How do I convert a .wps file to .docx?
Convert a .wps file to .docx by opening it in a program that reads it and saving a Word copy. In Publish Media Software (PublishMedia), upload the file, check it at no cost, then choose Edit as a Word document for a .docx copy on a paid plan. In LibreOffice Writer, open the file and use File › Save As.
Why use PublishMedia for WPS to Word
LibreOffice does this conversion at no cost if you're happy to install it. PublishMedia is for people who'd rather work in a browser and see the original before paying anything.
Handles both kinds of .wps
Works documents from Works for DOS through Works 9 and WPS Office files both open, with no guessing needed.
Look before you buy
See every page of the original at no cost, so you know the text is all there before choosing a plan.
Edit the copy right away
On a paid plan, the .docx working copy opens in the browser, so you can fix a date or a name before downloading it.
Original left untouched
Your .wps file stays exactly as it was; the Word copy is separate, which matters for family archives.
A PDF when you need paper
Need a printed copy instead of a Word file? Export a print-ready PDF from the same editor on a paid plan.
Upload a .wps file
Convert my .wps fileWPS to DOCX converters compared
Four routes people try when turning a .wps file into a Word document. Each has a trade-off, and one doesn't work at all.
| Feature | Publish Media Software | LibreOffice Writer | Older Word + Works converter | Google Docs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reads Microsoft Works .wps | ✓Works for DOS–Works 9 | ✓Yes | –Works 6–9 only | ✗No |
| No software to install | ✓Any browser | ✗Desktop app | ✗Old Word plus add-on | ✓Browser |
| Saves a .docx | ✓Working copy, paid plan | ✓File › Save As | –Depends on Word version | ✗Can't open .wps |
| Edit before saving | ✓In the browser, paid plan | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| See the original before paying | ✓Viewing costs nothing | ✓No cost at all | –Needs an old Word license | ✗Can't show the file |
| Runs on a Chromebook or iPad | ✓Any browser | –No iPad; Chromebook via Linux | ✗Windows PC | ✓Browser |
| Still available today | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✗Not part of Microsoft 365 | ✓Yes |
| Price | –Paid plan for the .docx | ✓Free | –Old Word license | ✓Free, but no .wps support |
6 ways to turn a .wps file into Word in 2026
Pick by where your file came from: Works documents need a tool that reads the Works format, while WPS Office files are easiest to convert in WPS Office itself.
- 1
Publish Media Software
Browser-based (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iPad)✓ Opens .wpsFree to openTurns a Microsoft Works .wps document into an editable .docx working copy in the browser on a paid plan, after you've viewed the original at no cost. Kingsoft WPS Office .wps files open too, as Word documents. Spacing or fonts can differ slightly from the original.
Convert my .wps file - 2
LibreOffice Writer
Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)✓ Opens .wpsFreeOpen the .wps file, then choose File › Save As and pick the Word (.docx) file type. No cost and no account, but it needs installing and complex layouts may shift.
- 3
WPS Office (Kingsoft)
Desktop & mobile (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone)✓ Opens .wpsFree version availableFor a .wps file made in WPS Office, open it there and save a copy as .docx. It's the most direct route for Kingsoft files; don't count on it for old Microsoft Works documents.
- 4
Older Word with the Works 6–9 File Converter
Desktop (Windows, older Word versions)✓ Opens .wpsDiscontinued add-onAn old PC with an older Word and Microsoft's Works converter can open Works 6–9 documents and save a Word copy. The converter isn't part of Microsoft 365, so it can't help on a new computer.
- 5
Microsoft Works on the old PC
Desktop (older Windows PC)✓ Opens .wpsNo longer soldOpen the document in Works and use Save As to pick a format Word can read, if that version of Works offers one. It depends entirely on that old computer still running.
- 6
Copy and paste the text
Any computer✓ Opens .wpsFreeOpen the .wps file in any program that shows it, select the text and paste it into a new Word document. Fine for a short letter, but most layout and pictures are lost.
Why can't I open a WPS file in Word?
WPS to DOCX conversion rewrites a .wps document in the .docx format so modern word processors can open it. It's needed because Microsoft Works used its own word-processor format, and the Works 6–9 File Converter that let older Word versions read it isn't part of Microsoft 365. A .docx (Word document) is the Office Open XML format Word has used by default since Word 2007, and nearly every current word processor opens it. Kingsoft WPS Office .wps files are a separate case: they're Word-format inside, so they convert with fewer surprises.
Open your Works 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.
WPS to Word: frequently asked questions
Can I open a .wps file in Word?
Usually not: current Microsoft Word generally can't open a Microsoft Works .wps file, and the Works 6–9 File Converter for older Word versions isn't part of Microsoft 365. Convert the file to .docx first with PublishMedia or LibreOffice, then open the .docx in Word. A Kingsoft WPS Office .wps file is Word-format inside, so it converts more easily.
Do I have to pay to convert WPS to DOCX in PublishMedia?
Yes, making and downloading a .docx copy in Publish Media Software requires a paid plan: All-Access at $99 a year or Monthly at $9.99, cancel anytime. Opening the .wps file and checking every page costs nothing, so you can confirm the document is readable before paying. LibreOffice does the conversion at no cost on a desktop computer.
How do I convert WPS to Word on a Mac?
On a Mac, convert a .wps file to Word in a browser with Publish Media Software (the .docx copy is on a paid plan), or install LibreOffice for Mac, open the file and choose File › Save As with the Word (.docx) type. Microsoft Word for Mac generally can't open Works documents by itself.
Will the .docx look exactly like the original .wps?
Close, but not always exactly: text and paragraphs carry over, while spacing, tabs or fonts can differ slightly in the .docx. PublishMedia's Import Report notes changes such as a replaced font, and on a paid plan you can fix them in the working copy before downloading. Check page breaks if the document will be printed.
What's the difference between .wps and .docx?
A .wps file is a word-processor document from Microsoft Works or, sometimes, Kingsoft WPS Office, while a .docx is the standard Microsoft Word format since Word 2007. Almost every modern word processor opens .docx, but very few current programs open Works .wps files, which is why converting old documents is worthwhile.
Can I convert WPS to DOCX in Google Drive?
No, Google Drive and Google Docs can't open Microsoft Works .wps files, so they can't turn them into .docx. Convert the file first with PublishMedia or LibreOffice; after that, the .docx uploads to Google Drive and opens in Google Docs like any other Word document.
How do I convert a WPS Office file to .docx?
To convert a Kingsoft WPS Office .wps file to .docx, open it in WPS Office and save a copy in .docx format. Because those files are Word-format inside, the result is usually close to the original. Publish Media Software also opens them, as Word documents, so you can view them at no cost and, on a paid plan, edit them and export a PDF.
Can I edit the document after converting it to .docx?
Yes, the .docx working copy in Publish Media Software can be edited right in the browser — change text, fix a date, add a paragraph — and then downloaded, all on a paid plan. Once downloaded, the .docx opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice or Apple Pages for further changes.
Can I convert a Works spreadsheet to Word?
A Works spreadsheet (.wks or .xlr) is better turned into an Excel workbook than a Word document: in Publish Media Software, choose Edit as an Excel document for an .xlsx working copy on a paid plan. If you need the figures inside a letter, copy the table from the .xlsx into your Word document afterward.
Get your .wps file into Word
Upload the file, see every page at no cost, and turn it into an editable .docx with All-Access or Monthly when you're ready.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — October 2026
As of October 2026, converting a .wps file to .docx is the usual way to get an old document into Microsoft Word, because current Word generally cannot open Microsoft Works files and Microsoft's Works 6–9 File Converter is not part of Microsoft 365. The .wps extension belongs to two programs: Microsoft Works, sold from the late 1980s until about 2009 with Works 9 as its last version, and Kingsoft WPS Office Writer, whose .wps files are Word-format inside. The .docx format is the Office Open XML document format Word has used by default since Word 2007. LibreOffice, free for Windows, Mac and Linux, opens Works word-processor files and saves them as .docx. Google Docs cannot open Works .wps files. Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) opens both kinds of .wps in a browser at no cost to view and creates an editable .docx working copy of a Works document on a paid plan.
More about Microsoft Works files
Other files you can open
Publish Media Software is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the makers of the programs named on this page. Microsoft, Microsoft Works and Word are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. WPS Office is a trademark of Kingsoft.