Share via

DocX versus ODT versus Doc

Anonymous
2023-01-31T14:38:45+00:00

It's been a minute since I needed to use Word. Imagine my surprise when there are now two word type documents and although I understand the main differences between the two - I don't understand why my laptop isn't saving them all as word docs. There may be something funky in my settings - a friend sent me a link to her work space that contained word documents. I went to download them on my laptop and they kept saving as a photoshop. I was finally able to make it work by exporting the file as an ODT. When I made edits to the ODT and then saved it, the document saved as a DocX. When I sent to FedEx for printing and binding, FedEx didn't recognize the DocX.

Can someone just give me the low down on WTAF is going on with these formats so I can understand what is happening? I finally uninstalled Photoshop, and NOW the word docs are actually saving as word docs *eyeroll*

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. LemP 74,925 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2023-01-31T20:20:48+00:00

    DOC is the file extension for the file format used by Word 97 to Word 2003.

    Starting with Microsoft Office 2007, all MS Office programs, including Word, switched to an XML-based file format. The file extensions for files created by these newer versions have an X at the end, e.g., DOCX.

    Word 2007 and newer can both save and open DOC files as well as DOCX files.

    ODT is the file format for Open Document Text format applications, such as Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice. According to Microsoft (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/differences-between-the-opendocument-text-odt-format-and-the-word-docx-format-d9d51a92-56d1-4794-8b68-5efb57aebfdc):

    OpenDocument (.odt) files are compatible with Word and open source applications like OpenOffice and LibreOffice, but you might see formatting differences and some Word features aren't available in .odt files. Word documents (.docx) are compatible with most applications.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Ron-6928 4,991 Reputation points
    2023-01-31T23:24:04+00:00

    Summary:

    DOC - old MS Word format (up to 2003)

    DOCX - new MS Word format (starting in 2007 to now)

    ODT - non Microsoft proprietary format

    You can associate file extensions with any program/app. If you associate (for example) .BLAH file with YourCoolApp, every time you double click .BLAH file, YourCoolApp software launches automatically and opens .BLAH file.

    >>I went to download them on my laptop and they kept saving as a photoshop

    You probably associated DOC or DOCX files with Photoshop software at some point in the past. When you save DOCX file, it is saved with its associated software, Photoshop. Therefore the file appears as Photoshop file. If you open that DOC or DOCX file, Photoshop will launch and attempt to open the DOCX. Whether or not it can is another story.

    >> I finally uninstalled Photoshop, and NOW the word docs are actually saving as word docs *eyeroll*

    When you uninstalled Photoshop, you killed the association between DOCX/DOC files with Photoshop. DOC/DOCX stop becoming Photoshop files because the software is gone.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments