Documents conversion
Convert DOC to TXT
Updated Jul 2026
DOC files store formatting, fonts, and layout, while TXT is nothing but the raw text. To convert, open the DOC file in a converter and export it as TXT, which strips out all formatting and keeps just the words. Doing this on your own computer means the document's content and metadata never leave your machine.
- Extension
- .doc
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Old Word documents
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .txt
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Plain text files
Convert DOC to TXT on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert DOC to TXT
- Open Morphjet and drag in the DOC file, or a whole folder of old Word documents, that you want to convert.
- Choose TXT as the output format.
- Convert. The plain text file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
DOC vs TXT: what actually changes
| DOC | TXT | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Larger, holds formatting and embedded data | Much smaller, just the characters |
| Keeps formatting (fonts, bold, layout) | Yes | No, plain characters only |
| Keeps images and tables | Yes | No |
| Opens everywhere | Needs Word or a compatible app | Yes, any text editor on any device |
| Keeps metadata (author, edit history) | Yes, often includes hidden revision data | No, stripped on export |
| Easy to search or process with a script | Awkward, needs a Word-aware parser | Yes, trivial to read and search |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert DOC to TXT when you need the words without the formatting, like feeding a document into a script, a search index, or an old system that only reads plain text.
Keep the DOC file if the formatting, images, or tables matter, because converting to TXT throws all of that away and there's no getting it back.
Why not just use an online converter?
Old DOC files often carry hidden metadata, the author's name, the computer they were written on, and sometimes a full history of tracked changes and deleted text. An online converter receives all of that along with the words on the page. Converting on your own computer means that history stays where it belongs, on your machine.
Questions
Does converting DOC to TXT lose anything?
Yes, on purpose. TXT only stores raw characters, so fonts, bold and italic, images, tables, and page layout are all dropped. If you need any of that back, keep the original DOC.
Will the TXT file keep the author name or edit history?
No. TXT has no place to store metadata, so the author, dates, and any tracked-changes history in the DOC are stripped out during conversion.
Can I open a TXT file on any computer?
Yes. TXT is about as universal as file formats get, opening in any text editor on Mac, Windows, Linux, or a phone, with nothing extra to install.
Can I convert an old .doc file to TXT without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet reads and converts the file locally, so the document never travels over the internet, even with your wifi off.
Why convert a Word document to plain text instead of just copying and pasting?
Copy and paste can bring along invisible formatting characters, and it's slow for a folder of files. Converting the whole file gives you clean, consistent plain text every time.
Morphjet converts DOC, TXT, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.