DOCX Viewer
Open a Word .docx file in your browser and read it in a clean, printable view with headings, lists, tables, images and footnotes. See the word count, print just the document or save it as an HTML page. Nothing is uploaded.
Warnings list Word features that have no direct HTML equivalent. The text is still shown; only some formatting may differ.
How to use the DOCX Viewer
- Choose a .docx file or drag it onto the drop area.
- Read the document in the reading view. Use Jump to for long documents and change the text size or font if you like.
- Check the stats: words, characters, paragraphs, reading time, tables and images.
- Open the warnings list to see any Word formatting that could not be shown exactly.
- Print or save: Print document prints only the document; Download as HTML saves a web page; Copy text copies the plain text.
What is inside a .docx file?
A .docx file is a ZIP package in the Office Open XML format (ISO/IEC 29500). If you rename one to .zip you can browse the parts. The viewer checks that the file starts with the ZIP signature PK and contains word/document.xml before opening it.
| Part | What it holds |
|---|---|
| [Content_Types].xml | The media type of every part in the package |
| word/document.xml | The main text: paragraphs (w:p), runs (w:r), text (w:t) and tables (w:tbl) |
| word/styles.xml | Paragraph and character styles such as Heading 1, Title and Quote |
| word/numbering.xml | Bullet and numbered list definitions |
| word/footnotes.xml, endnotes.xml | Footnote and endnote text |
| word/media/ | Embedded images (PNG, JPEG, GIF, EMF) |
| word/_rels/document.xml.rels | Links from the text to images, hyperlinks and other parts |
| docProps/core.xml | Title, author and dates |
What the viewer shows and what it skips
| Shown | Not shown (content-focused view) |
|---|---|
| Headings 1–6, Title and Subtitle | Page size, margins and page breaks |
| Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, superscript, subscript | Font families, sizes and colours |
| Bulleted and numbered lists | Headers, footers and page numbers |
| Tables, including merged cells | Text boxes, shapes and WordArt |
| Hyperlinks, bookmarks, footnotes and endnotes | Comments and tracked changes |
| Inline images | Multi-column layouts and floating image positions |
Because the result is real HTML, it reflows to any screen width, can be read by screen readers and searched with your browser's find (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F).
Word count and reading time
The word count includes body text, lists, tables and footnotes. Reading time is the word count divided by 230 words per minute, a typical silent reading speed for adults. For example a 1,500-word report takes about 7 minutes to read. Word's own count can differ slightly because it skips footnotes and text boxes by default and treats some punctuation differently.
Frequently asked questions
How can I open a DOCX file without Microsoft Word?
Choose the file on this page. The viewer reads the .docx package in your browser and shows the text with its headings, lists, tables, links and images, so you don't need Word, an account or an app.
Is my document uploaded to a server?
No. The file is opened with JavaScript on your own device. Only the viewer library is downloaded from a public CDN the first time; your document never leaves your browser.
Can it open old .doc files?
No. Word 97–2003 .doc files use a different binary format. Open them in Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs and save as .docx, then view them here. Password-protected documents must also be unlocked first.
Why does the layout look different from Word?
The viewer focuses on content and structure: it shows headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, images and footnotes, but not exact page layout such as margins, columns, headers, footers, text boxes or custom fonts. Features that cannot be shown are listed under conversion warnings.
How do I print a Word document from here?
Press Print document. Only the document is printed, without this page's menus or buttons. To create a PDF, choose Save as PDF as the printer in the print dialog.
How is the word count calculated?
Every run of characters between spaces or line breaks in the document text counts as one word, including words in tables, lists and footnotes. Reading time assumes about 230 words per minute.
What does Download as HTML do?
It saves the document as a single .html file with simple styling and any images embedded, so it opens in any browser and can be published on a website.