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Yes. LibreOffice’s desktop apps can open and save common Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files using local file operations; you do not need cloud services for this workflow. Open the file in Writer, Calc, or Impress, then use File > Save As to create an editable copy in the matching Office format. Compatibility is not perfect for every feature, so check complex files in the application that will ultimately use them.
Which Microsoft Office files can LibreOffice open and save?
Use Writer for text documents, Calc for spreadsheets, and Impress for presentations. LibreOffice Help documents opening and saving the common formats below. LibreOffice Help also describes additional formats, but support depends on the specific extension and on whether you are opening or saving it.
| Microsoft file type | LibreOffice app | Typical format to save as |
|---|---|---|
| Word: .doc, .docx | Writer | .doc or .docx |
| Excel: .xls, .xlsx | Calc | .xls or .xlsx |
| PowerPoint: .ppt, .pps, .pptx | Impress | .ppt or .pptx |
The LibreOffice Getting Started Guide lists further formats, including macro-enabled and template variants such as .xlsm, .xlsb, .pptm, and .potx. If a file uses one of these specialized formats, check the exact extension in the guide rather than assuming that every feature can be preserved. LibreOffice Getting Started Guide
How to open and save an Office file locally
- Open the appropriate LibreOffice app: Writer for a Word document, Calc for an Excel workbook, or Impress for a PowerPoint presentation.
- Choose File > Open, select the Office file on your device, and open it.
- To make an editable Office-compatible copy, choose File > Save As, select the matching format such as Word 2007–365 (.docx), Excel 2007–365 (.xlsx), or PowerPoint 2007–365 (.pptx), and save the copy.
- When prompted about using the Office format, confirm that choice if the recipient needs the file in that format.
LibreOffice Help explains how to set a Microsoft format as the default save type for a document category if you exchange that type of file regularly. The precise format labels can vary by LibreOffice version. LibreOffice Help: Microsoft Office formats
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Choose the format for the job
LibreOffice’s guide recommends its native OpenDocument formats for documents you will continue editing in LibreOffice: ODT for text, ODS for spreadsheets, and ODP for presentations. Use DOCX, XLSX, or PPTX when a recipient is expected to edit the file in Microsoft Office. For a document that only needs to be viewed or distributed, the guide recommends PDF as a fixed-layout option. LibreOffice Getting Started Guide
For important files, keep the original or a backup before converting, then inspect the saved copy in the application and version that will be used next. Saving with an Office extension does not guarantee that every layout detail or feature will behave identically.
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What can change when converting between suites?
LibreOffice supports common Office formats, but format support is not a promise of perfect round-tripping. Layout, formatting, formulas, drawings, embedded content, and other features may be implemented differently. Microsoft documents possible formatting loss in some OpenDocument workflows, and LibreOffice release notes show that Office compatibility continues to receive fixes. Microsoft: differences between ODT and DOCX
For example, The Document Foundation’s 2 October 2026 announcement for LibreOffice 26.8.1 reported around 40 fixes focused on Microsoft OOXML files, including DOCX table-of-contents hyperlinks, text alignment and line spacing; XLSX drawing objects and database ranges; and a problem that could close Impress when opening some PPTX files. These release-note examples illustrate ongoing maintenance, not a guarantee that any particular file will work perfectly. The Document Foundation: LibreOffice 26.8.1
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Take care with VBA macros
Macro-heavy Office files need additional checks. Microsoft Office uses VBA, while LibreOffice has a different macro environment; the two suites generally cannot run the same macro code interchangeably. LibreOffice can load VBA code for viewing or editing, and its help describes settings to preserve or remove VBA macros. Preserving macro code is not the same as being able to run its functionality in LibreOffice. LibreOffice Help: VBA macros
Do not save an Excel workbook as .xlsx if its VBA content must remain: Microsoft’s format reference says .xlsx cannot store VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets, while .xlsm is the macro-enabled workbook format. Confirm preservation for the specific workbook and LibreOffice version, and test the result in the intended application. Microsoft Office file-format reference
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- Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook | Get premium versions of the essential Office apps that help you work, study, create, and stay organized.
- Up to 2 TB Shared Cloud Storage | Store and access your documents, photos, and files from your Windows, Mac or mobile devices.
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Version context
The Document Foundation announced LibreOffice 26.8.1 on 2 October 2026 as the first minor release in the 26.8 family. Its announcement recommended 26.8.1 for more experienced users and said production users could continue on 26.2, which was supported through 30 November 2026. These are dated release recommendations, not permanent guidance; check the Foundation’s current release information before choosing a version. The Document Foundation release announcement
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