How to Open DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX Files on Your Phone for Free

What these file extensions mean

• .docx (and the older .doc): Word documents.
• .xlsx (and .xls): Excel spreadsheets.
• .pptx (and .ppt): PowerPoint presentations.

These are Microsoft Office file formats, but many other programs can open them. On your phone, you may wonder, "Do I have to pay to open these files?" For viewing and basic editing, no.

Just need to read them? Use your phone's built-in viewer

• iPhone: The Files app shows previews of Office documents. Tap a saved file to open it for reading. Email attachments and WhatsApp documents also open in preview.
• Android: Many devices open these files in Google Drive or the manufacturer's viewer. If your phone asks which app to use, choose Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Drive.

A preview may not show formulas, macros, comments, or animations. Use a full-featured app for those.

Read and edit for free

• Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides: Free for Android and iPhone. They open and edit Office files and let you save them back in their original format. A Google account is required.
• Microsoft Office mobile apps: The Microsoft 365 app (or the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps) lets you view files and make basic edits with a free Microsoft account. Some advanced features require a subscription; the app will let you know when a feature is paid.
• On iPhone: Apple's free Pages, Numbers, and Keynote apps open Office files and export them back to Office formats.

Complex formatting (detailed tables, specific fonts, macros) may change slightly when you open a file in apps other than Office. For reviewing and replying to a document, this is rarely a problem.

When to convert to PDF

If you only need to read, print, or share a file without changing its appearance, converting it to PDF is the simplest option. PDFs open on any phone with the exact same layout.

• Word to PDF for documents.
• Excel to PDF for spreadsheets (adjust the page setup first so nothing gets cut off).
• PowerPoint to PDF for presentations.

These three conversions run on a server using LibreOffice because your browser can't do them on its own: your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection and deleted right after conversion. For highly confidential documents, convert them in your office app using the Export or Save as PDF option.

Common problems

• "Unsupported format": The file may be corrupted or incomplete. Ask the sender to resend it, preferably by email or as a document in WhatsApp.
• Very old .doc or .xls file: Some viewers don't handle older formats well. Open it in Google Docs or convert it to PDF.
• Password-protected file: The app will ask for the password. You can't open it without one.
• File with macros (.docm, .xlsm): Mobile apps usually don't run macros. For safety, be wary of macro-enabled files from people you don't know.
• Different fonts: Your phone may not have the fonts used on the creator's computer. Converting to PDF fixes this.

Security tip

Office documents from people you don't know, especially those asking you to "enable content" or "enable editing," are a common way to spread scams and viruses. The risk is lower on a phone, but it's still best to open only files you expect from people you know.

Which app should you choose? A quick guide

• Just need to read an attachment: Use your device's viewer or Google Drive.
• Need to make a quick fix and send it back in the same format: Use Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, or Microsoft's free apps.
• Plan to do a lot of work on the document: Microsoft's app preserves formatting most closely to Office on a computer.
• Just need to share, print, or archive it: Convert it to PDF.

Installing a single app that handles all three formats (such as Google Drive with Docs, Sheets, and Slides, or Microsoft 365) is usually more convenient than having a different app for each file type.

Frequently asked questions