Convert DOCX to ODT — Free Online Converter

DOCX follows Microsoft's Office Open XML standard (ECMA-376/ISO 29500), while ODT follows the OpenDocument Format standard (ISO 26300). Both are ZIP archives containing XML, but they use different schemas, style models, and packaging conventions. Converting DOCX to ODT migrates a document from Microsoft's standard to the vendor-neutral open standard used natively by LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice, and other open-source office suites.

The conversion maps OOXML elements to their ODF counterparts: <w:p> paragraphs become <text:p>, <w:tbl> tables become <table:table>, and OOXML styles become ODF styles with equivalent formatting properties. Because both formats are XML-based with similar capabilities, the conversion is generally high-fidelity for standard business documents.

Government open-format mandates in the EU, UK, France, India, Brazil, and other countries require or recommend ODT for official documents. If you receive DOCX files but must submit in ODT, this conversion is necessary for compliance. The European Commission's Interoperability Framework explicitly recommends ODF for document exchange between public administrations.

ODT is also the native format for LibreOffice, the dominant free office suite with installations across education, government, and non-profit sectors. Working in ODT natively with LibreOffice avoids the compatibility layer applied when opening DOCX files, which can occasionally introduce formatting glitches. Converting DOCX to ODT before editing in LibreOffice ensures the most accurate rendering.