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ODT OTT
File conversion

Convert ODT to OTT

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 17, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert ODT to OTT?
Yes - ODT converts to OTT.

In LibreOffice Writer, choose File > Save As and select ODF Text Document Template (.ott) from the file-type dropdown. All content, styles, images, and layout carry over unchanged - the only difference is the internal MIME type flag that makes opening the file create a new untitled document.

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert ODT to OTT?

ODT and OTT share the same ZIP+XML structure; the only meaningful difference is the mimetype entry inside the archive. Converting a document to OTT prevents accidental overwrites and ensures colleagues who open it get a fresh untitled copy rather than editing the template itself. Distributing a .ott file is the standard way to share reusable styles and boilerplate layouts in ODF workflows.

How to convert ODT to OTT

LibreOffice Writer FREE

Open the .odt, go to File > Save As, and select ODF Text Document Template (.ott) from the file-type dropdown; all formatting, styles, and content carry over intact.

OpenOffice.org Writer FREE

Open the .odt in OpenOffice.org Writer and use File > Save As to select ODF Text Document Template (.ott); note that OpenOffice.org lags behind LibreOffice on ODF support.

Programs that convert ODT

AbiWord
StarOffice
TextMaker
KWord
OpenOffice.org Writer
LibreOffice Writer
PrimoOnline

About these formats

.ODT OpenDocument Text

An ODT file is an OpenDocument Text document - the vendor-neutral word-processing format native to LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice. Microsoft Word opens ODT directly (since Word…

Open .ODT details →
.OTT OpenDocument Text Template

An OTT file is an OpenDocument Text Template - a reusable layout and style starting point for word-processing documents in the open ODF standard. It is the template version of ODT, used…

Open .OTT details →

Quality & what to watch

  • ODT and OTT are structurally identical ZIP archives - the only difference is the mimetype value (application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text vs application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text-template); no content is lost.
  • After conversion, double-clicking the .ott opens a new untitled .odt based on the template; to edit the template itself, use File > Templates > Edit Templates in LibreOffice.
  • Macros stored in the .odt carry over to the .ott along with all other content.

Frequently asked questions

Does renaming `.odt` to `.ott` work?
It usually works because the files share the same internal structure, but it skips updating the internal mimetype entry - use File > Save As in LibreOffice for a proper conversion.
Will all styles and formatting be preserved?
Yes - text, paragraph styles, page layout, headers, footers, embedded images, and tables all transfer intact; it is a format-role change, not a format-family change.
Can I use the `.ott` as a shared team template?
Yes - distribute the .ott file and each person who opens it gets a fresh untitled copy automatically, preserving the original template for reuse.