MS Word
🔒 Log in to trackFile types and defaults
🔒 Log in to track| Extension | Meaning |
|---|---|
| .docx | Word document, Word 2007+ (Office Open XML; the X = XML) |
| .doc | Word 97-2003 document (still opens in new Word) |
| .dotx / .dotm / .docm | Template / macro-enabled template / macro-enabled document |
| .rtf | Rich Text Format (portable formatting) |
| .odt | OpenDocument text (LibreOffice) |
| Portable Document Format (Word can Save As/Export to PDF) |
Defaults to memorise: new file name Document1; default font Calibri 11 pt (2007-2021) / Aptos 12 pt (Office 365, 2023 onwards); default alignment left; default line spacing 1.08 (Word 2013+) with 8 pt space-after; default view Print Layout; default orientation portrait; default A4 (or Letter in US installs); normal template Normal.dotm; default author name from Office account settings.
Detailed notes
Why file extensions matter
Every Word file ends with a dot + letters called the extension. It tells Windows which program should open the file and which format the data is stored in. Exams test whether you know the default modern format, the old format and the special formats.
The Word extension family
| Extension | Meaning |
|---|---|
| .docx | Default Word document from Word 2007 onwards; Office Open XML format — the X stands for XML |
| .doc | Word 97-2003 format (older files still open in new Word) |
| .docm | Macro-enabled document (m = macro) |
| .dotx | Template — a ready pattern for new documents |
| .dotm | Macro-enabled template |
| Fixed print-ready file; Word can export or Save As PDF | |
| .rtf | Rich Text Format — keeps simple formatting, opens in many editors |
| .odt | OpenDocument Text — the format of free office suites |
| .txt | Plain text only — no formatting at all |
The X = XML rule
From Office 2007, every Office program switched to Office Open XML formats, and the new extensions gained an X: Word .docx, Excel .xlsx, PowerPoint .pptx. If the exam shows an option with an X and an identical option without, the X one is the modern default and the plain one is the 97-2003 file. A fourth letter m (dotm, xlsm, pptm) always means macro-enabled. This one rule answers a whole family of questions across Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Facts asked about formats
- A .docx file cannot be opened by Word 2003 natively, but Microsoft released a Compatibility Pack that lets the old Word open the new format.
- Save As (F12) is where you pick a different format; the default can be changed in File, Options, Save.
- PDF is the format chosen when a document must look identical on every computer and printer — ideal for forms and e-books.
- .rtf and .odt are cross-program formats: they open outside Microsoft Office too.
- Templates (.dotx) open as an untitled new copy, protecting the original design.
- .txt loses all bold, italic, fonts and pictures — only characters survive.
Quick revision
- Default: .docx (Word 2007+, X = XML); legacy: .doc (97-2003).
- m = macro: .docm document, .dotm template; .dotx = template.
- Export/Save As .pdf for fixed printing; .rtf and .odt are cross-software; .txt = no formatting.
- The X rule: docx/xlsx/pptx are all 2007+ Office Open XML formats.
- Word 2003 opens .docx only with the Compatibility Pack.
- Templates open as a fresh untitled copy.
Types of questions asked
Every way this subtopic shows up in exams — how to recognise it, the formula or logic to use, and a solved example.
Type 1: Default extension of a Word filevery common3 practice Q
'The default extension of MS Word 2007/2010/2016 is' — four extensions, one right. Sometimes reversed: an extension is given, the program is asked.
- Modern default = .docx (Word 2007 onwards); the X means Office Open XML.
- .doc = Word 97-2003 legacy file.
- For Excel the pair is .xlsx/.xls and for PowerPoint .pptx/.ppt — the X rule works across all three programs.
Example: The default file extension of a Word 2016 document is:
.docx — Office Open XML format, standard since Word 2007. .doc belongs to Word 97-2003.
Type 2: doc vs docx legacy trapvery common2 practice Q
A pair like .doc/.docx (or all four Office pairs) with the question 'which is the older format' or 'which will a Word 2003 file carry'.
- 97-2003 = .doc; 2007+ = .docx. Older Word could not open .docx without the Compatibility Pack.
- In mixed-option questions, the X-less option is always the older format.
- .docx files are also smaller and recover data better (XML parts) than .doc.
Example: Which file format was used by Word 97-2003?
.doc — the binary format before Office Open XML (.docx) arrived with Word 2007.
Type 3: Template and macro extensionscommon2 practice Q
The stem asks the extension of a template or a macro-enabled file, or shows .dotx/.docm and asks what it is.
- Template = .dotx; macro-enabled document = .docm; macro-enabled template = .dotm.
- m always = macro; t = template.
- Opening a template creates a fresh untitled copy, so the design stays safe.
Example: A Word file saved with macros enabled carries which extension?
.docm — m = macro. A macro-enabled template is .dotm and a plain template is .dotx.
Type 4: Export and cross-software formatscommon3 practice Q
'To share a document that prints identically everywhere, save as —' or identification of .rtf / .odt / .txt / .pdf meanings.
- PDF = fixed layout, prints identically on any machine — the sharing choice.
- .rtf = Rich Text Format (basic formatting, opens in many editors); .odt = OpenDocument (free office suites); .txt = plain characters only, no formatting.
- Save As (F12) is where the format is changed.
Example: Ravi wants his resume to look exactly the same on any computer or printer. He should save it as —
PDF — a fixed-layout format that keeps fonts and layout frozen. Word exports or Save-As to PDF from the File menu.
Shortcut tricks
⚡ X = XML = 2007+
Across Office: docx/xlsx/pptx = 2007 and later (Office Open XML, zip-compressed); the 3-letter .doc/.xls/.ppt = 97-2003. If a question mentions the X, it means XML.
Example: Default extension of Word 2019 documents?
.docx.
⚡ Font eras
Word 2003 default = Times New Roman 12. Word 2007-2021 = Calibri 11. Office 365 (mid-2023) & Office 2024 = Aptos 12. Exams still ask Calibri 11 most often.
Example: Default font of Word 2016?
Calibri, 11 pt.
Where students lose marks
Answering .doc for a Word 2007+ default - .doc is the 97-2003 format.
Saying Calibri 12 or Aptos 11 - pairings are Calibri 11 and Aptos 12.
Thinking .docx files cannot be opened in Word 2003 - compatibility packs/converters exist.
Practice sets — 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Each answer comes with a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 6 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.