DOCX to Text Converter
Extract plain text from a Word document - free, no upload.
Your document is read inside this page. It is never uploaded.
What this tool does
Choose a .docx file and its plain text is extracted paragraph by paragraph, ready to copy or download as a .txt file - read directly from the file's own internal structure.
Extracts the plain text content from a .docx file, paragraph by paragraph.
Copies or downloads the result as a plain .txt file.
Picks up text inside tables too, since a table cell's content is stored using the same paragraph structure as regular body text.
How to use it
- Choose a .docx file.
- Review the extracted text.
- Copy it, or download it as a .txt file.
Why use this converter
Pulling text out of a Word file for editing, searching or a CMS is faster without opening Word. Plain text strips formatting.
Why we built it
We built the DOCX to text tool to read the file as what it is, a ZIP of XML, and pull the real paragraph text out. Extract from slides with PPTX to text and turn Markdown into Word with Markdown to DOCX.
For a neighbouring job there is also the XLSX to JSON Converter, the Word to PDF Converter and the Compress DOCX.
Who this tool is for
- Students and researchers extracting text
- Editors checking wording
- Anyone without Word installed
When to use it
- Moving text into a CMS or an email.
- Removing formatting.
- Searching or analysing content.
- Preparing text for other tools.
Why this only supports .docx, not older .doc files
The two formats are built completely differently under the hood.
A modern .docx file is actually a ZIP archive containing XML files that describe the document's text and formatting - opening it is really just opening a ZIP and reading a specific file inside it. An older .doc file (from Word 97-2003) uses an entirely different, binary-only format with no relationship to ZIP or XML at all, which needs completely different parsing logic this tool doesn't implement. If a .doc file is chosen, it's read as a ZIP and correctly fails, rather than silently producing garbled output.
Why text runs are joined without adding spaces
A single word can be split across multiple runs inside the XML - joining them with a space would break it.
Word doesn't store a paragraph as one block of text - it breaks it into a sequence of 'runs' (<w:t> elements), and a new run starts every time the formatting changes, even mid-word. Bolding just the first three letters of a word, for example, is stored as two adjacent runs: one bold, one not. If those runs were joined with a space between them, the extracted text would end up with a stray space in the middle of ordinary words. This tool joins runs with no separator and relies on the run boundaries and paragraph breaks already in the XML to keep spacing correct, rather than guessing where words are supposed to start and end.
What you give it, and what you get back
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Input | A .docx file. |
| Output | Plain text, paragraph by paragraph. |
| Export | Copy or download .txt. |
Issues you may run into
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Old .doc is rejected | Only .docx is supported. | Save as .docx. |
| Table layout is lost | Cell text is extracted without structure. | Rebuild the table manually. |
| Images are missing | Only text is extracted. | Copy images separately. |
Assumptions and limitations
- Only modern .docx files are supported - older .doc files (Word 97-2003) use a different, non-ZIP format entirely.
- Text inside tables is extracted, but the table's row and column structure isn't preserved - text runs together in reading order.
- Formatting, images and headers/footers are not extracted - only the plain body text.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract text from a Word document for free?
Choose your .docx file and the text is extracted instantly, ready to copy or download.
Does this work with old .doc files?
No - only modern .docx files, which are ZIP-based. Older .doc files use a completely different binary format.
Does this preserve table formatting?
No - text inside tables is extracted, but the row and column layout isn't preserved.
Are images or formatting extracted?
No - only the plain body text.
Does this preserve accurate spacing between words?
Yes - text runs are joined without inserting extra spaces, since Word can split a single word across multiple runs when formatting changes mid-word; spacing comes from the document's own paragraph and space characters instead.
Are table cells included in the extracted text?
Yes - a table cell's content is stored using the same paragraph structure as regular text, so it's picked up automatically, just without the row and column layout (see limitations).
Is my document uploaded anywhere?
No. Extraction happens entirely in your browser - your file is never sent to a server.