Is there a WordPerfect viewer online?
Yes, Publish Media Software (PublishMedia) is a WordPerfect viewer that runs online in any modern browser. Create a free account, drag in a .wpd, .wp5 or .w51 file, and read every page in the page editor at no cost. Nothing gets installed, and it works on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux and iPad.
Why use PublishMedia as your WPD viewer?
For people who need to read a WordPerfect file today, not buy and learn a word processor. If you write in WordPerfect every day, Corel's program remains the right tool.
Old files welcome
Documents from WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS open alongside recent .wpd files, so a box of decades-old disks isn't a dead end.
Names don't matter
PublishMedia checks what's inside the file, so a WordPerfect document named .doc, or with no extension at all, still opens as WordPerfect.
Works on a Mac
Corel makes no current WordPerfect for Mac, and Word for Mac won't open .wpd files. A browser tab on any Mac will.
Read first, pay later
Viewing is unlimited and costs nothing. You pay only if you decide to change the document, export a PDF or download a Word copy.
Honest about differences
The Import Report lists what deserves a second look, like a 1990s printer font replaced with a close match.
View your WordPerfect file
View a WordPerfect fileWordPerfect online or on the desktop: which viewer fits?
Corel's own program is the most faithful, and LibreOffice is the strongest no-cost desktop choice. Google Docs is included because people try it first.
| Feature | Publish Media Software | LibreOffice Writer | Corel WordPerfect Office | Google Docs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens .wpd files | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✓Native format | ✗No |
| Opens DOS-era .wp5 / .w51 files | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Works in a web browser | ✓Any modern browser | ✗Install required | ✗Install required | ✓Browser |
| Runs on a Mac | ✓In the browser | ✓Mac version | ✗Windows only | ✓In the browser |
| Runs on a Chromebook | ✓In the browser | –Only via Linux apps | ✗No | ✓In the browser |
| Cost to view a .wpd | ✓Free to view | ✓No charge | ✗Paid program | –Can't open it |
| Keep editing in .wpd format | ✗Can't save .wpd | ✗Can't save .wpd | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Make a PDF of the document | ✓Paid plan | ✓Export as PDF | ✓Yes | ✗Can't open the file |
6 WordPerfect viewers and readers compared for 2026
Only four of these actually open the file. The last two are here because they're what most people try first.
- 1
Publish Media Software
Browser-based (Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Linux, iPad)✓ Opens .wpdFree to openA browser-based WPD viewer that shows WordPerfect pages laid out as formatted, on any computer including Macs and Chromebooks. Viewing is unlimited at no cost; editing, PDFs and Word copies are paid, and nothing saves back to .wpd.
View a WordPerfect file - 2
LibreOffice Writer
Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)✓ Opens .wpdFreeA strong no-cost desktop choice: it opens WordPerfect files offline and saves them as .docx, .odt or PDF. It's a sizable install, and heavily formatted documents can shift.
- 3
Corel WordPerfect Office
Desktop (Windows)✓ Opens .wpdPaidCorel's own program is the most faithful way to view and keep editing .wpd files, Reveal Codes included. It's paid and runs only on Windows.
- 4
Microsoft Word for Windows
Desktop (Windows)✓ Opens .wpdPaid (Microsoft 365 or Office)Can open some WordPerfect files, depending on the Word version, so it's a reasonable first try if it's already installed. Layout and fonts often change.
- 5
Google Docs
Browser-based✗ Doesn't open .wpdFreeGoogle Docs can't open .wpd files, so uploading one to Google Drive leaves you with a file you can store but not read.
- 6
Microsoft Word for Mac
Desktop (Mac)✗ Doesn't open .wpdPaid (Microsoft 365 or Office)Word for Mac doesn't open .wpd files, and there's no current Mac version of WordPerfect. Mac users need LibreOffice or a browser-based viewer.
What is a WordPerfect document?
A WordPerfect document is a file saved by WordPerfect, the word processor that led the DOS era and is now sold by Corel as WordPerfect Office for Windows. Files from version 6 onward normally end in .wpd; earlier ones used .wp, .wp5, .w51, .doc or no extension. Each file mixes text with formatting codes for fonts, margins, tabs and page breaks — the codes WordPerfect displays in Reveal Codes. That code-based design differs from Word's .docx, which stores a document as compressed XML.
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.
Before you open a .wpd: common viewer questions
Can I view WordPerfect documents on a Mac?
Yes, a Mac can view WordPerfect documents in a browser with Publish Media Software or offline with LibreOffice Writer, and neither charges anything to read a file. There is no current WordPerfect for Mac, and Microsoft Word for Mac doesn't open .wpd files, so those two are the practical choices for Mac owners.
Is there a way to use WordPerfect online?
WordPerfect itself is sold as a Windows desktop program, not a web app, but you can view WordPerfect files online with Publish Media Software. Open the file in any modern browser and read it at no cost. On a paid plan you can also edit the pages, export a PDF or make a Word copy — just not save back to .wpd.
Do I need to buy WordPerfect just to read one file?
No, you don't need to buy WordPerfect to read a WordPerfect file. Publish Media Software shows it in a browser at no cost, and LibreOffice Writer opens it on Windows, Mac or Linux without charge. Buying Corel WordPerfect Office makes sense only if you'll keep creating and editing .wpd documents.
Can a WordPerfect viewer show Reveal Codes?
No, Publish Media Software doesn't show Reveal Codes; it shows the finished pages as the formatting codes lay them out. Reveal Codes is a Corel WordPerfect feature that lists every hidden code for fonts, tabs, margins and page breaks. LibreOffice has no Reveal Codes view either, so for troubleshooting codes, WordPerfect is the tool.
Can I print a WordPerfect document from a viewer?
Yes, you can print a WordPerfect document from Publish Media Software on a paid plan: check the layout in Print Preview, export a clean, print-ready PDF and print that. On the free plan you can read every page on screen. LibreOffice Writer prints WordPerfect files at no cost once it's installed.
Why does my WordPerfect document look slightly different in a viewer?
A WordPerfect document usually looks slightly different in a viewer because of fonts: the file asks for a font your computer doesn't have, so a close match is used, which can move line breaks. Publish Media Software lists swaps like this in its Import Report. Rarely used WordPerfect features may also be drawn a little differently.
Can I view WordPerfect files without internet?
Not with Publish Media Software, which runs online in a browser; for offline viewing, install LibreOffice Writer, which opens WordPerfect files on Windows, Mac and Linux at no cost. Corel WordPerfect Office also works offline, on Windows only. If you'll be somewhere without a connection, open the file in LibreOffice before you leave.
What's the difference between a WordPerfect viewer and WordPerfect itself?
A WordPerfect viewer shows the pages of a document so you can read them, while WordPerfect itself is the full Windows word processor for writing, editing and saving .wpd files. Publish Media Software adds editing, PDF export and a Word copy on paid plans, but it can't save back to .wpd.
Can I view a .wpd file without installing software?
Yes, Publish Media Software lets you view a .wpd file without installing anything, because it runs inside Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari. That helps on work computers where you can't add programs, and on Chromebooks and iPads. Every desktop option — LibreOffice, Corel WordPerfect, Word — needs an install.
View your WordPerfect document now
Open it in a browser tab and read it page by page without paying. When you need a change, a PDF or a Word copy, pick a plan.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — October 2026
As of October 2026, WordPerfect documents (.wpd, and the older .wp, .wp5 and .w51) can be viewed with Corel WordPerfect Office, which runs only on Windows; LibreOffice Writer, a no-cost desktop word processor for Windows, Mac and Linux; some versions of Microsoft Word for Windows, whose support is limited and version-dependent; and Publish Media Software (PublishMedia), a browser-based page editor. Google Docs and Microsoft Word for Mac cannot open .wpd files, and web browsers do not display them on their own. WordPerfect, first released around 1980 and owned by Corel since 1996, remains in use in some US law offices and government agencies, so its documents still circulate. PublishMedia identifies WordPerfect files by their content, opens versions from the DOS era to the present, and charges nothing for viewing.
More about WordPerfect 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. WordPerfect is a trademark of Corel Corporation. Microsoft and Word are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.