Set LibreOffice to Save as DOCX and XLSX by Default
By default, LibreOffice saves files in OpenDocument Formats (such as ODT for text and ODS for spreadsheets). If you frequently share files with Microsoft Office users, you can configure LibreOffice to automatically save your documents in formats like DOCX and XLSX. This guide provides the exact steps to change the default file formats across LibreOffice applications so you do not have to manually convert them every time.
Step 1: Open the Options Menu
Launch LibreOffice or any of its individual applications (such as Writer or Calc), then open the configuration menu:
- Windows and Linux: Click on Tools
in the top menu bar and select Options (or press
Alt + F12). - macOS: Click on LibreOffice in the
top menu bar and select Preferences (or press
Cmd + ,).
Step 2: Navigate to Load/Save Settings
- In the left pane of the Options window, click the arrow or plus sign next to Load/Save to expand the section.
- Select General from the expanded list.
Step 3: Configure Default Formats
Look for the section labeled Default File Format and ODF Settings at the bottom right of the window.
To set DOCX as the default for Word documents: 1. Under Document type, select Text document. 2. Under Always save as, select **Word 2007–365 (*.docx)** from the dropdown list.
To set XLSX as the default for Spreadsheets: 1. Under Document type, select Spreadsheet. 2. Under Always save as, select **Excel 2007–365 (*.xlsx)** from the dropdown list.
To set PPTX as the default for Presentations (Optional): 1. Under Document type, select Presentation. 2. Under Always save as, select **PowerPoint 2007–365 (*.pptx)**.
Step 4: Apply and Save Changes
Click Apply, then click OK to close the preferences window.
From this point forward, whenever you create and save a new file in LibreOffice Writer, Calc, or Impress, it will automatically save in the selected Microsoft Office format.