File extension DOC is used for Microsoft Word document files. A DOC sample file is provided. Free DOC file viewers and editors are listed.

File Extension: .DOC

MIME Type: application/msword

File Content: Word processing document.

What is DOC? DOC is a short name for Document. DOC was initially used as the file extension for WordPerfect documents during 1980s. Since 1990s, DOC has been used as the file extension for Microsoft Word documents.

There are number of DOC file formats exists because of multiple Microsoft Word versions:

• DOC file format for Microsoft Word 2007.
• DOC file format for Microsoft Word 2003.
• DOC file format for Microsoft Word 2000.
• DOC file format for Microsoft Word 97.
• ...

DOC format supports embedded pictures and other objects.

Here are the first 64 bytes of a sample DOC file (Word 2000) dumped in HEX values:

d0 cf 11 e0 a1 b1 1a e1 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 3e 00 03 00 fe ff 09 00 ................
06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 ................
21 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 23 00 00 00 ................

"0xd0cf11e0a1b11ae1" seems to be the file marker for DOC files.

DOC sample file: Click sample.doc to download.

Word processing documents stored in DOC files can be retrieved, viewed or edited by many free software:

• Microsoft Word Viewer - Views DOC Word documents.
• OpenOffice.org - Views and edits DOC Word documents. An open source software.