What is a .doc file?
A .doc file is a word document. Its registered MIME type is application/msword, which places it in the application or document family of formats.
Technically it is a specialised form of application/x-ole-storage, so tools that understand that format can often read at least part of it.
DOC is a binary format: the contents are not readable text, so opening it in a text editor shows scrambled characters.
Files of this type usually begin with the bytes D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1. That signature is how programs recognise the format even when the extension is wrong or missing.
The same format is also saved with the extension .dot.
DOC file format details
| Extension | .doc |
|---|---|
| Format | Word document |
| MIME type | application/msword, application/vnd.ms-word, application/x-msword |
| Category | Application or document |
| Text or binary | Binary |
| Based on | application/x-ole-storage |
| File signature | D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 |
| Registered with IANA | Yes |
| Other extensions | .dot |
How to open DOC files
| Windows | DOC files (Word document) are made by specific software. The reliable way to open one is with the program that created it; a generic viewer will only show raw data. |
|---|---|
| Mac | The same applies on a Mac: look for a Mac version of the program that makes DOC files. |
| iPhone and iPad | Phones rarely open this type of file directly. The viewer above can show what is inside it without installing anything. |
| Android | The same applies on Android. The viewer above shows the first bytes of the file so you can confirm what it is. |
Convert DOC files
TapToConvert converts DOC files in your browser, without uploading them. Open the DOC converter, or go straight to a conversion:
DOC file FAQ
What is a .doc file?
A .doc file is a word document, with the MIME type application/msword.
How do I open a .doc file?
With the program that created it. The viewer on this page shows what is inside without installing anything.
Is a .doc file safe to open?
DOC files hold data rather than programs, but any file from an unknown source can be crafted to exploit the software that opens it. Keep that software up to date. The viewer on this page only reads the bytes and never runs anything.
What is the MIME type of .doc?
application/msword, and it is also seen as application/vnd.ms-word or application/x-msword. Web servers send this type so browsers know how to handle the file.
Is DOC a text or binary format?
Binary. Its contents are not readable as text.
File type facts come from the IANA media type registry, the mime-db project and the freedesktop.org shared MIME database.