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Supported Formats
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Word Processing
Microsoft Word 97-2003 Document - legacy binary format used by older Word versions. Supports rich text formatting, images, tables, and complex layouts. Maximum compatibility with legacy systems and older Microsoft Office versions (Office 97-2007). File sizes typically larger than modern DOCX. Common in corporate archives, legacy document management systems, and environments requiring backwards compatibility. Still widely supported but superseded by DOCX for new documents.
Microsoft Word 2007+ Document - modern XML-based format providing better compression (40-75% smaller than DOC), improved recovery from corruption, and enhanced features. Open XML standard with better data extraction capabilities. Supports all Word features including styles, themes, SmartArt, advanced formatting, and embedded objects. Industry standard for word processing. Native format for Microsoft Word 2007+, compatible with Google Docs, LibreOffice, and all modern office suites. Essential for professional documents, collaborative editing, and modern workflows.
OpenDocument Text - open standard format for word processors developed by OASIS consortium. Native format for LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice Writer. XML-based structure ensuring long-term accessibility and vendor independence. Supports advanced formatting, styles, images, tables, and all standard word processing features. Excellent for open-source environments, government documents (mandated in many countries), and avoiding vendor lock-in. Free from licensing restrictions and patent concerns.
Rich Text Format - universal document format developed by Microsoft (1987) for cross-platform text exchange. Readable by virtually all word processors (Word, WordPad, LibreOffice, Google Docs, Pages). Supports basic formatting (fonts, colors, styles, tables) without complex features. Larger file sizes than modern formats but maximum compatibility. Perfect for sharing formatted documents across different systems, email attachments ensuring readability, and legacy system compatibility. Reliable intermediate format for document conversion.
Word Macro-Enabled Document - DOCX format with embedded VBA macros. Supports automation, custom functions, and advanced document processing. Security risk if macros from untrusted sources. Used in business environments for automated document workflows. Same features as DOCX plus programmability. Perfect for automated reports, form processing, and document generation. Requires macro security settings in Word. Convert to DOCX to remove macros for safer sharing.
Word 97-2003 Template - legacy template format for Microsoft Word. Contains styles, formatting, and placeholder content for document creation. Binary format compatible with old Word versions. Larger file sizes than DOTX. Common in corporate environments with standardized documents. Perfect for letterheads, forms, and recurring document types. Being replaced by DOTX. Convert to DOTX for modern Word compatibility and smaller file sizes.
Word Template - modern XML-based template format for Microsoft Word 2007+. Contains styles, themes, formatting, and boilerplate content. Smaller file sizes than DOT. Used for standardized documents, letterheads, forms, and corporate templates. Opens as new document preserving template. Perfect for consistent branding and document standardization. Industry standard for Word templates. Compatible with modern Office versions and alternatives.
Word Macro-Enabled Template - DOTX template with embedded VBA macros. Combines template functionality with automation. Used for automated document generation and complex form processing. Security considerations for macro-enabled templates. Perfect for business workflows requiring automated document creation. Common in enterprise environments. Requires macro-enabled Word. Remove macros and convert to DOTX for safer distribution.
AbiWord Document - native format for AbiWord word processor (open-source alternative to Microsoft Word). XML-based lightweight format supporting basic word processing features including formatting, tables, images, and styles. Smaller file sizes than DOC/DOCX. Compatible with AbiWord on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Good RTF compatibility for cross-application usage. Perfect for lightweight word processing in open-source environments. Limited support outside AbiWord. Convert to DOCX or PDF for wider compatibility.
Applix Word Document - legacy format from Applix Words word processor (1990s Unix/Linux). Proprietary format with limited modern support. Historical format from early Unix office suites. Rarely encountered except in legacy system migrations. Convert to modern formats (ODT, DOCX, PDF) for accessibility. Important for recovering documents from old Applix installations. Better alternatives available for all use cases.
DocBook XML - semantic markup format for technical documentation. XML-based structure focusing on content over presentation. Widely used in software documentation, technical manuals, and publishing. Separates content from formatting enabling multiple output formats (PDF, HTML, EPUB). Perfect for complex technical documentation requiring version control and multiple output formats. Standard in open-source documentation. Requires XSLT processing for readable output.
KWord Document - native format for KWord word processor (part of KOffice/Calligra Suite). XML-based format for KDE office applications. Supports frames-based layout for flexible document design. Less common than mainstream formats. Linux-centric format with limited Windows/Mac support. Convert to ODT or DOCX for wider compatibility. Historical format from KDE office suite evolution. Better alternatives available for modern use.
OpenOffice.org 1.0 Writer - legacy OpenDocument format predecessor. XML-based format from OpenOffice.org 1.x era (2002-2005). Replaced by ODT in OpenOffice 2.0. Supported by older OpenOffice and LibreOffice versions. Convert to ODT for modern compatibility. Historical format important for accessing old OpenOffice documents. Modern LibreOffice can open but saving in ODT recommended.
Plain Text - simplest document format containing only unformatted ASCII or Unicode characters. No fonts, colors, images, or layout information. Universal compatibility across all platforms, text editors, and systems. Smallest possible file sizes. Perfect for notes, code, scripts, logs, and any situation requiring absolute simplicity and portability. Essential format for programming, configuration files, data exchange, and scenarios where formatting is unnecessary. Works on any device from mainframes to smartphones.
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Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Workbook - legacy binary spreadsheet format supporting up to 65,536 rows and 256 columns per sheet. Contains formulas, formatting, charts, and multiple worksheets. Compatible with older Excel versions (Excel 97-2007). File size limited to ~30MB. Common in legacy business systems, old financial databases, and environments requiring Excel 97-2003 compatibility. Being replaced by XLSX but still encountered in corporate archives and legacy data systems.
Microsoft Excel 2007+ Workbook - modern XML-based spreadsheet format with 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns per sheet. Provides better compression (75% smaller than XLS), improved recovery from corruption, and enhanced features. Supports all Excel capabilities including formulas, pivot tables, charts, conditional formatting, and macros (in XLSM variant). Industry standard for spreadsheets. Compatible with Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, and all modern office suites. Essential for data analysis, financial modeling, and business intelligence.
OpenDocument Spreadsheet - open standard format for spreadsheet applications developed by OASIS. Native format for LibreOffice Calc and Apache OpenOffice Calc. XML-based structure ensuring data accessibility and vendor independence. Supports formulas, charts, multiple sheets, and standard spreadsheet features. Excellent for open-source workflows, government use (mandated by many countries), and avoiding Microsoft Office licensing. Free from proprietary restrictions with long-term document accessibility guarantees.
Comma-Separated Values - simple text format for tabular data where each line represents a row and commas separate columns. Universal data exchange format readable by all spreadsheet applications, databases, and programming languages. No formatting, formulas, or multiple sheets - pure data only. Smallest file sizes for tabular data. Perfect for data import/export, database operations, data analysis with Python/R, and sharing datasets. Essential format for data science, web applications, and system integration. Works with Excel, databases, and any data processing tool.
{group_presentation}
Microsoft PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation - legacy binary format for slide presentations. Supports slides, animations, transitions, embedded media, and speaker notes. Compatible with older PowerPoint versions (PowerPoint 97-2007). File sizes larger than modern PPTX. Common in legacy presentation archives, older corporate training materials, and environments requiring backwards compatibility. Still playable but superseded by PPTX for new presentations. Found in archived presentations from pre-2007 era.
Microsoft PowerPoint 2007+ Presentation - modern XML-based format providing better compression (up to 75% smaller than PPT), improved recovery, and enhanced multimedia support. Supports all PowerPoint features including advanced animations, transitions, embedded videos, SmartArt, themes, and master slides. Industry standard for presentations. Native format for PowerPoint 2007+, compatible with Google Slides, LibreOffice Impress, and Keynote. Essential for business presentations, educational slideshows, and professional communication.
OpenDocument Presentation - open standard format for presentation software developed by OASIS consortium. Native format for LibreOffice Impress and Apache OpenOffice Impress. XML-based structure ensuring long-term accessibility. Supports slides, animations, transitions, multimedia, and standard presentation features. Excellent for open-source environments, government presentations, and avoiding vendor lock-in. Free from licensing restrictions. Compatible with PowerPoint through conversion but best used within open-source office suites.
Other Formats
Portable Document Format - universal document format developed by Adobe maintaining exact visual appearance across all platforms and devices. Preserves fonts, images, layouts, and formatting precisely. Industry standard for document distribution, official documents, forms, archival, and printing. Not designed for editing (though modern tools allow limited editing). Supports encryption, digital signatures, forms, annotations, and accessibility features. Essential for contracts, invoices, reports, e-books, and any document requiring consistent appearance. Most widely supported document format globally.
DjVu Document - specialized format for scanned documents, books, and manuscripts. Superior compression for bitonal and color scanned images. Smaller than PDF for scanned content (3-10x). Supports OCR text layer, annotations, and bookmarks. Perfect for digital libraries, scientific papers, historical documents, and scanned books. Specialized viewers required (DjVuLibre, browser plugins). Excellent for archiving paper documents digitally. Convert to PDF for broader accessibility.
XML Paper Specification - Microsoft's document format similar to PDF. Fixed-layout format preserving exact document appearance. Native support in Windows Vista+. Supports vector graphics, fonts embedding, and digital signatures. Alternative to PDF in Windows environments. Limited support outside Windows ecosystem. Perfect for Windows-only document distribution. Convert to PDF for universal compatibility across all platforms.
Open XML Paper Specification - standardized version of XPS as ECMA standard. Same features as XPS with formal specification. Better cross-platform support than original XPS. Fixed-layout document format with vector graphics support. Used in some Windows applications and printers. Limited adoption compared to PDF. Convert to PDF for maximum compatibility. Mainly relevant in Windows printing workflows.
Markdown - lightweight markup language using plain text formatting syntax for creating formatted documents. Simple symbols (* for italics, ** for bold, # for headings) convert to HTML. Human-readable in plain text. Perfect for README files, documentation, blogs, note-taking, and technical writing. Popular among developers, technical writers, and content creators. Supports headers, lists, links, images, code blocks, and basic formatting. Extremely portable and future-proof. Foundation of many static site generators and documentation systems.
HyperText Markup Language - standard markup language for web pages containing text, images, links, and multimedia. Readable in any web browser without special software. Supports styling (CSS), interactivity (JavaScript), and rich media embedding. Universal web standard since 1991. Perfect for web publishing, online documentation, email newsletters, and accessible content. Extremely portable with guaranteed long-term support. Can be converted from documents for web distribution or archived for offline viewing.
Electronic Publication - open standard e-book format based on HTML, CSS, and XML. Reflowable text adapts to any screen size. Supports fonts, images, metadata, table of contents, and CSS styling. Industry standard for e-books compatible with most e-readers (Kindle via conversion, Kobo, Nook, Apple Books, Google Play Books). Perfect for digital publishing, self-publishing, and distributing long-form content. EPUB 3 adds multimedia and interactivity. Essential format for authors, publishers, and digital libraries.
How to Convert Files
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an XPS file and why was it created as a PDF alternative?
An XPS file (XML Paper Specification) is a fixed-layout document format developed by Microsoft as a direct competitor to PDF. It captures a document’s exact visual layout—including fonts, vector graphics, images, and pagination—so it prints and displays identically across systems.
XPS files are based on open XML markup wrapped inside a ZIP container. They store every page as a device-independent snapshot, ensuring that the displayed result remains unchanged regardless of operating system, printer, or viewer.
Although Microsoft integrated XPS deeply into Windows, PDF ultimately remained the global standard, but XPS is still used within enterprise workflows and legacy Windows systems.
Why did Microsoft introduce XPS when PDF already existed?
Microsoft aimed to create a fully open, XML-based alternative to PDF that integrated tightly with the Windows printing pipeline. XPS was designed to be the internal spool format for Windows printers, enabling consistent output rendering.
By using XML, Microsoft intended to build a format that was easier for developers to parse, validate, and automate compared to Adobe's early proprietary PDF implementations.
Despite this, PDF’s widespread adoption and superior cross-platform support prevented XPS from fully replacing it.
Why do XPS files maintain identical formatting across devices?
XPS is a fixed-layout format: all text, graphics, images, and layout elements are stored exactly as they appear on the page, not as reflowable content.
Embedded fonts prevent changes caused by missing typefaces, ensuring consistent line breaks and spacing.
This design makes XPS suitable for forms, reports, contracts, and print-ready documents where layout accuracy is critical.
Why do some systems struggle to open XPS files today?
Windows initially bundled an XPS viewer by default, but many modern builds disable or remove XPS support due to declining usage and security considerations.
macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms never adopted native XPS support, relying instead on third-party converters or viewers.
As a result, cross-platform compatibility for XPS is far more limited compared to PDF.
Why does XPS often need conversion to PDF?
PDF is the global standard for document sharing, archiving, and printing, supported universally across browsers, platforms, and devices.
Organizations migrating from legacy Windows systems prefer converting XPS to PDF to ensure long-term accessibility and compatibility.
Modern workflows—including digital signing, form filling, and cloud collaboration—are optimized for PDF rather than XPS.
Why is XPS internally structured like a ZIP archive?
XPS uses Open Packaging conventions, meaning the file is a ZIP container holding XML markup, page resources, fonts, and embedded media.
This modular design allows easy extraction, debugging, and manipulation of internal components using standard tools.
The structure mirrors modern XML-based formats such as DOCX, PPTX, and ODT.
Why do some XPS files appear larger than equivalent PDFs?
XPS stores page elements in verbose XML markup, which can produce larger files compared to PDF’s more compact binary representations.
Embedded fonts and high-resolution raster images may increase file size significantly, especially when compression is minimal.
PDF typically offers more advanced compression options, making it more space-efficient.
Why do enterprises still use XPS in certain workflows?
Legacy Windows-based infrastructure—such as document management systems, automated printing pipelines, and reporting services—was designed around XPS.
Microsoft Print-to-XPS is still available by default, allowing efficient generation of print-ready archives.
Despite its declining popularity, XPS remains functional within closed ecosystems that rely heavily on Windows formats.
Why do XPS documents preserve high-quality vector graphics?
XPS is designed for resolution-independent printing and supports vector paths, gradients, and brushes without rasterization.
Complex shapes and diagrams remain sharp regardless of zoom level, making XPS suitable for engineering drawings and technical documents.
This ensures consistency across monitors and printers with varying DPI.
Why is digital signing supported differently in XPS compared to PDF?
XPS uses XML Digital Signatures, a standards-based approach embedded directly in the document structure.
This allows fine-grained signing of individual document parts, though tool support is limited compared to PDF’s mature signing ecosystem.
PDF’s widespread adoption makes its signature workflows more universally recognized and supported.
Why do XPS viewers differ across Windows versions?
Earlier versions of Windows shipped with an integrated XPS Viewer, while later versions replaced or deprecated it.
Windows 10 and 11 often disable XPS by default, requiring users to enable it manually through optional features.
Changes in security policies and reduced user demand impacted long-term viewer availability.
Why is converting XPS to searchable text sometimes difficult?
Some XPS files contain text stored as vector shapes rather than character-encoded glyphs, making OCR necessary.
Embedded fonts may lack proper Unicode mapping, causing search and selection issues.
Converting to PDF and applying OCR resolves these limitations.
Why was the XPS format never widely adopted outside Windows?
PDF already dominated cross-platform workflows when XPS launched, and third-party vendors saw little reason to support a competing format.
XPS lacked automation, advanced features, and integration ecosystems that PDF developed over decades.
As a result, XPS remained confined mainly to Microsoft environments.
Why do printers sometimes convert documents to XPS internally?
Windows printing subsystems often use XPS as an intermediate spool format, even if the user never interacts with XPS files directly.
This ensures consistent rendering and reduces driver-specific inconsistencies.
However, the final output is still delivered in the printer’s native language, such as PCL or PostScript.
Should you keep using XPS or migrate to modern formats?
If your workflow relies heavily on Windows-based printing pipelines, XPS may still function adequately.
For document sharing, archiving, and multi-platform usage, PDF is overwhelmingly superior and more future-proof.
Migrating to PDF ensures maximum compatibility, long-term accessibility, and integration with modern tools.