DOCX File Type

- The quick facts

What are DOCX files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DOCX file or just wondering what they contain? We explain what these files are used for and show you software that we know can open or otherwise handle your files.

What is a DOCX file?

A .DOCX file is a Microsoft Word Open XML Format document file.

The .docx extension is assigned to Microsoft Word documents created in the 2007 edition of Microsoft Word (and all later editions). This is a new Word format that is based on XML, which allows for better compression of Word documents and reduced file sizes. The difference between the XML Word format and prior Word formats is that XML Word documents are saved in a text format instead of the older binary format.

The DOCX format is known as the Microsoft Office Open XML format. Documents that are saved in .docx format are not compatible with older versions of Microsoft Word. However, some open-source software applications (such as Open Office) can open the saved documents with the .docx file extension.

How to open DOCX files

We have identified 7 DOCX openers that are compatible with this specific type of DOCX file.

Programs that open Microsoft Word Open XML Format document files

Last updated: March 17, 2022

Suggest another file format using extension DOCX

While we know of one file format using the .DOCX file extension, there may be more. It is widespread that different programs use files with the same file extension for very different types of data. Please let us know if you are aware of a different kind of .DOCX file.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of DOCX files. Remember, different programs may use DOCX files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.