How do I convert an old DOC file to DOCX?
To convert DOC to DOCX, upload your Word 97-2003 file, or an RTF file, to FixDoks's DOC to DOCX tool and click Convert to DOCX. Text, styles, tables, images and page setup are preserved, while VBA macros are dropped for safety. Your file is uploaded over HTTPS and deleted right after the DOCX is returned.
DOC to DOCX at a glance
| Input | DOC, RTF |
|---|---|
| Output | DOCX |
| Processing | On our server over HTTPS; files are deleted right after conversion |
| Max file size | 50 MB per file |
| Price | Free, no watermark |
| Download | Free Google sign-in |
| Works on | Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone |
How to use DOC to DOCX Converter
- Click Select DOC files and choose your old Word documents (RTF works too).
- Click Convert to DOCX.
- Download the DOCX files and open them in any current version of Word or Google Docs.
Why convert DOC to DOCX?
DOC is the binary file format used by Microsoft Word from 1997 to 2003. DOCX replaced it in Word 2007 and is now the standard. Old DOC files still open, but they bring problems:
- Word opens them in Compatibility Mode, which disables newer features.
- Some online portals, e-signature services and document tools accept only DOCX.
- DOC files are usually larger. DOCX is compressed and often noticeably smaller.
- DOCX is an open, XML-based format, far more robust against corruption and easier for other apps to read.
- Old binary formats are a common carrier for macro malware, and many email systems now block or flag them.
What is kept
The conversion preserves text and styles, headings, lists, tables, images, headers and footers, footnotes, page setup and section breaks. Tracked changes and comments are carried over. For almost all everyday documents such as letters, reports, CVs and forms, the DOCX looks the same as the original.
Macros
VBA macros are not copied into the DOCX, because the DOCX format cannot contain macros. That is usually a good thing for safety. If you rely on macros, save the file as DOCM from Word itself.
RTF files too
This tool also accepts RTF (Rich Text Format) files from WordPad, TextEdit and older software and converts them to DOCX.
Converting a whole archive
Have a folder of old DOC files from a previous job, college or office? Select them all at once. Each is converted in turn, and you can download everything as a single ZIP.
Related converters
- Old Excel files: XLS to XLSX
- Old PowerPoint files: PPT to PPTX
- Need a PDF instead: Word to PDF
- Going the other way for an old PC: DOCX to DOC
Is it safe to convert old documents?
Old DOC files downloaded from email or old drives can contain macros. Converting to DOCX drops macros entirely, so the result is safer to open and share. The conversion happens in an isolated temporary folder on our server with no internet access, and the files are deleted as soon as you download the result.
For documents with legal or official value, keep the original DOC as well, since a converted copy is a new file with a new date.
File names
Each converted file keeps its original name with the new .docx extension, so a folder of converted files lines up exactly with the originals and nothing needs renaming by hand.
Your documents are deleted from our server immediately after conversion.