Microsoft Word and Google Docs are the most commonly used tools to create written documents that need minimal layout formatting. When sharing a docx file, people prefer sharing it using Google Docs. Most of the time, this is an easy process of drag-and-drop, but sometimes, the formatting gets distorted, and it takes a lot of effort to fix it.
Conserving the formatting is necessary, especially if the document is important, like a resume, yearly report, or important research information. Let me quickly walk you through how to share a Word doc using Google Docs without losing the original formatting.
How to Open a Word Doc in Google Docs
Method 1: Direct Upload to Google Drive
The most straightforward approach involves uploading your DOCX file directly to Google Drive and opening it with Google Docs.
- Go to Google Drive
- Click on the “New” button in the top left corner
- Choose on “File Upload”, but if you have multiple docx files that need to be uploaded, you can make a folder and upload them all at once
- Locate your file from your device and select on open
- Once uploaded, you will see the word document in the list on the drive
- Click on the More actions button on right corner of the file right-click on it.
- Now select Open with > Google Docs
This will convert your file into an editable format. You can now add edit things directly here.
If you want all your future uploads to automatically convert into an editable format. Go to Settings and select Convert Uploads. Whenever you upload a document, it will automatically convert.
Method 2: Import Directly from Google Docs
Another way to do this is after opening a Google Document.
- Open a blank or existing Google Docs file in browser
- Go to File> Open
- Navigate to the “Upload” section from the pop-up box to upload a file from your device.
- Click on “Browse” and select the file you want upload
This will upload the file to the document and convert it to the Google Docs format directly. If you opened a blank document, the file will open in the same file or it will get uploaded to your drive which you open.
Alternative Method: Use Tiiny Host to Share Your docx file
While Google Docs can distort the formatting of your Word Document, you can use tools like Tiiny Host, which will allow you to upload your File within a few steps, and the formatting and content will remain unchanged.
You can share docx files directly and use simple links that will work on any device. The recipients can view the File on their phone, laptop, or PC without creating any accounts or downloading any software.
This is especially helpful if you want to share your resume with a recruiter. You can connect the resume to a custom domain. If you want to share any important yearly reports, you can password-protect them before sharing them across the team.
Here’s how you can upload and share files with Tiiny Host:
- Visit Tiiny Host
- Upload your File or drag and drop it
- You can also get a customized subdomain like ‘xyz.tiiny.site’ if you fill in link-name
- Log in or sign up, and hit publish
Your document is live, and you can share it quickly with anyone. You get multiple built in options to make edits to your Word document, suggest changes in the content, embed this upload word doc to other pages using Tiiny Host.
If you are sharing important reports or documents that require signature through word document, you can password-protect the file before sending it. If you have any supporting Excel files, you can share large Excel files easily in the same way. You just have to send the links, and the receiver will be able to view them.
FAQs: How to Open a Word Document in Google Docs
Can I preserve the exact fonts from my Word document?
Google Docs supports many common fonts, but not every font available in Microsoft Word. If you are sharing the file with someone, you can use Tiiny Host so that the formatting is preserved while sharing.
Can I share a Word document on Google Docs without giving edit access?
Yes, you can change the access settings before sharing it with receivers.
