# Windows Docx, recommend a viewer to me please **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344 "2010-03-30T16:47:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/1 "2010-03-30T16:47:00Z")
I have received a docx file that I cannot read. I am looking for a free viewer. I’ll be downloading this onto my boss’s computer, and Windows is the main thing he does on it (besides Ebay) so I don’t want to eff it up. Any suggestions? We’re running Windows xp vers. 2002 Service Pack 3 and stop that laughing! I found Textmaker Viewer 2010 from Softmaker, but I didn’t want to just slam in the first hit. Anyone know if this is a good one? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/2 "2010-03-30T16:51:06Z")
There are a multitude of file converters online. Docx is simply the standard Microsoft Office 2007 file format. Just google Docx and file converter. Otherwise you could ask whoever sent you the file to resend it in another format. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/3 "2010-03-30T16:51:11Z")
how about Microsoft’s own viewer for docx? [link](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3657ce88-7cfa-457a-9aec-f4f827f20cac&displaylang=en) ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/4 "2010-03-30T16:56:00Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > There are a multitude of file converters online. Docx is simply the standard Microsoft Office 2007 file format. Just google Docx and file converter. Otherwise you could ask whoever sent you the file to resend it in another format. Thanks. That’s exactly what I did, (including contacting the sender) but since it’s my boss’s computer I was hoping someone could recommend one they knew to be reputable. For some reason Tucows wouldn’t load, and I tried Cnet but I didn’t see any reviews. Maybe I’ll just add review to the search terms. Thanks for the responses. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/5 "2010-03-30T16:56:50Z")
Assuming that the computer has Office 2000, Office XP or Office 2003, I recommend installing the [Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en) ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/6 "2010-03-30T17:28:30Z")
[Docx-converter.com](http://Docx-converter.com) worked. I got my stuff back in under an hour without having to download any changes to Dave’s computer. That’s where all the invoicing, bidding, and contracting happen so I am loathe to change anything on it. He’s got a bunch of computer nerd friends that all have different opinions on what he should/shouldn’t run and I just stay out of the way. FWIW Mcafee gives [docx-converter.com](http://docx-converter.com) a [big green check](http://http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/docx-converter.com). ---
**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:** [March 30, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/7 "2010-03-30T22:58:03Z")
Not sure how complicated the document you’re needing to view is, but if you have a gmail account you can simply mail the document to yourself and use the view as html option or open it using Google Docs. I do this all the time on my work computer, since we’re not supposed to install additional software and I can’t get our tech guy to install a viewer for me. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/8 "2010-03-30T23:02:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Assuming that the computer has Office 2000, Office XP or Office 2003, I recommend installing the [Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en) I can’t fathom why this wouldn’t have been the one and only choice. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/9 "2010-03-30T23:06:38Z")
That compatibility pack is on my computer, which has Office 2003, but I regularly get files from senior management that were created in Office 2007. As a result, I’m able to open these files, after a momentary delay while the add-in converts them. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/10 "2010-03-31T01:01:08Z")
I just ran a test of OpenOffice and it had no problem opening up a docx with a weird font and a picture inserted into it. I do not have the most updated version. My car has a USB port so I store my music on a micro-USB. I also keep copies of freeware that will handle pictures, documents and spreadsheets in case I need it at someone else’s house. Maybe it’s because I remember what the first generation word processors were like (which I paid good money for) but I find openoffice to be a very powerful program for daily use. If I didn’t need MS Access I could easily use it for all my home needs and most of my office needs. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/11 "2010-03-31T01:27:45Z")
Just coming in to recommend Open Office. It handles docx fine. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-docx-recommend-a-viewer-to-me-please/534344/12 "2010-04-07T16:31:21Z")
Checking back in, lots of good suggestions, thanks. In my OP I was looking for recommendations, not asking people to google for me. The reason I didn’t install anything is because it’s my boss’s computer and he’s touchy. I doubt if he had all the Windows packs and crap up to date and I just didn’t want to go into that download hell for something that just doesn’t come up that often. I’m trying the gmail method now. I forwarded to my personal gmail account and hopefully that’ll be my down and dirty fix. Thanks again for all the help.