RunConvert

SDW to DOCX Converter

Convert SDW to DOCX online for free. Fast, secure, and high-quality conversion with no sign-up or software required.

Free to useNo file stored beyond 1 hourEncrypted over TLS 1.2/1.3No watermarks

How it works

Three steps to your converted file

Everything happens in your browser tab - upload, pick a format, download. The heavy lifting runs on our servers.

01

Upload your file

Drag and drop, click to browse, or paste a URL. Batches take up to 20 files at once - 230+ input formats across video, audio, image, document, and archive types.

02

Choose an output format

Pick from over a hundred output formats. Filter by category or search by name - every option is open to everyone, no account needed.

03

Convert & download

Hit Convert and grab your download link moments later. Originals are erased when the job completes; results are cleared within about an hour.

What is an SDW file?

SDW is the legacy word-processing format used by StarOffice Writer and early OpenOffice.org releases, the predecessor suites to LibreOffice Writer. It stores text, formatting, and embedded objects using StarOffice's original binary document model, later replaced by the OpenDocument Text (ODT) standard. SDW files are mostly encountered today when converting old StarOffice document archives to modern formats.

How to open an SDW file

LibreOffice Writer opens SDW files directly via its built-in legacy StarOffice format support, automatically converting the document into its modern editing environment. Apache OpenOffice Writer also retains compatibility with this older format.

SDW Technical Info

Full Name
StarOffice/StarWriter Document
Developed By
StarDivision / Sun Microsystems
Initial Release
1996
MIME Type
application/vnd.stardivision.writer

What is a DOCX file?

The DOCX format is the default document standard for Microsoft Word 2007 and newer, based on the Office Open XML (OOXML) specification standardized under ISO/IEC 29500 and ECMA-376. It functions as a compressed ZIP container that packages separate XML files (such as document.xml, styles.xml, and settings.xml) alongside media assets. This modular XML architecture allows for improved data recovery and smaller file sizes compared to legacy binary DOC files, while explicitly prohibiting the storage of VBA macros.

How to open a DOCX file

DOCX is natively supported by Microsoft Word 2007+ on Windows and macOS. Due to its status as an ISO standard, it has broad compatibility with non-Microsoft ecosystem tools; it can be opened and edited by Apple Pages, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, and Apache OpenOffice. Furthermore, because it is a ZIP archive, users can rename the extension to .zip to extract and inspect the internal XML structure and embedded media assets manually.

DOCX Technical Info

Full Name
Word Open XML Document
Developed By
Microsoft
Initial Release
2006
MIME Type
application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

Why RunConvert

The fastest way to convert any file

Purpose-built for speed, privacy, and breadth of format support.

Convert SDW to DOCX in seconds

Every SDW to DOCX conversion runs on our servers, so your device stays fast and the output quality stays intact.

Fast, cloud-powered

No queue, no waiting. Files are processed on high-performance servers and returned in seconds, even for large files.

Secure & private

Encrypted in transit and never shared with anyone. Uploads are erased the moment your job completes, and results shortly after.

Free - no account needed

Convert without creating an account - no credit card, no trial clock. Sign in only if you want history and higher daily limits.

Developer API

Convert SDW to DOCX via API

Automate SDW to DOCX conversions in three steps: create a job, upload your file, then poll for the result.

# 1. Create job
curl -X POST https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "tag": "sdw-to-docx",
    "tasks": {
      "upload-file": {
        "operation": "import/upload"
      },
      "convert": {
        "operation": "convert",
        "input": "upload-file",
        "output_format": "docx"
      },
      "export-result": {
        "operation": "export/url",
        "input": "convert"
      }
    }
  }'

# 2. Upload your file (use upload_url from the response)
curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL" --upload-file input.sdw

# 3. Poll for result
curl https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs/$JOB_ID?include=tasks \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your RunConvert API key. Get your free API key at runconvert.com/api.