File extension DOT is a template file that is associated with Microsoft Word 2003 which is part of the Microsoft Office suite. Microsoft created this extension to provide an easily accessible template which can be used for quick editing without having to create the formatting and styles from scratch.
When you install Microsoft Word on your PC, there are DOT files which come preinstalled with the program. These are typically the files that allow you to choose from a variety of design templates for use with documents in Microsoft Word. When you access a file with a DOT extension, it will appear in the interface as a Word document despite the fact that the document contains this extension.
The contents of a DOT file can include generic formats, such as a simple business letter, text document or resume, or the contents can include more complex data, such as faxes, business documents and memos, meeting agendas, and much more. DOT files are distinguished from traditional document files since they do not display the DOC or DOCX file extension.
How to Open DOT Files
Some of the templates, which come preinstalled with Microsoft Word, contain the DOT extension where other templates, which are created by the user, can also be saved using the DOT format. The former description stores the default templates which become accessible whenever you open Microsoft Word. The latter description is saved at the user’s discretion and in a location which is designated by the user.
You can open a DOT file in Windows simply by double clicking on it. Once you have added text and other elements to the template, you can proceed to save it in the DOC or DOCX format depending upon the version of Microsoft Office you are using.
If you receive a document in the DOT format when using the Windows operating system, you can also open the file using Microsoft Word Viewer which is downloadable from the Microsoft website. This is a free download which allows you to view the contents of DOT files.
If you want to edit the DOT file, you must download a program such as OpenOffice to view and edit a file in this format. OpenOffice is available as a free download from OpenOffice.org and offers a word processing program which is capable of reading DOT file extensions.
If you use Mac OS X, you can open files that contain the DOT extension using OpenOffice or Planamesa NeoOffice. For the Linux operating system, which is open source, OpenOffice works well for opening DOT files.
