How do I open Word 2007 files in Works?

Q A Computeractive Workshop showed how to use an older version of Microsoft Office to open documents created by newer versions of the suite.

However, I am using Microsoft Works 2000 under Windows XP and have exactly the same problem. Is there any way for me to open Word 2007/2010 .docx documents using my existing software?

Phil Bloor

A Yes. All that’s required is to follow the Workshop mentioned above.

Even though Microsoft named it the ‘Office Compatibility Pack’, the tool does not actually require Microsoft Office to work.

We did not mention this fact in our Workshop because, frankly, we didn’t imagine many people would remain reliant on such an old version of Microsoft Works (which, as you know, has a word processor that saves documents in its own special format). But we can put that right by explaining what to do here.

So, to begin follow the published workshop to download and install the Office Compatibility Pack.

Now double-click a .docx file and a Save As dialogue box will appear – this is actually the Office Compatibility Pack in action. When you click the Save button, it will convert the .docx file to a familiar .doc file that can then be opened in earlier versions of Word or Microsoft Works.

Choose a location for the converted file and click Save. Now launch the Works word processor, open the File menu and click Open. Click the ‘Files of type’ dropdown menu and choose ‘Word 97-2000 (*.doc)’. Now select the document that has converted and saved by the Office Compatibility Pack and click Open.

It is possible to convert Excel 2007/2010 (.xlsx-format) spreadsheet files in exactly the same way. To open them in the Works spreadsheet, click File, then open, then select ‘Excel SS (*.xl*)’ from the ‘Files of type’ dropdown menu.

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