Compare Microsoft Word 97-2003 and Microsoft Word formats — understand the key differences and when to use each
Microsoft Word 97-2003
DOC is the legacy Microsoft Word binary document format, used as the default format in Microsoft Office from 1997 through 2003. It stores text, formatting, images, tables, headers, footers, and embedded OLE objects in a proprietary binary format. While DOC files are widely recognized, they have limitations compared to the modern DOCX format: larger file sizes, less reliable cross-platform rendering, and limited support for modern features like content controls and advanced typography. Many organizations still encounter DOC files in legacy archives and older workflows. Converting DOC to DOCX or PDF ensures better compatibility with modern applications while preserving the original content and formatting.
Microsoft Word
DOCX is the modern Microsoft Word document format, introduced with Office 2007 and based on the Office Open XML (OOXML) standard (ISO/IEC 29500). Internally, a DOCX file is a ZIP archive containing XML files that define content, styles, relationships, and metadata. DOCX supports rich text formatting, styles and themes, tables, images, charts, SmartArt, mathematical equations, content controls, tracked changes, comments, headers/footers, footnotes, and bibliographies. The XML-based structure makes DOCX files smaller than DOC, more reliable for cross-platform use, and easier to process programmatically. DOCX is the standard document format for business, education, and publishing. It's natively supported by Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice, and Apple Pages.
| Feature | DOC | DOCX |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Microsoft Word 97-2003 | Microsoft Word |
| File Extension | .doc | .docx |
| Category | document | document |
| Free to Convert | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Browser Support | ✓ All Browsers | ✓ All Browsers |
| Convert to Each Other | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
or drag and drop files here
Max file size: 2GB