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Difference between Word * .doc and * .docx documents?


For a long time Microsoft Word only used one proprietary format for saved files: * .doc and then it became * .docx! 



 
Content:

1.) ... Word doc and docx documents!
2.) ... Difference and which is better Word doc or docx documents?



1.) Word doc and docx documents!

 The pressure of the competition, as well as the free and open source office packages / providers, pushed Microsoft to introduce an even more comprehensive open standard. This then led to the development of the DOCX file format, plus that for Excel with the file extension *.XLSX for spreadsheets and *.PPTX for presentations such as in Powerpoint.

Years later, DOCX became the new standard, although it is not quite as universal as the older DOC file format, which competes with ODF ...!

Microsoft has released and updated the DOC format several times for use in other programs, although the open documentation does not support all of the advanced features of Word.

The main advantage / difference!

Since Microsoft has developed DOCX as the new standard for word processing, it is likely that the DOC file extension will no longer be expanded. This is also the main advantage of the DOCX file type, that newer functions are added and some things, functions, ... are no longer possible in the DOC!

See also:
►► Problems opening docx documents with old MS Office Word!
►► Office.Files.Images for MS Windows Helps to extract photos from Office Documents!



(Image-1) Proprietary file formats examples!
Proprietary file formats examples!

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2.) Difference and which is better Word doc or docx documents?


The choice between Word documents in *.doc and *.docx format depends on various factors. Here are some  differences and considerations:


*.doc:
This is the file format of Microsoft Word documents used in older versions of Microsoft Word (prior to Word 2007). It is a binary format and can cause compatibility issues, especially if you want to open it in different versions of Word or other word processing programs.

*.docx:
This is Microsoft Word's newer, XML-based file format, used starting with Word 2007. It offers better support for modern word processing features, is more compressed and efficient, and has better interoperability with other software applications.

DOCX documents are generally better than DOC documents.

They offer the following advantages:

- Smaller file sizes: DOCX documents are usually smaller than DOC documents because they are compressed in XML format. This makes transport and storage easier.

- Better compatibility: DOCX documents are compatible with a wide range of applications including Microsoft Word, OpenOffice and LibreOffice. DOC documents are generally only compatible with Microsoft Word.

- Advanced features: DOCX documents support a number of advanced features not available in DOC documents. These include, for example: E.g. support for graphics, tables, macros and XML.


If you are working with an older version of Microsoft Word or sharing documents with people who may be using older software, it may be necessary to use *.doc files to avoid compatibility issues.

However, for most users, *.docx files are a better choice because they are more modern, efficient, and more compatible with various applications.


In most cases, the use of *.docx files is recommended as they offer the advantages of modern word processing technologies. However, if special requirements or compatibility issues arise, *.doc files can still be useful. However, keep in mind that older file formats may not support all of Word's current features and improvements.



FAQ 52: Updated on: 19 October 2023 20:16 Windows
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