DOC File vs DOCX File — What’s The Difference? Which One Should I Use?

Along with PDF format, the most commonly used document formats are DOC and DOCX. As someone who deals with a lot of documents on a daily basis, I can vouch for this statement. Both of these are extensions in Microsoft Word documents, and they can be used to store images, tables, formatted text, charts, etc.

But, what’s the difference between a DOC and DOCX file? In this article, I’ll be explaining these differences and compare them. Please note that these file types have nothing to do with DDOC or ADOC files.

Difference Between .DOC File vs .DOCX File Explained

Since a long time, Microsoft Word has used DOC as its default file type. DOC has been used since the first release of Word for MS-DOS. Till 2006, when Microsoft opened DOC specifications, Word was a proprietary format. Over the years, updated DOC specifications were released for use in other document processors.

DOC has now been included in many free and paid document processing programs like LibreOffice Writer, OpenOffice Writer, KingSoft Writer, etc. You can use these programs to open DOC files and edit them. Google Docs also has an option to upload DOC files and perform necessary actions.

Also Read: 8 Best Alternatives To Microsoft Office Suite

DOCX format was developed by Microsoft as a successor to DOC. In the Word 2007 update, the default extension of files was changed to DOCX. It was done due to rising competition from free and open source formats like Open Office and ODF.

In DOCX, the coding work for DOCX was done in XML, hence the X in DOCX. The new coding also allowed it to support advanced features.

DOCX, which was a result of the standards presented under the name Office Open XML, brought improvements like smaller file sizes. This change also paved the way for formats like PPTX and XLSX.

Converting DOC file to DOCX

In most cases, any word processing software that’s able to open a DOC file can convert that document to DOCX file. The same can be said for DOCX to DOC conversion. This problem comes when someone’s using Word 2003 or before. In that case, you need to open the DOCX file in Word 2007 or later (or some other compatible program) and save it in DOC format.

For older versions of Word, Microsoft has also released a compatibility pack that can be installed to bring DOCX support.

Apart from that, software like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, etc. are capable of converting DOC files to other formats like PDF, RTF, TXT, etc.

Which one should I use? DOC or DOCX?

Today, there are no compatibility issues between DOC and DOCX as both these document formats are supported by almost all programs. However, if you have to choose one between the two, DOCX is a better option. The major benefit of using DOCX over DOC is that it results in a smaller and lighter file size. These files are easier to read and transfer. As it’s based on Office Open XML standard, all word processor software support all advanced features. Many software is slowly dropping the option to save documents in DOC format as it is becoming obsolete now.

So, did you find this article on the difference between DOC file vs DOCX file informative? Don’t forget to share your feedback and help us improve.

Difference Between DOC & DOCX FAQs

1. What is the difference between a DOC and DOCX?

   The major difference between DOC and DOCX is that the former is a binary file containing all the information about formatting of the document and other information. DOCX, on the other hand, is a type of ZIP file and stores information about the document in an XML file.

2. What is a DOCX file in Word?

   DOCX file format is the successor to the DOC format which was the proprietary file format of Microsoft Word until 2008. DOCX is more feature-rich, delivers smaller file size and it's an open standard unlike DOC.

3. How do I convert DOC to DOCX?

   To convert a DOC file to DOCX file format, you can use online tools wherein you simply need to upload your DOC file and click on convert button to get the file in the desired file format. Alternatively, you can open a DOC file in the Microsoft Office suite.

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DOC File vs DOCX File — What’s The Difference? Which One Should I Use?
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