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Word

Open XML Format

When you create a document or template in Word, Word automatically saves the document or template in the Open XML Format. This file format differs from the format used by Word 2004 for Mac or earlier and Word 2003 for Windows or earlier. The sections below describe the file formats that you can use to share a Word document or template with people who use other versions of Word.

Important: Some items that were created using new features in Office for Mac 2011 or Office 2016 for Mac might behave differently when the document is saved in the file format used by Office 2004 for Mac or earlier. Use the Compatibility Report to avoid using new Office features that might behave differently with earlier versions of Office.

Document

You can share a Word document with people who use other versions of Word as follows.

Tips: 

  • To find out which version of Word you are using, on the Word menu, click About Word.

  • If you work with any version of Word 2000 through Word 2003 for Windows and Word for Mac 2011, you can download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats from the Microsoft Download Center area on the Microsoft Web site (https://www.microsoft.com/download).

  • Passwords in Excel for Mac and Word for Mac have a 15-character limit. You cannot open a workbook or document that has been password protected in the Windows-based version of Excel or Word if the password is longer than fifteen characters. If you want to open the file in Office for Mac, ask the Windows-based author to adjust the password length.

To share a document with someone using

Operating system

Save file in this format

Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Microsoft Word X

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Microsoft Word 2001

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Microsoft Word 98

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Versions of Word earlier than Word 98

Mac OS

Rich Text Format (.rtf)

Microsoft Office Word 2007

Windows

Word Document (.docx)

Microsoft Office Word 2003

Windows

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Microsoft Office Word 2002

Windows

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Microsoft Office Word 2000

Windows

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Microsoft Office Word 97

Windows

Word 97-2004 Document (.doc)

Versions of Word earlier than Microsoft Office Word 97

Windows

Rich Text Format (.rtf)

Template

You can share a Word template with people who use other versions of Word as follows.

Tips: 

  • To find out which version of Word you are using, on the Word menu, click About Word.

  • Passwords in Excel for Mac and Word for Mac have a 15-character limit. You cannot open a workbook or document that has been password protected in the Windows-based version of Excel or Word if the password is longer than fifteen characters. If you want to open the file in Office for Mac, ask the Windows-based author to adjust the password length.

To share a template with someone using

Operating system

Save file in this format

Word 2004 for Mac

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word X

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word 2001

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word 98

Mac OS

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word 2007

Windows

Word Template (.dotx)

Word 2003

Windows

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word 2002

Windows

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word 2000

Windows

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

Word 97

Windows

Word 97-2004 Template (.dot)

See also

File formats for saving documents

PowerPoint

Open XML Format

When you create a presentation, template, or show in PowerPoint, PowerPoint automatically saves the presentation, template, or show in the Open XML Format. This file format differs from the format used by PowerPoint 2004 for Mac or earlier and PowerPoint 2003 for Windows or earlier. The sections below describe the file formats that you can use to share a PowerPoint presentation, template, or show people who use other versions of PowerPoint.

Important: Some items that were created using new features in Office for Mac 2011 or Office 2016 for Mac might behave differently when the document is saved in the file format used by Office 2004 for Mac or earlier. Use the Compatibility Report to avoid using new Office features that might behave differently with earlier versions of Office.

Presentation

You can share a PowerPoint presentation with people who use other versions of PowerPoint as follows.

Tips: 

  • To find out which version of PowerPoint you are using, on the PowerPoint menu, click About PowerPoint.

  • If you work with any version of PowerPoint 2000 through PowerPoint 2003 for Windows and PowerPoint for Mac 2011, you can download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats from the Microsoft Download Center area on the Microsoft Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/download).

To share a presentation with someone using

Operatin g system

Save file in this format

Microsoft PowerPoint 2004 for Mac

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft PowerPoint X

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft PowerPoint 2001

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft PowerPoint 98

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007

Windows

PowerPoint Presentation (.pptx)

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2002

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 97

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Presentation (.ppt)

Template

You can share a PowerPoint template with people who use other versions of PowerPoint as follows.

Tip: To find out which version of PowerPoint you are using, on the PowerPoint menu, click About PowerPoint.

To share a template with someone using

Operating system

Save file in this format

PowerPoint 2004

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint X

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint 2001

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint 98

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint 2007

Windows

PowerPoint Template (.potx)

PowerPoint 2003

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint 2002

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint 2000

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

PowerPoint 97

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Template (.pot)

Show

You can share a PowerPoint show with people who use other versions of PowerPoint as follows.

Tip: To find out which version of PowerPoint you are using, on the PowerPoint menu, click About PowerPoint.

To share a show with someone using

Operating system

Save file in this format

PowerPoint 2004

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint X

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint 2001

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint 98

Mac OS

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint 2007

Windows

PowerPoint Show (.ppsx)

PowerPoint 2003

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint 2002

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint 2000

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

PowerPoint 97

Windows

PowerPoint 97-2004 Show (.pps)

See also

File formats that are supported in PowerPoint

Excel

Open XML Format

When you create a workbook or template in Excel, Excel automatically saves the workbook or template in the Open XML Format. This file format differs from the format used by Excel 2004 for Mac or earlier and Excel 2003 for Windows or earlier. The sections below describe the file formats that you can use to share an Excel workbook or template with people who use other versions of Excel.

Important: Some items that were created using new features in Office for Mac 2011 or Office 2016 for Mac might behave differently when the document is saved in the file format used by Office 2004 for Mac or earlier. Use the Compatibility Report to avoid using new Office features that might behave differently with earlier versions of Office.

Workbook

You can share an Excel workbook with people who use other versions of Excel as follows.

Tips: 

  • To find out which version of Excel you are using, on the Excel menu, click About Excel.

  • If you work with any version of Excel 2000 through Excel 2003 for Windows and Excel for Mac 2011, you can download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats from the Microsoft Download Center area on the Microsoft Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/download).

  • Passwords in Excel for Mac and Word for Mac have a 15-character limit. You cannot open a workbook or document that has been password protected in the Windows-based version of Excel or Word if the password is longer than fifteen characters. If you want to open the file in Office for Mac, ask the Windows-based author to adjust the password length.

To share a workbook with someone using

Operating system

Save file in this format

Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Excel X

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Excel 2001

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Excel 98

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Office Excel 2007

Windows

Excel Workbook (.xlsx)

Microsoft Office Excel 2003

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Office Excel 2002

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Office Excel 2000

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Microsoft Office Excel 97

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Workbook (.xls)

Template

You can share an Excel template with people who use other versions of Excel as follows.

Tips: 

  • To find out which version of Excel you are using, on the Excel menu, click About Excel.

  • Passwords in Excel for Mac and Word for Mac have a 15-character limit. You cannot open a workbook or document that has been password protected in the Windows-based version of Excel or Word if the password is longer than fifteen characters. If you want to open the file in Office for Mac, ask the Windows-based author to adjust the password length.

To share a template with someone using

Operating system

Save file in this format

Excel 2004

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel X

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel 2001

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel 98

Mac OS

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel 2007

Windows

Excel Template (.xltx)

Excel 2003

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel 2002

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel 2000

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

Excel 97

Windows

Excel 97-2004 Template (.xlt)

See also

Change the usual file format for saving workbooks

File formats for saving workbooks

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