A text document can arrive in different formats — DOCX, ODT, RTF, or TXT — and not every program opens each of them equally well. Let's look at how they differ and how to quickly convert a document into the format you need.
How the formats differ
- DOCX — Microsoft Word's format, the most common one for documents with full formatting: styles, tables, images, headers and footers. Opens in Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs.
- ODT — the open document format (OpenDocument), used by default in LibreOffice and OpenOffice. Similar in capability to DOCX, but historically less common outside open-source software.
- RTF (Rich Text Format) — an older but very widely supported format with basic formatting (fonts, bold, italic, indentation). Opens in practically any text editor, even very old ones.
- TXT — plain text with no formatting at all: just the characters, no fonts, styles, or images. The most universal format for storing and processing text.
When to use which format
- Collaborating in Word or sending to an organization that uses Microsoft Office — DOCX.
- Working in LibreOffice/OpenOffice, or you received the file in this format — ODT.
- Need maximum compatibility with older programs, without full Word-style formatting — RTF.
- Only need the plain text, no formatting — for a script, a database, or a simple editor — TXT.