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DOCX files are created in Word 2007 or later and cannot be opened by older versions. Users can install a Compatibility Pack or use online converters to open DOCX files, but some formatting may be lost. Email programs can also open DOCX files in the browser, but may not allow for saving in other formats.
A DOCX file is a file created in Microsoft® Word 2007 or later. Previous versions of Microsoft® Word used the DOC file format. In general, newer versions of Word can open older Word files, but older versions cannot open the new file type. Opening DOCX files on a computer that doesn’t have Word 2007 or later requires you to install a file converter or convert the file to a different format.
For people who already have versions of Microsoft® Word dating back to 2000 installed on their computer, the easiest method to open DOCX files is to install the Compatibility Pack, which can be downloaded for free from the Microsoft® website. This will make whichever version of Word you install the default program for opening DOCX files. Likewise, users with Open Office software only need to install the Microsoft® Open Office Conversion Pack to open DOCX files. Features available only in Word 2007 or later will be lost or converted to plain text. The Compatibility Pack does not allow users to save files in DOCX format.
There are also a number of free online file converters that don’t require the user to download any software to open the files. Some of these convert the document into plain text or HTML, while others support a variety of file formats including image files. Opening DOCX files as HTML or text may lose most or all of the special formatting. On the other hand, files opened as images will retain their original appearance, but the user will have no ability to edit the document. Some of the same websites that offer online converters offer desktop versions that the user can install on their computer to convert files offline.
Some email programs have document capabilities that can open DOCX files and display them in the browser. Opening DOCX files this way has the advantage of not requiring any special programs or downloads. However, they usually don’t allow users to save files in a common file format other than text or HTML. Any special formatting done in these browser-based converters may be lost if the user tries to send the file to another person. Also, these converters vary in how they reproduce the formatting in the original document.
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