What is a .doc file?

This extension has been used by more than one format

21 different formats have claimed .doc over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.

• Wordperfect Secondary FileVersion 5.0 · x-fmt/42
• Wordperfect Secondary FileVersion 5.1/5.2 · x-fmt/43
• WordPerfect for MS-DOS/Windows DocumentVersion 6.x · x-fmt/44
• Stationery for Mac OS XNo version recorded · x-fmt/131
• Microsoft Word for MS-DOS DocumentVersion 1.x - 4.0 · x-fmt/274
• Microsoft Word for MS-DOS DocumentVersion 5.0 - 5.4 · x-fmt/275
• Microsoft Word for MS-DOS DocumentVersion 5.5 · x-fmt/276
• Interleaf DocumentNo version recorded · x-fmt/329
• Microsoft Word DocumentVersion 6.0/95 · fmt/39
• Microsoft Word DocumentVersion 97-2003 · fmt/40
• Microsoft Word for Windows DocumentVersion 1.0 · fmt/37
• Microsoft Word for Windows DocumentVersion 2.0 · fmt/38
• WordPerfect for MS-DOS DocumentVersion 5.0 · x-fmt/393
• WordPerfect for MS-DOS/Windows DocumentVersion 5.1 · x-fmt/394
• Microsoft Office Owner FileNo version recorded · fmt/473
• Microsoft Word (Generic)Version 6.0-2003 · fmt/609
• Microsoft Word Document (Password Protected)Version 97-2003 · fmt/754
• Compound WordPerfect for Windows DocumentVersion 6 onwards · fmt/892
• PFS:First Choice DocumentVersion 1-2 · fmt/1282
• PFS:First Choice DocumentVersion 3 · fmt/1283
• Microsoft Word for MS-DOS DocumentVersion 6.0 · fmt/1688

How to open a .doc file

• WindowsMicrosoft Word
• WindowsLibreOffice Writer
• WindowsWordPad for simple files
• MacPages
• MacLibreOffice

How to convert a .doc file

• Open in Word or LibreOffice and Save As .docx or .pdf to modernise it.

MIME type

When a .doc file travels over the web, servers label it with one of these MIME types:

What's a MIME type?

The technical record

For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .doc.

Got another one?