The DOCX file format is Microsoft Word's proprietary format used by Word 2007 and later to create documents. This article explains how you can open a DOCX file even if you don't have Microsoft Office available. Even if you don't have Word, you can use the free web app to open DOCX files or Google Drive. If you are using a mobile device, you can use the free Microsoft Word app.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Microsoft Word Web App from Computer
Step 1. Visit the website https://www.office.com using your computer browser
If you haven't installed a recent version of Microsoft Office on your computer, you can use the web version of Word or the mobile application to open and edit a DOCX file.
Step 2. Sign in with your Microsoft account
If you do not have a Microsoft account, you can create one for free by accessing this page https://www.microsoft.com/it-it/account and clicking on the link Create a Microsoft account.
If you have an email address whose domain is @ outlook.com, @ live.com, or @ hotmail.com, it means you already have a Microsoft account, so you can log in using that email address
Step 3. Click on the Word icon
It features a blue sheet of paper with the white letter "W" on the left side. It is located at the top of the page along with icons for the web versions of many other Microsoft products.
Step 4. Click the Upload and Open link
It is located under "Other Models" at the top right of the page.
Step 5. Select the DOCX file and click the Open button
The file you have chosen will be loaded on the page and displayed on screen using the free web version of Microsoft Word.
You can also use the web version of Word to edit DOCX documents. To save the new changes, click on the menu File, located in the upper left corner of the page, click on the option Save with name and finally select the item Download a copy.
Method 2 of 3: Using Google Drive on Computer
Step 1. Visit the website https://drive.google.com using your computer browser
If you are not already signed in with your Google account, click on the button Go to Google Drive, then log in or create a new account.
Google Drive is capable of converting DOCX files to one of Google's proprietary formats. This way you will have the opportunity to view its content, edit it directly with Drive and download it in a new format
Step 2. Click on the + New button
It is located in the upper left corner of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Click on File Upload
The computer's "File Explorer" or "Finder" window will appear.
Step 4. Select the DOCX file and click the Open button
The file you have chosen will be uploaded to the Google Drive platform. Once the upload is complete, the file in question will appear in the list of your Drive documents.
Step 5. Double-click the file name to preview it
If you do not need to modify the document, you can consult its contents using the preview window.
Step 6. Select the Google Docs item from the "Open With" menu
The latter is located in the upper central part of the preview window. At this point the document in question will be displayed with Google Docs.
- If you want to edit the file, you can do it using the Google Docs editor. Any changes you make to the document will be saved automatically.
- To download the version of the file you edited, click on the menu File and choose the option Download, then select the format you want.
Method 3 of 3: Use the Microsoft Word Mobile App
Step 1. Download the Microsoft Word app from the App Store
or from the Play Store
If you need to open a DOCX file stored on a smartphone or tablet on which you have not yet installed the free Microsoft Word app, you will first need to install this program.
- Android devices: Go to the Play Store, search using microsoft word keywords, then press the button Install from the application page that will appear.
- iPhone / iPad: Open the App Store, select the tab Search for, then search using microsoft word keywords. Once you've located the Word app in the results list, hit the button Get corresponding.
Step 2. Launch the Microsoft Word app on your device
It features a blue and white icon with the letter "W" visible on the left side.
If this is your first time using this application, follow the on-screen instructions to view the initial tutorial
Step 3. Tap the Open item
It features a folder icon and is located at the bottom of the screen.
Step 4. Select the document to open
Access the folder on the device where the file to open is stored or follow the instructions that will appear on the screen to use a clouding service (for example OneDrive or Dropbox) on which you have previously uploaded the document. Once you select it, the file will automatically open within the Word app.
