Open Old Files

Windows Write and Word for DOS

Open a Windows Write (.wri) file

Readme files, letters and notes from the Windows 3.1 days. Drop the .wri file here to read it.

  • Nothing is uploaded: files are opened on your computer
  • Free to view, print and save as PDF or CSV
  • Works on Mac, Windows, iPad and Chromebook

Drop your old files here

One file, a whole folder, or a ZIP. They're opened on this computer and never uploaded.

No file to hand? Try , or .

The converter downloads when you add your first file.

Where Write went

Write was the simple word processor in Windows 1 to 3.11. Its documents end in .wri. WordPad replaced it in Windows 95, and Microsoft has now removed WordPad from Windows 11 as well (from version 24H2). Word doesn't open .wri files.

Open it here

Drop the file above. The page reads it with libwps, keeping fonts, bold and italic, indents and pictures, and lays out the pages. Save a PDF or copy the text out for free; the unlock adds an editable Word file.

Word for DOS

Documents from Word for DOS (versions 4 to 6, usually ending in .doc) open the same way. If a DOS document's accented letters look wrong, pick its character set from the menu under the document.

Questions about this

Is a .wri file the same as .rtf?

No. RTF files open in Word, Pages and TextEdit. .wri is Write's own format, which those don't read.

Free to open. £6 once for the rest.

Opening, reading, printing, PDFs of documents and drawings, and CSVs of spreadsheets are free, one file at a time, for as long as the site runs.

£6 one-time, no account

  • Word files (.docx) of documents, with formatting and pictures
  • Excel files (.xlsx) of spreadsheets and databases, every sheet
  • Whole folders or ZIPs converted into one ZIP

Coming soon. Everything free on this page works now.

Other old files

Microsoft Works databaseOpen a Works database (.wdb) fileWorks .wdb to .xlsx and .csvConvert a Works database to ExcelMicrosoft Works word processorOpen a Microsoft Works .wps documentTwo formats, one extensionIs your .wps file from Works or from WPS Office?Microsoft Works spreadsheetOpen a Works spreadsheet (.wks or .xlr)AppleWorks and ClarisWorks .cwkOpen AppleWorks files on a modern Mac