Convert Word to TXT: Save a DOCX as Plain Text

To convert a Word document to TXT, open it in Microsoft Word or a compatible word processor and use Save As or Export, then choose Plain Text (.txt). A TXT file keeps readable characters but removes most formatting, images, tables, and other document features, so check the result before sharing it.

What a TXT File Keeps—and Removes

A plain-text file stores characters and basic line breaks rather than the full layout of a Word document. It is useful when a program, website, or workflow needs text without Word-specific formatting. TXT files can usually be opened by text editors on Windows, macOS, Linux, and many other systems.

Conversion is not a visual copy of the original. A DOCX may include styled headings, columns, page numbers, hyperlinks, comments, tracked changes, pictures, tables, footnotes, and embedded objects. Plain text cannot represent most of those elements as they appear in Word. The conversion generally keeps the underlying words, but their arrangement may change.

Usually retained: ordinary text, paragraph breaks, and sometimes tabs or other basic spacing.
Usually lost: fonts, font sizes, colors, bold and italic styling, page layout, images, and most document metadata.
May change: tables, lists, headers and footers, special symbols, and line wrapping.

Convert Word to TXT in Microsoft Word

Menu labels can differ slightly by Word edition and operating system, but the usual process is:

Open the document in Word. If the document contains edits or comments, review them first; decide whether the final text should include those changes.
Choose File, then Save As. If prompted, select a location and a file name.
Open the file-type or format menu and select Plain Text or Text Only (the exact label can vary).
Select Save. If Word displays a format warning, confirm that you want to keep the plain-text format.
If an encoding or conversion dialog appears, choose an appropriate character encoding, then confirm. For general modern use, UTF-8 is usually a practical choice when offered.
Open the resulting .txt file in a text editor and check the text, line breaks, symbols, and punctuation.

Save the TXT file under a different name or in a different folder if you want to preserve the original DOCX unchanged. Saving a copy as TXT does not require replacing the Word file.

Convert Without Microsoft Word

A compatible word processor can open DOCX files and save or export them as plain text. In many such programs, look under File for Save As or Export, then select a text format. The exact options and conversion dialog depend on the application.

Some online conversion services accept Word documents, but uploading a file sends its contents to a third party. Avoid that route for confidential, personal, or work-sensitive documents unless you are authorized to upload them and understand the service’s data handling. A desktop application is often a better option when the file should stay on your device.

If you only need a small amount of text, you can copy it from Word and paste it into a plain-text editor. This is quick, but it may omit content outside your selection and can require extra cleanup. For a whole document, saving or exporting the file is generally more reliable.

Encoding, Symbols, and Line Breaks

Encoding determines how a text file represents characters as data. If the chosen encoding cannot represent a character, it may be replaced, displayed incorrectly, or lost. This can affect accented letters, non-Latin scripts, curly quotation marks, currency signs, and other symbols. UTF-8 supports a broad range of characters and is commonly used, but the receiving application must also interpret the file as UTF-8.

If characters look wrong, reopen or re-export the file using a suitable encoding. Some text editors let you choose an encoding when opening a file or save it again with a different one. Do not assume that changing the file extension fixes encoding: renaming .docx to .txt does not convert the document.

Line breaks can also look different between programs or operating systems. A paragraph may remain a paragraph, while a long line may simply wrap on screen without containing an actual line break. If a receiving system expects one record or line per item, inspect the saved text in the target application rather than judging only by how it wraps in an editor.

Common Problems and How to Check the Result

Formatting disappeared: this is expected for plain text. Keep the DOCX if you need the original appearance or editable formatting.
A table became difficult to read: TXT does not preserve table cells reliably. Consider whether the recipient accepts a spreadsheet or another structured format instead.
Symbols turned into odd characters: try exporting with UTF-8 or another encoding supported by the destination application.
Some text is missing: check whether it was in a text box, image, header, footer, comment, or tracked change. Some content may need to be reviewed or copied separately.
The file still opens in Word: confirm that the file really ends in .txt and that the format selected during saving was plain text. An extension change alone does not change the contents.

For a dependable check, compare the start and end of the TXT file with the source, search for a distinctive phrase from the middle, and inspect any special characters or structured sections. If the text is intended for import into another program, test it there with a noncritical copy first.

Choosing TXT or Another Format

Use TXT when the destination needs unformatted text, such as a simple note, a text-processing task, or an application that explicitly requests a plain-text file. Use DOCX when preserving Word formatting and editability matters. A PDF is generally more suitable when the aim is to share a fixed-looking document, although it is not plain text and may not be easy to edit.

For data arranged in rows and columns, a spreadsheet format or a carefully structured CSV may be more appropriate than TXT. CSV is text-based, but it has conventions for separating fields and handling commas, quotation marks, and line breaks; it is not interchangeable with an arbitrary plain-text document. Follow the receiving application’s requested format rather than choosing by file size or extension alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert a DOCX file to TXT without Word?
Yes. A compatible word processor can open DOCX and save or export it as plain text. Copying text into a plain-text editor is another option for small documents.

Will converting to TXT keep bold, links, or pictures?
Plain text does not preserve bold styling or pictures. Link text may remain, but clickable link formatting and the original address may not be retained consistently, so check important links after conversion.

Does changing .docx to .txt convert the file?
No. Renaming changes the filename, not the document format. Use a word processor’s Save As or Export function to create an actual plain-text file.

Which encoding should I choose for a TXT file?
UTF-8 is a broadly useful choice when available, especially for text containing characters beyond basic English letters. If the destination specifies an encoding, follow that requirement.

Can I convert a Word document to TXT on a phone?
Possibly, depending on the word-processing app and its export options. Look for a plain-text option under sharing, exporting, or saving a copy. If it is unavailable, use a compatible desktop application or another approved method.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.

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