In Microsoft Word, how can I work with documents created in different versions?

Not all versions of Microsoft Word use the same file formats. Word 2007 uses a different file format than the newer version for Mac OS X (Word 2008) and previous versions (97, 2000, 2002, and 2003 for Windows; 98, 2001, v.X, and 2004 for Mac OS and Mac OS X). Also, versions of Word preceding those mentioned have their own formats.

Versions of Word after 95 (also called Word 7.0) can read older formats with no problems and no additional work. Word 95 also used the same format as Word 6.0, so documents created in one version can be read with the other.

However, sometimes a document created in a newer version must be read with an older version (e.g., a Word 2007 document in Word 2003 or a Word 2000 document in Word 95). In those cases, you must follow the directions below to save the document using the newer version of Word in an older file format that can be read by the older version of Word.

All versions of Word come with import and export filters that allow them (through the Save As... option) to read and write documents compatible with previous versions of Word for Windows, as well as Word for the Macintosh, Rich Text Format, and a variety of other file formats.

If the converter for the version you want to use is not available, you will need to install it. In Windows, you can do this through the Office setup utility, as follows:

1. In Windows XP default, click Start, and from the menu that appears, select Control Panel. In Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP Classic, click Start, and from the menu that appears, select Settings and then Control Panel.
   
   
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
   
   
3. In Windows 2000 or XP, select the icon named Change or Remove Programs and find your version of Word on the list of programs that appears. In Windows 95, 98, Me, or NT, click the Install/Uninstall tab and find your version of Word on the list of programs that appears. In either case, if you do not find Microsoft Word listed, check for a listing of the version of Microsoft Office that you have installed.
   
   
4. Double-click the listing to launch the Setup program.
   
   
5. Follow the instructions on the screen, and when given the opportunity to add or remove the components, look under a listing for converters and filters to find the text converters.

In Mac OS or Mac OS X, you may install additional converters from the Office Value Pack, available on the Office CD or through IUware Online.

Once you have all the necessary converters installed, you can pick a file format you wish to use and use the Save As... option to keep a file in that format, regardless of the version of Word you are currently running.

If you are using a Macintosh to save a Word file for use in Windows, you should append a file extension (e.g., .doc) to the filename. In Word 2001, v.X, 2004, or 2008, select the Append file extension checkbox to do this automatically.

You can also change the default format, so that you will not have to use Save As... each time.

To change the default format in Word for Windows:

• Word 2007:
  
  
  1. From the Office Button menu, select Word Options.
  2. From the menu on the left, select Save.
  3. From the "Save files in this format:" field, select the format you want as the default.
  
  
• Word 2003 and older:
  
  
  1. From the Tools menu, select Options... .
  2. Click the Save tab.
  3. From the "Save Word files as:" field, select the format you want as the default.

To change the default format in Word for Macintosh:

1. From the Word (Word v.X, 2004, and 2008), Edit (Word 2001), or Tools (Word 98) menu, select Preferences... .
   
   
2. In the Preferences window, click Save. From the menu next to "Save Word files as:", select the format you want as the default.

Also see:

• In Microsoft Word, how do I return my document to Word format after it has been formatted as HTML?
• If I am using an older version of Microsoft Word, why can't I open some Word documents?
• In Microsoft Word, how do I change my default document folder?