Convert DOTX to DOCX — Free Online Converter
Convert Word Open XML Template (.dotx) to Microsoft Word Open XML (.docx) online for free. Fast, secure document conversion with no watermarks or regi...
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How to Convert
Upload your .dotx file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .docx file when it's ready.
About DOTX to DOCX Conversion
DOTX is Microsoft Word's Open XML template format — a ZIP-compressed package of XML files that defines document styles, page settings, and boilerplate content without macro support. DOCX is the standard Open XML document format with the same internal structure. Both formats use identical XML schemas (ECMA-376); the only difference is the file extension and the template behavior flag.
Converting DOTX to DOCX transforms a Word template into a standard document. This is the cleanest possible conversion because both formats share the exact same XML architecture — the operation essentially changes the file type designation from template to document with no content transformation required.
Why Convert DOTX to DOCX?
DOTX files have special behavior in Windows and Word — double-clicking a DOTX creates a new blank document based on the template rather than opening the template content for direct viewing. Converting to DOCX removes this behavior and produces a standard document that opens directly for reading and editing.
DOCX is also more universally recognized by document processing systems, email clients, and web applications. While most modern tools handle DOTX, some services, API integrations, and automated workflows only accept DOCX. Converting ensures the broadest possible compatibility for the document content.
Common Use Cases
- Open and edit template content directly as a standard document rather than creating new files from it
- Share template boilerplate content with recipients who need to read it as a regular document
- Upload template content to document processing APIs that only accept DOCX input
- Convert finalized templates to DOCX for archival when the template functionality is no longer needed
- Prepare template content for Google Docs import where DOTX may not be recognized
How It Works
LibreOffice opens the DOTX package, reads the XML content documents (document.xml, styles.xml, numbering.xml, theme), and resaves them as a DOCX package with the document content type set to standard document rather than template. Because DOTX and DOCX use the same Open XML schema, this is essentially a metadata change — the content XML, styles, formatting, and embedded resources are preserved identically.
Quality & Performance
The conversion is effectively lossless. Because DOTX and DOCX share the same Open XML format specification, all content — text, styles, formatting, tables, images, charts, SmartArt, headers, footers, content controls, and document properties — is preserved with perfect fidelity. There is no format translation involved, only a content type change.
Device Compatibility
| Device | DOTX | DOCX |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | No | No |
Tips for Best Results
- 1DOTX-to-DOCX is the easiest conversion in the Word format family — expect perfect fidelity
- 2Use this conversion when you need to share template content as a standard readable document
- 3Do not simply rename the file extension — use proper conversion to update internal content types
- 4Building blocks and AutoText entries are template-only features and will not transfer
- 5Keep the original DOTX if you still need the template functionality for creating new documents
DOTX-to-DOCX conversion is the simplest format change in the Word ecosystem — transforming a template into a standard document while preserving every element of content and formatting identically.