What happens when you convert DOTX to DOCX
- The DOTX 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 DOTX to DOCX online
- Press "Choose DOTX 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 DOTX and the DOCX by then.
Why convert DOTX to DOCX?
DOTX files usually come from letterheads, report layouts and company templates. People convert them to DOCX because DOCX opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice and keeps the document editable.
In short, DOTX 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. DOTX opens in Word, where it starts a new document based on it, and in LibreOffice Writer and Google Docs, while DOCX opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer.
How to convert DOTX to DOCX on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your DOTX 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 DOTX 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 DOTX 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 DOTX 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 DOTX to DOCX
There are no settings to choose: the DOTX 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 DOTX. Simple files convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
DOTX vs DOCX: the differences
| DOTX | DOCX | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Word template | Word document |
| Type | word-processing document | document |
| Created by | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| First released | 2007 | 2007 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | styles, page setup and boilerplate text in a ZIP of XML files | 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 and Google Docs | opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer |
| Common uses | letterheads, report layouts and company templates | letters, reports, CVs and most documents shared at work |
| MIME type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.template | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
About DOTX and DOCX files
What is a DOTX file?
DOTX is the template version of DOCX: the same ZIP of XML files, but Word opens it as a fresh copy so the template stays unchanged. Unlike DOTM, it cannot hold macros.
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.
DOTX 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 DOTX to DOCX from the command line
LibreOffice does the same on your own computer, without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to docx input.dotxConverting 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.
DOTX to DOCX converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting DOTX to DOCX?
The content is kept. Office formats do not match feature for feature, so complex layouts or advanced features in the DOTX may shift slightly in the DOCX.
Why is the DOCX a different size from the DOTX?
The two formats store content differently. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my DOTX files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful DOTX 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 DOTX 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 DOTX 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 DOTX 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.