Did you but download or receive a Microsoft Word document on your desktop or mobile device but you don't have Give-and-take installed? Don't let that DOC or DOCX extension freak you out. Y'all have many ways to open up and edit the file without having to shell out for an Part 365 subscription.

For case, did you lot know that Office Online lets y'all work with any Discussion certificate gratis of charge? Or that you lot tin employ open-source software such as OpenOffice and LibreOffice for a Word-like experience offline? Probably not.

Here'southward a rundown of the best methods to open and edit Word documents on any device without having Microsoft Word installed.

1.WordPad & TextEdit

You tin open any Word certificate with nothing other than WordPad or TextEdit on the PC or Mac. Unfortunately, both programs accept limited compatibility with the Md and DOCX formats, which about always causes files to render incorrectly. But they're perfect for skimming through documents quickly, and yous don't accept to install anything.

Just double-click a Word file, and it should open in WordPad or TextEdit automatically. Y'all can besides perform edits to documents, simply it'southward best to avoid doing that unless you don't listen dealing with serious formatting problems.

On the Mac, an even faster style to open a Word certificate without Word installed is to select the certificate and press Space. You lot can so read everything inside the document via Quick Wait.

2. Word Mobile (Windows But)

Word Mobile allows yous to open and view the contents of whatsoever Discussion document for free. It's geared toward touch-based Windows devices, but you tin install and utilize it on any PC without issues.

The app also lets you edit files as long as you lot pay for an Office 365 subscription. However, if all you want is to read through a DOCX file with zero formatting errors, and so installing Discussion Mobile is an excellent choice.

3. OpenOffice or LibreOffice

Both OpenOffice and LibreOffice are two complimentary open-source alternatives to Microsoft Office. To make matters meliorate, the OpenOffice Writer and LibreOffice Author programs in each suite back up the Md and DOCX formats, so you can open and edit any Word certificate easily.

LibreOffice does have the border over OpenOffice with meliorate features and a faster update bicycle. Simply if you want a long-term (free) solution to opening and editing Give-and-take documents on a desktop device, either word processor should cut it.

iv. Discussion Online

Microsoft offers a stripped-down version of the Office suite in web app class, and information technology includes Give-and-take. The best thing is that yous don't take to pay anything to use information technology!

Merely create a free Microsoft Account (if yous already don't have i), upload the DOCX file to OneDrive, and double-click to open information technology in Word Online. Y'all can then edit the certificate, collaborate on it with other Word users, and download a modified copy to local storage.

Using Word Online guarantees that you won't run into problems while viewing and editing DOCX files. Just don't expect to use the advanced formatting options found in the paid desktop version.

v. Google Docs

Google Docs is a browser-based word processor similar to Word Online and features complete back up for the DOC and DOCX formats. All you need is a Google Account to get started. You tin can then upload any Word file to Google Drive (which provides 15GB of costless storage), open up it in Google Docs, and start reading and editing information technology.

02-24-2021 Portsmouth, Hampshire, Britain A mobile telephone or cell telephone existence held by a hand with the Google docs app open on screen

You can as well catechumen the file to Google Docs'southward native GDOC format for maximum compatibility and save it back in several pop formats (including DOCX).

Compared to Discussion Online, Google Docs has a lot going for it with superior performance and functionality. Don't forget to cheque our Google Docs beginner's guide for more details.

vi. Apple Pages

The Mac's native give-and-take-processor, Apple Pages, not just offers all-encompassing discussion-processing capabilities but is totally free to utilize. Information technology'due south too compatible with the Doctor and DOCX formats. Just grab it off the Mac App Store, and all Give-and-take documents should open in it automatically.

Additionally, you tin can employ the online version of Apple Pages via iCloud.com to view and edit Word documents without Word installed, fifty-fifty from a Windows PC. Y'all practice need an Apple ID, but you don't accept to own an Apple production to create one.

7. Smallpdf & ZamZar

Accept you thought well-nigh converting a Word document to a universally readable format such as PDF? That helps minimize formatting errors and is a great manner to avoid compatibility issues when sharing files with other people.

Just upload the file to an online converter such as Smallpdf or ZamZar, specify you want to convert from Word to PDF, and look until the conversion procedure completes before downloading it back.

8. Docs (Android) & Pages (iOS)

If you use an Android smartphone or an iOS device, yous can use the native Google Docs (Android) or Apple Pages (iOS) apps to open up and edit Word Documents.

Yous tin besides download Google Docs on the iPhone, and we recommend doing that since it tends to have fewer formatting issues than Pages. Additionally, you can preview Give-and-take documents using the Files app on iOS.

nine. Give-and-take for Android & iOS

Unlike on desktop, Give-and-take for Android and iOS allows y'all to open and edit Word documents for gratis. You can download the app off the Play Store or the App Shop, and you lot don't even need a Microsoft Account to showtime using it.

However, Discussion'due south mobile app is bones in terms of functionality, and some features crave an Part 365 subscription. But information technology's proficient plenty for pocket-sized edits and you also won't experience bug with formatting.

Information technology'southward Easy to Open up a Word Document Without Word Installed

As you simply saw, you have enough of complimentary options to open up and edit Word documents. However, if yous establish them to be lacking, consider subscribing to a gratuitous Office 365 trial. Yous can then use the full version of Discussion on whatever platform (Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS) for upwards to 30 days. That should requite you enough time to make up one's mind if information technology's worth buying.