OpenDocument Text
What is a ODT file?
ODT (OpenDocument Text) is the open, royalty-free document standard behind LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice, approved as an ISO standard in 2006. Many governments, schools and open-source projects require it so documents never depend on one company's software. It supports styles, tables, images, footnotes and comments, much like DOCX.
How to open a ODT file
- Windows
- Open it in LibreOffice Writer, which is free, or in Microsoft Word, which can open ODT with some layout changes.
- Mac
- Open it in LibreOffice or Pages; Word for Mac can open it too.
- iPhone
- Preview it in the Files app, or convert it to DOCX to edit in Word or Pages.
- Android
- Open it with Google Docs or a free office app such as Collabora Office.
Good for
- Open standard, not tied to one company
- Native format of free LibreOffice
- Supports styles, tables and footnotes
Watch out for
- Word users may see layout shifts
- Less familiar outside universities and government
- Some phone apps only preview it
ODT file questions
Why was I sent an ODT file?
The sender probably uses LibreOffice or works somewhere that requires open formats. It's a normal document you can open or convert.
Can Microsoft Word open ODT files?
Yes, but styles and layouts sometimes shift. Converting to DOCX first usually gives a cleaner result.
How do I send a document as ODT?
Convert your Word document to ODT, or save as ODT from LibreOffice, if the recipient requires the open format.