How to Open Docx With OpenOffice
By Dario Saandvik
In 2007, Microsoft released the latest version of its industry-standard office software suite for Windows computers, Microsoft Office 2007, followed by the release of a Mac-compatible version in 2008. In the update from the previous versions (Office 2003/4 for PC and Mac, respectively) Microsoft changed the standard document format for Microsoft Word documents from .doc to .docx. The .docx format is based on the open source XML (extensible markup language) standard, but it is incompatible with the .doc file format and many older programs (such as earlier versions of Microsoft Word) had trouble dealing with the new file format. Luckily, Microsoft has provided a free converter plugin for older versions of Word, and .docx files can also be opened in Open Office, the free open source office suite whose development is managed by Sun Microsystems.
Download and install the latest version of OpenOffice.org for your system. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. Make sure that you are downloading version 3.0 or greater.
Open OpenOffice.org, and click on "File" in the file menu, then click on "Open." A dialog window will appear.
Select your .docx file within the dialog window, then click on the drop-down menu for "File type:" and select "Microsoft Word 2007 XML (.docx; .docm), then click "Open" at the bottom of the dialog window.
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Writer Bio
After working as an editorial assistant for the University of Chicago Press, Dario Saandvik began writing in 2009. He specializes in gardening, home maintenance and computer software. Saandvik has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Chicago and is in the graduate program for English literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.