Word processing applications that create ODT files are popular and are often free. But before you share ODT files with others, please use this app to convert them to PDF.

When you share an ODT document in its native format, it may not be readable by everyone. If you’re collaborating with someone who uses the same software, there generally isn’t a problem, but if you want to make your files accessible to everyone, convert your ODT documents to PDFs before sharing.

What are ODT files?

ODT stands for OpenDocument Text, and it’s comparable to a DOCX file in its capabilities. ODT files can contain formatted text, images, drawn objects, and tables. ODT files are often used in free, open-source word processing applications, so they can be a low-cost solution for creating important business or personal documents. As this approach becomes more popular, you will see more and more ODT files.

Though an ODT file can be useful, converting an ODT file to a PDF could make for easier sharing across all devices and ensure that your document does not have any formatting issues after it is sent.

To assure compatibility for your documents created in the ODT format, convert them to PDFs before emailing or sharing them with others. PDFs can be read by anyone across multiple operating systems and is the standard for shareable documents.

Now that your ODT file is a PDF, anyone who you share your file with will be able to see it in the same format you designed for it, no matter the device they’re on.

It’s easy to convert ODT files to PDFs, and it’s easy to work with a PDF file once you have one.