How do I convert a WordPerfect file to Word?
Open the WordPerfect file in LibreOffice Writer, choose File › Save As, pick the Word (.docx) format and save — it costs nothing. In a browser, open the file in Publish Media Software (PublishMedia), click “Edit as a Word document” and download the .docx on a paid plan. Check the result, because formatting can shift.
Why use PublishMedia for a .wpd to .docx copy?
For people without LibreOffice who need a Word copy today. If you're comfortable installing software, LibreOffice does the job at no cost — try it first.
No install, any computer
Works on a Mac, a Chromebook or a locked-down office PC where you can't add programs — and Word for Mac can't open .wpd files anyway.
See it before you pay
Open the WordPerfect file and read every page at no charge, so you know the content survived before you spend anything.
Old versions recognized
DOS-era .wp5 and .w51 files, plus files with no extension or a .doc name, are identified by what's inside them.
Fix it, then download
Tidy up tabs, spacing or a misplaced heading in the Word copy before you download it, on a paid plan.
A PDF from the same plan
Need a PDF as well as a .docx? The same paid plan exports a print-ready PDF from the page editor.
Open your WordPerfect file to check it
Open my WordPerfect fileWPD to Word options: LibreOffice, Word, WordPerfect, PublishMedia
Every route translates WordPerfect's codes into Word's styles, so none is spotless. The real differences are cost, platform and installation.
| Feature | Publish Media Software | LibreOffice Writer | Microsoft Word (Windows) | Corel WordPerfect Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens .wpd files | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | –Some versions | ✓Native format |
| Opens DOS-era WordPerfect files | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | –Varies | ✓Yes |
| Works on a Mac | ✓Any browser | ✓Mac version | ✗Word for Mac can't open .wpd | ✗Windows only |
| Nothing to install | ✓Browser | ✗Install required | –If already installed | ✗Install required |
| Saves a Word file | ✓.docx on a paid plan | ✓File › Save As .docx | ✓Save As .docx | –Word formats, varies by version |
| Edit before saving | ✓Paid plan | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Formatting after conversion | –May differ slightly | –Complex layouts shift | –Often changes | –Still varies |
| Cost to get the .docx | –$99/yr or $9.99/mo | ✓No charge | ✗Paid (Microsoft 365 or Office) | ✗Paid program |
6 WordPerfect-to-Word methods, from one file to a whole archive
LibreOffice is the go-to no-cost route if you can install software. For a cabinet full of old files, see the command-line option.
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Publish Media Software
Browser-based (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iPad)✓ Opens .wpdFree to openOpens the WordPerfect file in any browser and makes a .docx working copy with “Edit as a Word document”. Editing and downloading that copy need a paid plan, and formatting can differ slightly from WordPerfect.
Open my WordPerfect file - 2
LibreOffice Writer (Save As)
Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)✓ Opens .wpdFreeOpen the .wpd file, then use File › Save As and choose the Word (.docx) format. It costs nothing, but you install it first, and complex layouts can shift.
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LibreOffice from the command line
Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)✓ Opens .wpdFreeThe command soffice --headless --convert-to docx, followed by a list of files, turns many WordPerfect documents into Word files in one pass. It suits someone comfortable with a command prompt, and nobody checks each result unless you do.
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Microsoft Word for Windows
Desktop (Windows)✓ Opens .wpdPaid (Microsoft 365 or Office)Try File › Open on the .wpd file; if your Word version accepts it, use Save As to make a .docx. Support is limited and varies by version, and formatting often changes.
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Corel WordPerfect Office
Desktop (Windows)✓ Opens .wpdPaidIf you or a colleague still has WordPerfect, File › Save As can write a Word-format copy straight from the original program. It's Windows-only and paid, so it rarely makes sense to buy for a single conversion.
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Ask the sender for a .docx
Email or message✓ Opens .wpdFreeSomeone who still works in WordPerfect can save a Word copy and check it before sending. Archive files whose author has moved on don't offer that option.
WPD to DOCX: what changes when WordPerfect becomes Word?
A .wpd file stores a WordPerfect document as a stream of text and formatting codes — the codes WordPerfect shows in Reveal Codes. A .docx file is the Microsoft Word format, an Office Open XML package Word has used since 2007, and it describes formatting as styles and properties instead of inline codes. Converting translates one model into the other. Text, paragraphs and basic formatting usually carry over; tab layouts, line spacing, fonts and complex tables may come out differently.
Open your WordPerfect document — or start from a template
Hundreds of print-ready templates sit right next to the files you open.
What it costs
Opening and viewing your files is free. Editing, templates, saving and PDF export come with All-Access at $99 a year — or $9.99 a month, cancel anytime.
What people ask before converting a .wpd file
How do I open a WordPerfect file in Word?
In Word for Windows, choose File › Open, browse to the WordPerfect file, and set the file-type menu to All Files if the .wpd doesn't appear; some Word versions open it, others refuse. Word for Mac can't open .wpd files at all. Even when Word opens the file, expect fonts and spacing to change.
Is there a no-cost way to convert WPD to DOCX?
Yes, LibreOffice Writer converts WPD to DOCX at no cost: open the .wpd file, choose File › Save As, pick the Word (.docx) format and save. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. In Publish Media Software, opening the file costs nothing, but downloading the .docx needs All-Access ($99 a year) or Monthly ($9.99).
Why do tabs and spacing shift after converting WordPerfect to Word?
Tabs and spacing change because WordPerfect stores layout as inline codes — tab settings, line spacing, margin changes — while Word uses paragraph styles and settings, so every converter has to translate one into the other. Columns lined up with tabs are the most likely to drift. Compare the Word copy with the original and reset tab stops where needed.
How do I convert a whole folder of WordPerfect files to Word?
Use LibreOffice's command line to convert a whole folder: with LibreOffice installed, run soffice --headless --convert-to docx followed by the files, and add --outdir to choose where the .docx files go. Test a few documents first and spot-check the results. Publish Media Software suits a handful of important documents better than a whole archive.
Does converting change my original .wpd file?
No, converting with LibreOffice, Word or Publish Media Software leaves the original .wpd file alone, because each one writes a separate .docx. In PublishMedia, “Edit as a Word document” creates a working copy and your file stays as it was. Keep the original anyway, since PublishMedia can't save back to .wpd.
Can Google Docs convert WordPerfect to Word?
No, Google Docs can't open .wpd files, so it can't convert WordPerfect to Word. Uploading the .wpd to Google Drive only stores it. Once you have a .docx from LibreOffice or Publish Media Software, though, Google Docs opens it normally and you can keep editing and sharing it there.
Should I convert a WordPerfect file to Word or PDF?
Convert a WordPerfect file to Word (.docx) if you need to keep editing it, and to PDF if you need a fixed copy that looks the same for everyone, such as a final agreement or a record for the file. Many offices keep both. Publish Media Software makes either one on a paid plan.
Can I convert a WordPerfect 5.1 file from DOS to Word?
Yes, WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS files can be converted to Word. LibreOffice Writer opens them and saves a .docx, and Publish Media Software recognizes them even with no extension or a .doc name, then makes a Word copy with “Edit as a Word document” on a paid plan. Old printer fonts may be swapped for close matches, so check the Import Report.
Is Publish Media Software made by Corel or Microsoft?
No, Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) isn't made by, or affiliated with, Corel or Microsoft. It's a browser-based page editor that opens WordPerfect documents, among other formats, and it mentions WordPerfect and Word only to describe those programs and the files they make.
Get a Word copy of your WordPerfect file
Open it in your browser, check every page at no cost, then make the Word copy when you're ready. The .docx download comes with All-Access or Monthly.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — October 2026
As of October 2026, there are several established ways to convert WordPerfect (.wpd) documents to Microsoft Word (.docx). LibreOffice Writer, the word processor in the no-cost LibreOffice suite for Windows, Mac and Linux, opens WordPerfect files and saves them as .docx, and its soffice command can process files in bulk. Microsoft Word for Windows has limited, version-dependent support for opening WordPerfect files, and formatting often changes; Word for Mac cannot open .wpd files, and neither can Google Docs. Corel WordPerfect Office, the current Windows edition of the program first released around 1980, can save documents in Word formats. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia), a browser-based page editor, opens WordPerfect files free to view and offers an “Edit as a Word document” button that creates a .docx working copy; editing and downloading that copy require a paid plan.
More about WordPerfect files
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Publish Media Software is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the makers of the programs named on this page. WordPerfect is a trademark of Corel Corporation. Microsoft and Word are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.