Once the Word file is in Google Drive, double-click it and it opens in Google Docs. If it's password-protected, you enter the password first and then choose Preview, which is read-only, or Edit. Macros aren't supported, and embedded charts and videos turn into images.
What won't come across
Before you open an important document, know what Google says it can't do. Its page on how to work with Office files lists features Docs can't handle when you open one for editing. Macros are the main one. Embedded charts and videos in Word and PowerPoint files are converted to images. SmartArt images are converted to Google Drawings.
In practice, a plain text document with headings and paragraphs is the easiest case, and a file packed with embedded media is the hardest. Check the result before you share it, particularly anything that was a chart or a video in the original, and look at the layout of any complicated pages.
If your document leans on any of those, treat the Docs version as a working copy and keep the original safe. It's a sensible habit with any conversion, and it takes a moment.
Opening it from Drive, step by step
- Make sure the DOCX file is in your Google Drive.
- Open Drive and find the file.
- Double-click it.
- Docs opens the file for editing.
That's it for an ordinary file. Because it's opened directly in Docs, you can work on it with other people in real time, which is the main reason to do it this way. There's no export step and no second copy to keep in sync, so everyone sees the same document as the edits happen.
If the file has a password
Locked files stop at a password screen. Type the password in and the next choice is yours.
- Preview: read-only, and the password stays put, so next time you'll need it again.
- Edit: strips the password for everybody, with sharing in Drive still deciding who can get in.
One limit applies. This works for .docx, .pptx and .xlsx files only, not older binary formats such as .doc, .ppt or .xls.
A worked example: a draft from a colleague
Say a colleague has sent a Word document and you'd like to comment on it without installing anything. Save the attachment to your Drive, then double-click it. A moment later it's open in Docs, and the two of you can work on it at the same time.
If the document turns out to be locked, you'll see the password screen. Choose Preview if you only want to read it, or Edit if you're taking the file over. Just remember that Edit takes the password off for everyone, so think about whether that's what the owner wants.
And if the document leans on a macro, don't be surprised when it doesn't run. That's one of the things Docs doesn't support, so keep the original Word file as your reference copy.
The other route: Office Compatibility Mode
There's a second route called Office Compatibility Mode, or OCM. It can open and edit Office files from Drive, from the Docs, Sheets and Slides homescreens and apps, and from inside Gmail, which is handy when a document arrives as an attachment.
It's limited to Chrome on a computer, and the Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides extension has to be installed first. To check it's working, open an Office file and click the File menu. If you see Office Compatibility Mode in the menu, you can edit the file or save it to Google Docs.
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I can't see Office Compatibility Mode
Use Chrome on a computer, with the extension installed.
I need the file back as a Word document
With OCM, open the Office file in Chrome and click Download in the top right. A document can be saved back to the .docx format.
My older .doc file won't offer a password choice
Only .docx, .pptx and .xlsx files get that option.
Once your document is open, you might want to suggest edits in Google Docs rather than changing text directly, or learn how to use Google Docs offline for times when you have no connection.
Frequently asked questions
What's the simplest way to open a Word file in Google Docs?
Double-click it in Google Drive. Docs opens it directly.
Which Word formats work with Office Compatibility Mode?
For documents, .docx files, and .doc files if they're newer than Microsoft Office 95.
What happens to charts in my Word file?
They're converted to images when you edit in Docs.
Do my Word macros still run?
No, macros won't run in Docs.
Can I get the file back as a .docx?
Yes. With OCM, click Download in the top right.
Does Edit mode keep my password on the file?
No, Edit removes it for everyone; Drive sharing still decides access.
