What is an ODT file and how do I open one?

If you often work with office files, you may have come across an ODT document. Someone may have shared one instead of a DOCX file. We will explain what ODT files are and how to open one.

What is an ODT file?

A file with the ".odt" extension is an OpenOffice document file. These documents are typically created using programs like Apache OpenOffice Writer and LibreOffice Writer, word processors comparable to Microsoft Word and Google Docs. ODT files are similar to file formats created using Word, such as DOCX and DOC. They contain formatted text, images, links, and information about the pages used for creating and printing documents.

ODT files are part of the Open Document Format (ODF) standard, also known as OpenDocument. Other ODF file extensions include OpenDocument Sheets (ODS) for spreadsheets and OpenDocument Presentations (ODP) for slideshows. These files are widely compatible with other office suites and are relatively easy to convert to different file types.

How to open an ODT file

There are several ways to open an ODT file. The best way to open an ODT file and keep all of its formatting is to use office applications with native ODF compatibility. These include the Apache OpenOffice suite and the LibreOffice suite, which are quite similar programs. The main difference lies in their ownership and development; OpenOffice is owned by Apache and has experienced development issues, while LibreOffice is open source and is actively maintained. You can learn more about these two desktop programs in our comparison.

If you are using Microsoft Office, you can open ODT files using Microsoft Word. While you probably won't get full compatibility, you can get pretty close. With the release of Office 2021, Microsoft has upgraded the suite, including Word, to better support for the latest OpenDocument 1.3 standard. Improvements included better support for page numbers, headers and footers, and content control.

You can also open OpenDocument files through other office suites with varying degrees of compatibility. Google Docs allows you to open an ODT file as a Google Docs document and edit it directly. Google Docs also allows you to export documents to ODT files. You can also open ODT files using Corel WordPerfect. If you are using a Mac, you can use the native Mac application of LibreOffice or NeoOffice, an offshoot of OpenOffice and LibreOffice specially developed for macOS.

If you want to open an ODT file on a mobile device, you can check out Collabora Office, a LibreOffice-based office suite available on iOS and Android. This will ensure the highest level of compatibility possible. There are many document viewers and office suites available on the App Store and Google Play Store, some of which can open ODT files for general viewing.

Here's what's new in Microsoft Office 2021 (and how much it costs)

How to convert an ODT file

Converting ODT files is quite straightforward. If you have an ODT file open in Microsoft Word or LibreOffice Writer, all you need to do is select "Save As" and save it in the format you want. You can select all types of standard word processing files, such as DOCX, XML, or HTML.

You can also convert an ODT file to a cloud-based Google document by opening it in the Google Docs suite. Just like importing a DOCX file, this immediately converts it to an editable file through Google Docs. You can also export it to the available Google Docs export formats, such as DOCX and PDF.

You can also convert an ODT file to a permanent file format like PDF using any office suite. In Microsoft Office or LibreOffice, you can directly save a file as PDF or use a pilote PDF such as Microsoft Print-to-PDF or Adobe Acrobat. You can use the print options to configure items such as page sizes, borders, and page selection.

How to start using OpenOffice formats

OpenDocument file formats have been designed to be highly compatible with the OpenOffice suite. If you know that you will be constantly working with ODF files, you should consider downloading Apache OpenOffice or LibreOffice to your computer. They are two free programs with much of the same functionality as Microsoft Office.

One thing that you should always consider before working on multiple file formats is interoperability. While Microsoft Office can open ODT files and OpenOffice Writer can open DOCX files, they won't be perfect conversions. To ensure maximum compatibility, coordinate with your team and work as much as possible in the same file format.

Do you need to know how to open other unknown file types? Check out our guides on RTF files and XML files.

What is an RTF file and how do I open one?