOCX because DOCX opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice and keeps the document editable.
In short, DOT is good at what it was made for, and DOCX is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. DOT opens in Word, where it starts a new document based on it, and in LibreOffice Writer, while DOCX opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer.
How to convert DOT to DOCX on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your DOT files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each DOCX is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the DOT files from Finder onto the drop zone and the DOCX files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose DOT files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted DOCX appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose DOT files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The DOCX is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for DOT to DOCX
There are no settings to choose: the DOT is opened and saved as a DOCX file, keeping as much of its formatting as the format allows.
Check the converted file before deleting the DOT. Simple files convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
DOT vs DOCX: the differences
| DOT | DOCX | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Word 97 to 2003 template | Word document |
| Type | word-processing document | document |
| Created by | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| First released | 1997 | 2007 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | styles, page setup, boilerplate text and sometimes macros, in the binary Word format | formatted text, images, tables and styles in a ZIP of XML files |
| In a browser | opens in Word, where it starts a new document based on it, and in LibreOffice Writer | opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer |
| Common uses | letterheads, forms and company templates from older versions of Word | letters, reports, CVs and most documents shared at work |
| MIME type | application/msword | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
About DOT and DOCX files
What is a DOT file?
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.
What is a DOCX file?
DOCX has been Word's default format since 2007. Like XLSX it is a ZIP archive of XML files, which is how its text can be read without Word.
DOT to DOCX 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.
- The file will not convert. It may be password protected, damaged, or saved in a newer or unusual version of the format.
Convert DOT to DOCX 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 to DOCX converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting DOT to DOCX?
The content is kept. Office formats do not match feature for feature, so complex layouts or advanced features in the DOT may shift slightly in the DOCX.
Why is the DOCX a different size from the DOT?
The two formats store content differently. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my DOT files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful DOT to DOCX 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 DOCX as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several DOT files to DOCX 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 DOCX file?
DOCX opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer. DOCX is common for letters, reports, CVs and most documents shared at work.
Is this DOT to DOCX 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 DOT to DOCX 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 DOCX is saved to your Downloads folder.