The Microsoft Office productivity suite has been around for a long time. Each Office application has evolved during all that time adding new features and tools and also, along the way, developing new file types both for the files that work with the programs and others that are at least compatible with the programs in one way or another. As you can imagine, over such a period of time this list of file types has grown to a formidable size and it can be hard to know what file works with what program and vice versa. That’s what we’re here to do today, walk you through all the different Microsoft Office file types and extensions for each of the main Office programs.
This is the fourth of our Microsoft Office guides this week. We’ve also covered productivity tips for Word, how to make infographics on PowerPoint, and the accessibility tools available across Microsoft Office programs. We’ll also be checking out Excel formulas so make sure you check that guide out too. For now, though, let’s get into Office file formats.
File extensions for Microsoft Office
Below is a list of all compatible file formats for Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint.
File formats supported in Microsoft Word
.doc – A document from Word 97 – 2003.
.docm – A Word Macro-Enabled Document. This stores Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro mode.
.docx – A Word document. This is the default Word document for anything post-Word 2003.
.dox – A Strict Open XML Document.
.dot – A template for Word 97 – 2003.
.dotm – A Word Macro-Enabled Template.
.dotx – A Word Template for anything post-2003.
.htm, .html – A Web Page, normally saved as a folder.
.mht, .mhtml – A Web Page, saved as a single file.
.odt – A OpenDocument Text, which is compatible across other OpenDocument compatible word processors.
.pdf – A Portable Document Format (PDF) file.
.rtf – A Rich Text Format file.
.txt – A Plain Text File that has no formatting.
.wps – A Microsoft Works 6 – 9 document.
.xml – A Word 2003 XML Document.
.xml – A Word XML Document for all versions of Word post-2003.
.xps – An XPS Document.
File formats supported in Excel
.csv – A Comma delimited file that saves only the active sheet.
.csv – The same as above except for Mac.
.csv – The same as above but for MS-DOS.
.dbf – DBF 3 and DBF 4 files that can be opened in all versions of Excel 2013 and later.
.dif – a Data Interchange Format File that saves only the active sheet.
.htm, .html – A Web Page, normally saved as a folder.
.mht, .mhtml – A Web Page, saved as a single file.
.ods – An OpenDocument Spreadsheet that can be used across other spreadsheet programs compatible with the OpenDocument file type.
.pdf – A Portable Document Format (PDF) file.
.prn – A Lotus space-delimited Formatted Text file that only saves the active sheet.
.slk – A SYLK (Symbolic Link Format) file that only saves the active sheet.
.txt – A simple text file that saves the active sheet of a workbook as tab-delimited text.
.txt – The same as above but for Mac.
.txt – The same as above but for MS-DOS.
.txt – A Unicode Text file that only saves the active sheet.
.xla – An Excel 97 – 2003 Add-in file.
.xlam – An Excel Add-in file for all versions of Excel post-2003.
.xls – An Excel 97 – 2003 file.
.xls – An Excel 5.0/95 file.
.xlsb – An Excel Binary file for all versions of Excel post-2003.
.xlsm – An Excel Macro-Enabled file for all versions of Excel post-2003.
.xlsx – The default Excel file for all versions of Excel post-2003.
.xlsx – A Strict Open XML Spreadsheet.
.xlt – An Excel template for Excel 97 – 2003.
.xltm – A Macro-Enabled Excel template for post-2003 versions of Excel.
.xltx – A default Excel template for all versions of Excel post-2003.
.xlw – An Excel 4.0 file.
.xml – An XML Spreadsheet 2003 file.
.xml – An XML Data format.
.xps – An XPS file.
File formats supported in PowerPoint
.bmp – A Device Independent Bitmap is a slide that is saved as a graphic to use on webpages.
.emf – An Enhanced Windows Metafile is a slide that is saved as a 32-bit graphic.
.gif – A GIF.
.jpg – A JPEG File Interchange File.
.mp4 – An MPEF-4 Video file.
.odp – An OpenDocument Presentation file that is compatible with presentation software that uses the OpenDocument file type.
.pdf – A Portable Document Format (PDF) file.
.png – A Portable Network Graphics Format file.
.pot – A PowerPoint 97 – 2003 template.
.potm A PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Template for versions of PowerPoint post-2003.
.potx – A PowerPoint template for versions of PowerPoint post-2003.
.ppa – A PowerPoint Add-in file for PowerPoint 97 – 2003.
.ppam – A Macro-Enabled PowerPoint Add-in file.
.pps – A PowerPoint 97 – 2003 show.
.ppsm – A PowerPoint Macro-Enabled show.
.ppsx – A PowerPoint presentation that opens in Slide Show view instead of in Normal view.
.ppt – A PowerPoint presentation from 97 – 2003.
.pptm – A Macro-Enabled PowerPoint presentation.
.pptx – A default PowerPoint presentation for versions of PowerPoint post-2003.
.pptx – A PowerPoint Picture presentation.
.pptx – A Strict Open XML Presentation.
.rtf – An Outline RTF presentation outline file that is saved as a text-only document.
.thmx – An Office Theme style sheet file.
.tif – A Tag Image File Format.
.wmf – A Windows Metafile slide that is saved as a 16-bit graphic.
.wmv – A Windows Media Video.
.xml – A PowerPoint XML Presentation.
.xps – An XPS Document.
