You might have encountered an ODT document if you frequently work with office documents. It’s possible that you receive an ODT file instead of a DOCX file.
ODT files resemble the well-known DOCX file format that comes with Microsoft Word. Both of these are document file types that work with various programs and store data like text, photos, objects, and styles. That is why in this article we are going to discuss everything there is to know about ODT and how to open an ODT file.
Points to Remember
- An OpenOffice Document file has the “.odt” extension.
- ODT files are usually created using Apache OpenOffice Writer and LibreOffice Writer.
Read: 4 Ways to Convert PDF to Word
What is an ODT file?
The ODT file, the abbreviation for OpenDocument text format first appeared in the programming world with the introduction of the OpenDocument format (ODF).
The open-source ODF file format was developed by Sun Microsystems, specified by the OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) organization. ODF was developed using XML by the OpenOffice XML Working Group, which was established by OASIS in 2002. ODF was formally introduced as a global ISO/IEC 26300 standard in 2006.
Open Document Format (ODF) standard, sometimes referred to as OpenDocument includes ODT files. OpenDocument Sheets (ODS) for spreadsheets and OpenDocument Presentations (ODP) for slide shows are additional ODF file extensions. These files may easily be converted back and forth between various file types and are broadly compatible with other office applications.
The benefit of ODT is that it is an open-source, license-free text format that enables cost-free, hassle-free communication between various operating systems and applications. However, when opening essential files in licensed (i.e., paid) apps, you should always check to see if the appearance and layout have changed.
Read: How to Open ODS File
How to Open ODT File?
ODT files were predominantly built upon the OpenOffice Writer which makes it one of the most prominent applications to open any ODT file. Similarly, other open-source Office Suites including LibreOffice Writer, Doxillion, and AbiSource AbiWord can also open ODT files with ease.
In order to access ODT files online, you can use Google Docs or Microsoft Word Online. To edit your files on Google Docs, make sure to upload your file to Google Drive. Login to your Google account and go to New > File Upload. Any document you open using Microsoft Word online is automatically saved to OneDrive.
Open ODT Files Offline on Windows
Step 1: Go to the file option and select Open.
Step 2: Select “OpenDocument Text” from the filter “File of type” to filter out only ODT files.
Step 3: Locate the file on your system and select the file to open in Word.
Open ODT Files Offline on MacOS
Step 1: Go to the file option and select Open.
Step 2: Navigate to the ODT file in your system.
Step 3: Choose the file you wish to open and select Open.
Note: When you open an OpenDocument Format file for the first time, a notification will appear asking for your consent to use the Microsoft online service to convert the file. To continue, Select Allow.
Step 4: You’ll notice a notification letting you know the file is read-only after you’ve opened it. Click Save As to first save the document as a Microsoft OOXML file before editing it. You can update and save your modifications after opening the ODF file and saving it as an OOXML file.
Open ODT Files Offline on Android & iOS
You can use the following listed application to access the ODT file in Android or IOS.
Difference Between ODT and DOCX file
Large businesses that utilized MS Office before now have a sizable archive of documents in that format, and they almost certainly trade documents with other businesses in Docx format. No other program can currently show documents in their own formats better than MS Word. In this situation, businesses recommend using MS Word in DOCX format.
If your objective is to discontinue using paid office software and you don’t give much thought to format compatibility, ODT is more than capable of replacing both Doc and Docx. Since many prominent organizations have already moved to OpenOffice, this transition is very feasible.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What to do when an ODT file frequently crashes?
There are several instances, where you might come across a particular ODT file that crashes frequently. Go to Windows File Explorer and look for a backup for the particular ODT file. Oftentimes, the backup file extension is .bak. Similarly, you can also try inserting the content of the corrupt file in a black document. In LibreOffice Writer, go to Insert > File > corrupt ODT file.
Read:
2. How to open an ODT file on an iPad?
With the introduction of iPadOS, Apple has streamlined iPads. In order to open an ODT file, you can use any third-party viewer such as OOReader. Similarly, you can also download Microsoft Office to open ODT files on an iPad.
Read: How to Convert JPG to PDF Online
Wrapping Up
So, that was our curated guide on how to open an ODT file. In case you are still not able to access the file, it’s possible that you don’t actually have an ODT file if none of the apps listed above can open your file. Some file types have identical file extension letters, which makes it simple to mix them up. This includes the Calc, Impress, Draw, and Math programs in OpenOffice’s ODS, ODP, ODG, and ODF files, respectively.
