Microsoft Word Open XML Document

.docx

DOCX is the default file format for Microsoft Word documents since Word 2007. Based on Office Open XML standard, it uses ZIP compression and XML markup, making files smaller and more accessible than the legacy DOC format.

MIME Type

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

Developed by

Microsoft

First Release

2007

Standard

ISO/IEC 29500

What is DOCX?

DOCX is a ZIP-compressed XML-based file format for word processing documents. It replaced the binary DOC format as the default in Microsoft Word 2007 and offers better compression, improved recovery of corrupted files, and easier data extraction.

The format is part of the Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and has become the de facto standard for word processing documents worldwide, supported by virtually all modern office software.

Features

Rich text formatting and styles
Embedded images, charts, and tables
Headers, footers, and page numbering
Comments and track changes
Macros and VBA support (in .docm files)
Cross-references and bookmarks
Mail merge capabilities
Password protection and encryption
Smaller file sizes than DOC
Better compatibility across platforms

Advantages

Widely supported across all platforms
Smaller file sizes due to compression
Better recovery from corrupted files
XML-based structure is more accessible
International standard (ISO/IEC 29500)
Compatible with Google Docs, LibreOffice, etc.
Supports modern Word features

Technical Information

A DOCX file is essentially a ZIP archive containing XML files and resources. The structure includes document content, styles, settings, and embedded media organized in folders.

File extension	.docx
Based on	Office Open XML (OOXML)
Compression	ZIP
Standard	ISO/IEC 29500