File Extension Guide📖 What is an ODT File?
ODT (OpenDocument Text) is an open standard file format for word processing documents. It's part of the OpenDocument Format (ODF) family, developed by OASIS and standardized as ISO/IEC 26300. ODT is the native format for LibreOffice Writer and OpenOffice Writer.
Unlike proprietary formats, ODT is a truly open standard that anyone can implement without licensing fees. This makes it ideal for government use, long-term archiving, and situations where vendor independence is important. The format stores documents as compressed XML files, similar to DOCX but with different specifications.
Key Characteristics
- Open standard — ISO/IEC 26300 certified
- XML-based — human-readable structure
- Vendor-neutral — no company controls it
- Free to implement — no licensing fees
Primary Applications
- LibreOffice Writer — most popular
- OpenOffice Writer — original home
- Calligra Words — KDE office suite
- Google Docs — import/export
⚡ Quick Facts
| File Extension | .odt |
| Full Name | OpenDocument Text |
| Category | Word Processing Document |
| MIME Type | application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text |
| Developed By | OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) |
| First Released | 2005 (ODF 1.0) |
| Current Version | ODF 1.3 (2020) |
| Standard | ISO/IEC 26300 |
| Format Type | XML in ZIP container |
| Part Of | OpenDocument Format (ODF) family |
| Default For | LibreOffice Writer, OpenOffice Writer |
| Word Support | Microsoft Word 2007 and later |
👨👩👧👦 The ODF Family
ODT is part of the OpenDocument Format family. Each format serves a different purpose:
.ODT
Text Documents
Word processing
.ODS
Spreadsheets
Like Excel
.ODP
Presentations
Like PowerPoint
.ODG
Graphics
Vector drawings
.ODF
Formulas
Math equations
.ODB
Databases
Like Access
📋 ODF vs Microsoft Office Formats
| Purpose | ODF Format | MS Office Format |
|---|---|---|
| Word Processing | .odt (OpenDocument Text) | .docx (Word) |
| Spreadsheets | .ods (OpenDocument Spreadsheet) | .xlsx (Excel) |
| Presentations | .odp (OpenDocument Presentation) | .pptx (PowerPoint) |
| Drawings | .odg (OpenDocument Graphics) | .vsdx (Visio) |
| Templates | .ott, .ots, .otp | .dotx, .xltx, .potx |
⚔️ ODT vs DOCX: Which Should You Use?
Both are modern, XML-based open standards. Here's how they compare:
| Feature | ODT (OpenDocument) | DOCX (Office Open XML) |
|---|---|---|
| Open Standard | ✓ ISO 26300 | ✓ ISO 29500 |
| Format Type | XML in ZIP | XML in ZIP |
| Default For | LibreOffice, OpenOffice | Microsoft Word |
| Word Support | ✓ Word 2007+ | ✓ Native |
| LibreOffice Support | ✓ Native | ✓ Good |
| Google Docs | ✓ Import/Export | ✓ Import/Export |
| Government Mandates | ✓ Many countries | ~ Some |
| Business Adoption | ~ Growing | ✓ Dominant |
| Vendor Control | ✓ None (OASIS) | ~ Microsoft-led |
✓ Choose ODT When:
- Using LibreOffice or OpenOffice
- You want true vendor independence
- Required by government/organization policy
- Long-term archiving is important
- Sharing with other LibreOffice users
✓ Choose DOCX When:
- Sharing with Microsoft Word users
- Working in a business environment
- Maximum compatibility is priority
- Using advanced Word features
- Collaborating via Microsoft 365
🌟 Why Use ODT Format?
There are compelling reasons to choose ODT for your documents:
True Open Standard
No single company controls ODT. It's managed by OASIS and certified by ISO, ensuring it remains accessible forever.
Free Software
LibreOffice is completely free, no subscriptions. Create, edit, and share ODT documents without paying for software.
Government Approved
Many governments mandate ODF for official documents. Using ODT ensures compliance with open format policies.
Future-Proof
Open standards ensure your documents remain readable decades from now, regardless of what happens to any software company.
No Vendor Lock-in
Switch between applications freely. Your documents aren't tied to any single software vendor.
Transparent Format
XML-based structure is fully documented and human-readable. Easy to recover, process, and convert.
📂 How to Open an ODT File
ODT files are widely supported by many applications:
LibreOffice Writer Recommended
Best choice: ODT is LibreOffice's native format. 100% compatibility, completely free.
Microsoft Word
Good support: Word can open and save ODT files. Some formatting may vary.
Google Docs (Free)
Free online: Upload to Drive and open with Docs. Can also export back to ODT.
OpenOffice Writer
Original home: ODT was developed for OpenOffice. Full native support.
More Applications That Open ODT Files
Apple Pages
Mac/iOS
WPS Office
Free
OnlyOffice
Free
Calligra Words
KDE
Univik Viewer
Free Online
Collabora Office
Mobile
🔄 Convert ODT Files
Need to convert ODT to another format or vice versa? Here's how:
📤 Convert ODT To:
Most common: ODT → DOCX for Word users, or ODT → PDF for sharing.
📥 Convert To ODT:
Why convert to ODT: Transition to open formats, use with LibreOffice, long-term archiving.
How to Convert ODT to DOCX or PDF
| Method | Steps |
|---|---|
| LibreOffice Writer | File → Save As → Select "Word 2007-365 (.docx)" or File → Export as PDF |
| Microsoft Word | Open ODT → File → Save As → Choose "Word Document (.docx)" |
| Google Docs | Upload ODT → File → Download → Microsoft Word (.docx) or PDF |
| Online Tools | Upload to Zamzar, CloudConvert, or Convertio → Select output format → Download |
Online Conversion Tools
📜 History of OpenDocument Format
The OpenDocument Format has an interesting history rooted in the open-source movement:
2000 - OpenOffice.org
Sun Microsystems open-sourced StarOffice as OpenOffice.org. The file format used by StarOffice became the foundation for what would become ODF.
2002 - OASIS Technical Committee
OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) formed a technical committee to create an open, XML-based document format standard.
2005 - ODF 1.0 Released
OpenDocument Format 1.0 was officially approved as an OASIS standard. ODT became the native format for OpenOffice.org.
2006 - ISO Standard
ODF was approved as ISO/IEC 26300, making it an international standard. This was a major milestone for open document formats.
2010 - LibreOffice Fork
The Document Foundation created LibreOffice as a fork of OpenOffice.org. LibreOffice became the most popular ODF application.
2011 - ODF 1.2
ODF 1.2 added digital signatures, RDF metadata, and improved spreadsheet formulas. Adopted as ISO/IEC 26300:2015.
2020 - ODF 1.3
Current version with OpenPGP encryption, improved accessibility features, and better compatibility. Active development continues.
Today - Growing Adoption
ODF is mandated by many governments worldwide. LibreOffice has millions of users. Microsoft Office supports ODF import/export.
2005
ODF 1.0 Released
OASIS standard
ISO
International Standard
ISO/IEC 26300
200M+
LibreOffice Users
Worldwide
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
ODT stands for OpenDocument Text. It's an open standard file format for word processing documents, part of the OpenDocument Format (ODF) family.
Key characteristics:
- Open standard — ISO/IEC 26300 certified
- XML-based — documents stored as compressed XML
- Vendor-neutral — no company controls the format
- Native format for LibreOffice Writer and OpenOffice Writer
MIME type: application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text
ODT files can be opened with many applications:
- LibreOffice Writer — Free, native support (best option)
- Microsoft Word — 2007 and later versions
- Google Docs — Upload and edit online for free
- OpenOffice Writer — Free, native support
- Apple Pages — Mac and iOS
- WPS Office — Free alternative
Tip: For best compatibility, use LibreOffice — it's free and ODT is its native format.
Yes, Microsoft Word 2007 and later can open and save ODT files.
To open: File → Open → Select the ODT file
To save as ODT: File → Save As → Choose "OpenDocument Text (.odt)"
Compatibility notes:
- Most text and basic formatting transfers well
- Some advanced features may display differently
- Track changes and comments usually work
- Complex tables or graphics may need adjustment
- For critical documents, verify appearance after opening
Both are modern, XML-based, open standard formats, but with key differences:
| Aspect | ODT | DOCX |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | ISO 26300 (ODF) | ISO 29500 (OOXML) |
| Default for | LibreOffice, OpenOffice | Microsoft Word |
| Governance | OASIS (vendor-neutral) | Microsoft-led |
| Business use | Growing, government | Dominant |
Choose ODT for open-source software, government compliance, or vendor independence. Choose DOCX for maximum compatibility with Microsoft Office users.
In LibreOffice Writer:
- To DOCX: File → Save As → Select "Word 2007-365 (.docx)"
- To PDF: File → Export as PDF
In Microsoft Word:
- Open the ODT file → File → Save As → Choose format
In Google Docs:
- Upload ODT to Drive → Open with Docs → File → Download → Select format
Online tools: Zamzar, CloudConvert, Convertio all handle ODT conversions.
Neither is objectively "better" — it depends on your needs:
ODT advantages:
- True open standard with no vendor control
- Free software (LibreOffice) with full support
- Government mandated in many countries
- Guaranteed long-term accessibility
DOCX advantages:
- Better compatibility with Microsoft Office
- More common in business environments
- Native format for the most-used word processor
Recommendation: Use the format expected by your recipients. For personal use or government work, ODT is excellent. For business sharing, DOCX is often more practical.
Good reasons to use ODT:
- Free software — LibreOffice costs nothing
- No vendor lock-in — your documents aren't tied to one company
- Government compliance — required by many public agencies
- Long-term archiving — guaranteed future accessibility
- Open-source philosophy — supporting open standards
- Cross-platform — works on Windows, Mac, Linux
Note: If you primarily share documents with Microsoft Office users, you may want to save as DOCX for convenience, or use PDF for final versions.
Yes, several mobile apps support ODT files:
- Collabora Office — Android & iOS, based on LibreOffice
- AndrOpen Office — Android, full OpenOffice port
- Google Docs app — Upload and convert to edit
- Microsoft Word app — Can open ODT files
- WPS Office — Android & iOS, free
Best option: Collabora Office is the closest to desktop LibreOffice and has excellent ODT support.
📝 Summary
- ODT = OpenDocument Text format
- Uses .odt file extension
- Open standard — ISO/IEC 26300
- Part of ODF family (.odt, .ods, .odp)
- Native format for LibreOffice Writer
- Microsoft Word can open ODT files
- Vendor-neutral — no company controls it
- Required by many governments
- XML-based in ZIP container
- Ideal for long-term archiving
