Quick answer
- ODT is a word-processing document format that stores XML content and associated binary data in a ZIP package, with some features or formatting potentially changing between applications.
- Open the file with Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or another application that explicitly supports ODT. On Windows, use Word's Open command or choose a compatible application from Open with. On a Mac, select the file and choose an installed ODT-compatible application. On a phone, tap the file and select an application whose format list includes ODT. If the document opens with altered layout, compare it in another compatible application before editing or saving.
- Treat an ODT file from an untrusted sender with caution. OpenDocument files may contain scripts, external objects, or hyperlinks, and resolving an external reference can introduce risk. Encryption and XML digital signatures are optional, so their absence does not by itself show that a file is malicious, while their presence does not establish that all content is trustworthy.
ODT File: What It Is, How to Open It, and Conversion Limits
OpenDocument Text is the OASIS word-processor format registered by IANA as application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text with the .odt extension. A conforming package contains META-INF/manifest.xml, and its first uncompressed mimetype entry identifies the ODT media type.
Word can open and save ODT, but conversion between ODT and DOCX can alter unsupported content, features, or formatting. Documented changes include accepting tracked changes, turning some fields into plain text, and losing unsupported nested graphic objects. Keep the original and inspect the converted document before relying on its layout or editable features.
Open a file
Open the file with Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or another application that explicitly supports ODT. On Windows, use Word's Open command or choose a compatible application from Open with. On a Mac, select the file and choose an installed ODT-compatible application. On a phone, tap the file and select an application whose format list includes ODT. If the document opens with altered layout, compare it in another compatible application before editing or saving.
Open the file with Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or another application that explicitly supports ODT. On Windows, use Word's Open command or choose a compatible application from Open with. On a Mac, select the file and choose an installed ODT-compatible application. On a phone, tap the file and select an application whose format list includes ODT. If the document opens with altered layout, compare it in another compatible application before editing or saving.
Word can open and save ODT, but conversion between ODT and DOCX can alter unsupported content, features, or formatting. Documented changes include accepting tracked changes, turning some fields into plain text, and losing unsupported nested graphic objects. Keep the original and inspect the converted document before relying on its layout or editable features.
File safety
Treat an ODT file from an untrusted sender with caution. OpenDocument files may contain scripts, external objects, or hyperlinks, and resolving an external reference can introduce risk. Encryption and XML digital signatures are optional, so their absence does not by itself show that a file is malicious, while their presence does not establish that all content is trustworthy.
Do not open the file when its source, double extension, or actual contents do not match what you expected.
Converters
Word can open and save ODT, but conversion between ODT and DOCX can alter unsupported content, features, or formatting. Documented changes include accepting tracked changes, turning some fields into plain text, and losing unsupported nested graphic objects. Keep the original and inspect the converted document before relying on its layout or editable features.
Work from a copy, then compare image quality, metadata, and layout after conversion.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ODT file format and what is it used for?
ODT means OpenDocument Text, a word-processing document format developed through OASIS. It stores XML document content and associated binary data as entries in a ZIP package and uses the registered media type application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text.
How do I open an ODT file?
Use Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or another application that explicitly supports ODT. Open the file from the application's Open command; if the layout looks different, compare it in another compatible application before making changes.
How do I open an ODT file on Windows?
In Windows, open Microsoft Word and choose the ODT file, or use Open with and select an installed ODT-compatible application. Word can open and save ODT files, although formatting can differ from other applications.
How do I open an ODT file on a Mac?
On a Mac, select the ODT file and open it with an installed application that explicitly supports ODT, such as Word, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice. Check the page layout before saving because applications may interpret formatting differently.
How do I open an ODT file on a phone?
Tap the ODT file and choose an installed application whose supported-format list includes ODT. If no suitable application appears, move the file to a device with Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or another ODT-compatible application.
Why will my ODT file not open or show the expected formatting?
First confirm the package is really an ODT. It is ZIP-based, its first uncompressed mimetype entry contains application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text, and it includes META-INF/manifest.xml. If it opens differently, unsupported features or formatting may be the cause.
What is the difference between ODT and DOCX, and which should I use?
ODT is the OASIS-standard ZIP-and-XML word-processing format; DOCX is Microsoft Word's own format, and Word can open and save both. Choose ODT when the recipient supports it; choose DOCX when the workflow needs Word features ODT does not preserve. Conversion can alter unsupported content or formatting.
Can I convert an ODT file to DOCX without formatting changes?
No unchanged result is guaranteed. Word can open an ODT file and save it in another supported format, but unsupported features, content, or formatting may change; tracked changes may be accepted, some fields may become plain text, and unsupported nested graphic objects may be lost.
Is an ODT file from an email safe to open?
Its extension alone does not establish safety. IANA warns that OpenDocument files may contain scripts and may embed external objects or hyperlinks. Use caution with an untrusted sender and with any request to resolve external references.
Does a valid ODT format signature prove the document is safe and trustworthy?
No. The ZIP marker and ODT mimetype sequence help identify the format, not the trustworthiness of its content. Digital signatures are optional, and IANA notes that OpenDocument 1.0 itself had no integrity-verification mechanism.
Can an ODT file be encrypted or digitally signed?
Yes, an OpenDocument 1.4 package may encrypt some or all component files and may include XML digital-signature files under META-INF. These protections are optional, and META-INF/manifest.xml records information needed to decrypt encrypted entries.
Related formats
Sources
Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument) Version 1.4, Part 2: Packages · OASIS Standard
Media Type Registration: application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text · IANA
PRONOM Format Record: OpenDocument Text 1.2 (fmt/291) · The National Archives (UK) PRONOM
PRONOM Signature Record for ODF 1.2 Text · The National Archives (UK) PRONOM
Differences between the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format and the Word (.docx) format · Microsoft Support
Use Word to open or save a document in the OpenDocument Text (.odt) format · Microsoft Support