How to Open a docx file

In the following simple solution, I'll show you how to open .docx files on a Mac, or on a PC that does not have Microsoft Office installed or has an older version of Office. .docx files are typically created by Microsoft Office Word. If you send a .docx file to someone who does not have Word on their computer, they might not have an application installed that can read the .docx file. It is also fairly common for Apple Mac users to have issues viewing .docx file.

Open a .docx file with old version of Office

If your using an older version of Microsoft Office, you simply need to install a Microsoft Office compatibility pack. After installation, you should be able to read docx files using your existing Microsoft Office software

  1. Download the Microsoft Compatibility Pack
  2. Install the software
  3. Now, simply navigate to your .docx file and click it to open

If all goes well, you should be able to read the .docx file with your current Microsoft Office software

Viewing a .docx file in Windows

Assuming that you are a Windows user and do not have Microsoft Office installed, there is a Word viewer application available that allows you to read .docx files. Here is the official link: Microsoft Word Viewer

  1. Download the Word Viewer
  2. Install the program (restart if prompted)
  3. Now, simply navigate to your .docx file and click it to open

If all goes well, you should be able to read the .docx file with the the Word Viewer.

Viewing a .docx file on a Mac

If your trying to view that .docx file while working from a Mac, here is a simple solution.

  1. Rename the .docx extension to .zip
  2. Unzip the file
  3. Open Safari and click File  > Open File
  4. Navigate to the document.xml file in your extracted zip directory. For example:  filename/word/document.xml
  5. Open

If all goes well, you should now be able to read the .docx file from Safari using your Mac.