Microsoft Word Document Template (Legacy)

Some templates are included with Microsoft Word that allow you to create a document such as a resume, cover letter, newsletter, or business plan, with the formatting already in place. You can also create your own templates with custom page layout, fonts, and styles.

DOT files were replaced by .DOTX files with the release of Microsoft Office 2007. DOTX files are saved in the newer Open XML-based Word document format and can be opened in Microsoft Word 2007 or previous versions of Word with Open XML component support.

Normal.dot - Default template used for creating new documents in Microsoft Word. It is the template that is opened when users open Word.

You can open DOT files with Microsoft Word in Windows and macOS. The word processor is also available for Android and iOS devices, but only the iOS version supports DOT files.

Other word processors can also open DOT files but they may not fully support the formatting of the original templates. Some examples include Apache OpenOffice Writer (multiplatform), Kingsoft Writer (multiplatform), and Apple Pages (Mac). If you are a Mac user simply looking to view a DOT file, you can use Apple Preview , which comes bundled with macOS.

You can also upload DOT files to Google Docs , which is a free web and mobile (Android and iOS) application that allows you to view, edit, save, and convert the document.

Various word processing applications, including Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer, and Apple Pages, can convert DOT files to other formats.

For example, in the Windows and Mac versions of Microsoft Word, select File → Save As to convert DOT files to one of the following formats:

Programs that open DOT files

Updated: March 17, 2022

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