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Free · No sign-up · Runs in your browser

A free Word alternative.

Altto Write is a word processor that runs in your browser. Open your Word documents and carry on editing them, or write something new from a blank page or a template. Save as Word or PDF. Nothing is uploaded.

Opens .docx, .odt and .rtf Saves Word and PDF Tables, pictures, lists Not uploaded, no watermark

Or start a new document:

Your documents are never uploaded — they’re opened, edited and saved right here in this browser tab, on your device.
At a glance

Altto Write: quick facts

A word processor in your browser for letters, CVs, essays and reports, and a way to edit Word files without Word.

Updated

Opens
Word (.docx), OpenDocument (.odt), Rich Text (.rtf), Windows Write (.wri), HTML, Markdown, plain text
Saves as
Word (.docx), PDF (through Print), plain text (.txt)
Formatting
Headings, fonts, sizes, bold, italic, underline, colours, highlight, alignment, indents, quotes
Also
Bullet and numbered lists, tables, pictures, links, page breaks, page size and margins, word count
Templates
CV, formal letter, report, essay, meeting notes
Privacy
Runs on your device; nothing is uploaded
Price
Free, no sign-up, no watermark
How it works

How to edit a Word document without Word

No Microsoft 365 subscription, no account and nothing to install. Open the file here, change it, and download it again.

01

Open a file or start writing

Drop in a Word, OpenDocument, RTF or text file, or start a blank document or a template.

02

Edit it

Type and format as you would in any word processor: styles, fonts, colours, lists, tables, pictures, links and page breaks.

03

Save it

Download a Word file (.docx), save a PDF, or keep plain text. Nothing is uploaded.

Altto reads the Word file itself, on your device: its paragraphs and headings, the font, size and colour of every piece of text, alignment and indents, bullet and numbered lists, tables, pictures and links, and the page size and margins. When you save, it writes a standard .docx file that opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice and Pages. It also reads headers, footers and page numbers, and the text of older .doc files (Word 97–2003).

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I open and edit Word documents?
Yes. Drop a .docx file on the box above and it opens ready to edit, with its headings, fonts, sizes, colours, bold and italics, alignment, bullet and numbered lists, tables, pictures and links. When you’re done, download it as a Word file again or save it as a PDF.
Will my document look the same?
Very close for everyday documents such as letters, CVs, essays and reports. Altto uses free fonts made to the same measurements as the common Office ones (Carlito for Calibri, Arimo for Arial, Tinos for Times New Roman, Caladea for Cambria), so lines break in the same places. Headers, footers, page numbers, footnotes and comments come across and can be edited. Text in text boxes is kept as ordinary paragraphs, tracked changes are shown accepted, and multi-column pages become a single column; Altto tells you when a file had any of these. Your original file is never changed.
Is my file uploaded?
No. Altto Write runs entirely in your browser: your document is opened, edited and saved on your own device and never sent anywhere. It also keeps a copy of your current document in this browser, so closing the tab by mistake doesn’t lose your work.
Which files can it open?
Word (.docx), OpenDocument text (.odt, from LibreOffice and OpenOffice), Rich Text (.rtf), old Windows Write (.wri), web pages (.html), Markdown (.md) and plain text (.txt). Older Word files ending .doc (Word 97–2003) open too, with their text and paragraphs (but not their formatting).
Can I add comments and footnotes?
Yes. Select some words and press the speech-bubble button (or Ctrl+Alt+M) to add a comment; comments appear in a panel at the side, where you can edit or resolve them. Press the footnote button (or Ctrl+Alt+F) to add a numbered footnote. Comments and footnotes in Word files you open come across too, and both are saved into the Word file you download, so Word shows them as normal comments and footnotes.
How do I save my document as a PDF?
Choose File, then Save as PDF or print (or press Ctrl+P). Pick “Save as PDF” as the printer and your document is saved with the page size and margins you chose, page breaks included.
Does it check spelling and grammar?
Yes. Press the spelling and grammar button (or F7) and Altto Write checks your document for spelling, grammar and style, underlines the problems and suggests fixes you can apply with a click. Choose UK, US, Australian, Canadian or Indian English. The checker (Harper, which is open source) runs in your browser: the first check downloads it, about 8 MB, and your document is never sent anywhere. Your browser’s own spell check also underlines mistakes as you type.
Can I make a CV or a letter with it?
Yes. Choose File, then New from a template, for a CV, a formal letter, a report, an essay or meeting notes. Fill in the parts in square brackets and download it as a Word file or a PDF.
Is it really free?
Yes: no sign-up, no watermark, no limits on documents. Altto is paid for by the ads on its pages.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The page shrinks to fit a small screen, and the toolbar scrolls sideways. For long documents a computer with a keyboard is easier.

Microsoft and Word are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Altto is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.

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