What is an ODT file?
ODT is the document that LibreOffice and OpenOffice save by default. Word will open one, though not always neatly, so converting to DOCX or PDF is the usual step before sending it to someone else. ODT is listed here for reference. It is not one this site can convert.
Specification
| Full name | OpenDocument Text |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .odt |
| Media type | application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Transparency | — |
| Animation | — |
| Multiple pages | Supported |
| Colour depth | ZIP package of content.xml, styles.xml and media |
| Size limits | — |
| Introduced | 2005 |
| Developed by | OASIS |
| Standard | Open |
| Browser support | Not displayed by browsers |
What ODT is used for
- Documents written in LibreOffice or OpenOffice
- Government and public sector work where an open format is mandated
- Long-term archiving without dependence on one vendor
- Cross-platform document exchange between Linux, macOS and Windows
Strengths and limitations
What ODT does well
- A genuinely vendor-neutral open standard, tied to no one company
- Keeps styles, tracked changes and document details as well as DOCX
- Read and written by LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs and most office suites
Where ODT falls short
- Round trips through Microsoft Word can shift layout and lose some features
- Far less common than DOCX, so recipients may not recognise it
- No browser or mobile mail client previews it without a converter
Questions about ODT
What is a .odt file?
ODT is the document that LibreOffice and OpenOffice save by default. The extension .odt identifies it, and its media type is application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text.
How do I open an ODT file?
Browsers do not display ODT natively, so you either need software that understands it or you convert it to something more common first. Converting is usually the faster route when you only need to look at the contents once.
Is ODT lossy or lossless?
Lossless. Nothing is discarded, so repeated saves never degrade the contents.
What is ODT good for?
A genuinely vendor-neutral open standard, tied to no one company. Keeps styles, tracked changes and document details as well as DOCX. Read and written by LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs and most office suites. In practice that makes it a good fit for documents written in LibreOffice or OpenOffice, and Government and public sector work where an open format is mandated.
What are the drawbacks of ODT?
Round trips through Microsoft Word can shift layout and lose some features. Far less common than DOCX, so recipients may not recognise it. No browser or mobile mail client previews it without a converter.