Convert Word documents to OpenDocument Text
This DOCX to ODT converter turns Microsoft Word documents into OpenDocument Text (.odt), the native format of LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice and the international standard ISO/IEC 26300. The conversion is done by LibreOffice itself, running in your browser, so styles, headings, lists, tables, headers, footers, footnotes, comments, tracked changes and pictures are translated with the same filter desktop LibreOffice uses.
You need .odt when a public body, school or employer standardises on open formats, when you are moving your files to LibreOffice for good, or when you want documents that will stay readable without depending on one vendor. Old Word 97–2003 .doc files convert just as well. Your files stay on your device throughout.
How to use the DOCX to ODT Converter
- Drop one or more Word files (
.docx,.docm,.dotxor old.doc) on the box above. - Press Convert to ODT. The first time, approve the one-time 79 MB download of LibreOffice; later visits start in seconds.
- Read the summary of each new .odt: pages, words, tables and pictures, with the start of the text so you can confirm it is the right document.
- Download each .odt, or press Download all (ZIP) for a batch.
- Open the files in LibreOffice Writer, OpenOffice, Collabora Online or any ODF-aware editor.
DOCX to ODT Converter features
LibreOffice’s Word import
Word documents are opened with LibreOffice 24.8’s Word filter and saved with its native ODF writer — no hand-made approximation.
Revisions and comments
Tracked changes and comments in the Word file become ODF change tracking and annotations.
Macro-enabled and templates
.docm and .dotx files are accepted; macros are not run and are not carried into the .odt.
Old .doc too
Word 97–2003 documents convert straight to ODT without passing through .docx.
Batch and ZIP
Move a whole folder of Word files to OpenDocument in one run.
Private
The conversion happens in a Web Worker in your tab and nothing is uploaded.
Why organisations ask for ODT
OpenDocument Format was approved by OASIS in 2005 and became ISO/IEC 26300; the current version, ODF 1.3, dates from 2021. Because anyone can implement it without licences, several governments use it for documents they exchange — the UK government made ODF its standard for sharing and collaborating on documents in 2014 — and many schools and NGOs that run LibreOffice expect .odt submissions.
Need to share a read-only copy instead? Word to PDF and ODT to PDF make PDFs. To go back from OpenDocument to Word, use ODT to DOCX.
How Word features translate
| In the Word file | In the ODT |
|---|---|
| Paragraph and character styles | ODF styles with the same names |
| Numbered and bulleted lists | ODF list styles |
| Tables, merged cells, borders | ODF tables |
| Headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes | Kept |
| Tracked changes and comments | ODF change tracking and annotations |
| Content controls, SmartArt, some text effects | Simplified to text or pictures |
| Macros (.docm) | Not converted |
Fonts and preview
Fonts are referenced by name inside the .odt, just as in the .docx, so the file keeps asking for Calibri or Cambria. Systems without them use metric-compatible Carlito and Caladea, which LibreOffice installs on most Linux systems, so pages break in the same places.
Browsers can’t lay out OpenDocument pages, so the preview here shows the counts and an excerpt of the text rather than drawn pages. LibreOffice needs Chrome, Edge or Firefox and about 1.5 GB of free memory; Safari and iPhone browsers can’t run it yet.
DOCX to ODT Converter FAQ
How do I convert DOCX to ODT for free?
Drop your Word file above and press Convert to ODT. The first conversion downloads LibreOffice once (79 MB); after that each document converts in about a second. No account, watermark or limits.
Will the ODT look the same as the Word document?
Very nearly. LibreOffice translates styles, lists, tables, headers and footers faithfully; SmartArt, content controls and some text effects are simplified.
Can I convert an old .doc file to ODT?
Yes. Drop the .doc file just like a .docx — LibreOffice reads Word 97–2003 documents directly.
Is my document uploaded to a server?
No. LibreOffice runs inside your browser, so the document is converted on your device.
Why is there no page preview?
Browsers can’t draw OpenDocument layouts, so the page shows the page, word, table and picture counts plus the start of the text. Open the .odt in LibreOffice Writer to see the pages.
Does DOCX to ODT work in Safari?
Not yet. LibreOffice needs cross-origin isolation, which Safari and every iPhone browser lack. Use Chrome, Edge or Firefox on a computer or Android phone.