# docx to doc converter **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096 "2011-08-01T21:06:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/1 "2011-08-01T21:06:52Z")
There appear to be several docx to doc converters but has anyone used any of them that seemed to be virus-free? Maybe I am paranoid, but I hesitate to download something that has not been recommended. ---
**Author:** ![gallan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ee59a6/32.png) [@gallan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/2 "2011-08-01T21:13:38Z")
You need the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. Direct from Microsoft: [http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3](http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3) Install it on a computer running any version of Office prior to 2007 and you’ll be able to open docx files and save them as doc files. ---
**Author:** ![theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theater_in_a_crowded_fire)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/3 "2011-08-01T21:45:18Z")
I’m sure someone can offer a better solution than mine, but I just use Open Office. The older version I have (3.2) deals with .docx extremely well and makes conversion a snap. Another alternative is to use a site like [www.zamzar.com](http://www.zamzar.com). You just upload your file and you get an e-mail in about 10 minutes with a link to download the converted file. I use the free version and have been really happy with the results. ---
**Author:** ![gallan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ee59a6/32.png) [@gallan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/4 "2011-08-01T21:56:56Z")
> [@theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](#): > > I’m sure someone can offer a better solution than mine, but I just use Open Office. The older version I have (3.2) deals with .docx extremely well and makes conversion a snap. Yes, Open Office can do this easily. But if the OP already has a license for Microsoft Office, and it’s already installed on his computer, then downloading and installing Open Office seems a bit cumbersome just for the simple act of converting between formats. All he needs is the (free) compatibility pack from Microsoft created specifically for this purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/5 "2011-08-02T01:11:17Z")
I will try the ms converter. It is actually for my wife’s computer. I don’t have and won’t use word. She is a translator, more-or-less retired and was offered and accepted a job for an old client. The same came in as a doc file, else she would have declined. She was surprised when the job came in as a dozen docx files. The client declined to convert them and she has to decide whether to decline the job. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/6 "2011-08-02T01:33:39Z")
I just upload them to Google Docs and read them there. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/7 "2011-08-02T09:57:00Z")
The ms converter works–sort of. After I installed it and loaded a docx file, I got an error message: “Cannot convert …docx file”, but then it did–perfectly as far as I could tell. So thanks. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/docx-to-doc-converter/591096/8 "2011-08-02T12:01:30Z")
The pre-2007 versions (at least semi-recent ones) can use the MS provided translator. 1. First/best - use the MS converter which installs as part of the early versions - when it works it is seamless, when it doesn’t “work” it sometimes still works as mentioned upthread. 2. If there are not a lot of these files, find someone who has 2007/2010 and have them do the “save as” 2003 version. Unless they are a lot of these or they are really big that shouldn’t be an issue (less than 30 seconds per file and that is allowing for slow navigation of the menus.