The DOTX extension indicates a template file created with Microsoft Word 2007+, the word processor included in Microsoft Office. Default documents created with Microsoft Word can contain various elements such as images, drawn objects, tables, links to websites and also links to other local files. Default documents are saved as DOCX files.

DOTX files are templates which are used to store the entire structure of a document. This includes page layout, margins, fonts and styles. By creating a template the whole process of building a specific type of document from scratch, for example a business plan, can be avoided. Every time a business plan is needed users can simply add text and other content to their template and save it. Microsoft Word will create a new DOCX file and will leave the DOTX file unaltered.

DOTX files are based on the Open XML format which stores all content in a zipped archive. The archive contains XML and RELS files stored in three separate folders named “docProps”, “word” and "_rels". Files with the RELS extension dictate how the parts of the document connect to form a single file. This archived approach makes file content more accessible. For example images and text are stored individually within the archive.

How to open DOTX files

The contents of a DOTX file can be extracted individually by opening it with a data compression application such as WinZip or WinRAR. The XML files of a DOTX document can be opened with any basic text editor and any web browser.

DOTX files can be opened with online word processors like Google Docs, ThinkFree and Office 365 as well as the applications below.