How to convert ODT to SDW
- Add your .ODT file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .SDW in a few seconds.
- Download your new .SDW file.
What to expect
- SDW is an old proprietary binary format; expect only basic text and formatting to survive, with modern OpenDocument features simplified or dropped.
- This is a legacy-compatibility export, not a round-trip format, so keep the original ODT as your working copy.
- SDW is a passive document; StarWriter macro support was minimal, so macro-borne risk is low.
Frequently asked questions
How faithful is an ODT to SDW conversion?
SDW is StarWriter's legacy binary format, much older and less capable than OpenDocument, so modern ODT features may not map cleanly. Basic text and simple formatting transfer, but newer layout or style features can be simplified or dropped.
Why convert ODT to SDW?
Almost always for compatibility with an old StarOffice/StarWriter installation or a legacy workflow that only accepts
.sdw. For any current use, ODT or DOCX is the better target.What can open the resulting SDW file?
LibreOffice Writer can read SDW on any platform, and old StarOffice versions open it natively. Most modern word processors do not support the format, so its audience is narrow.
What is lost going from ODT to SDW?
Features that postdate StarWriter, such as newer style, tracked-change, or metadata constructs, may be flattened or omitted because the old binary format has no equivalent. Treat SDW as a one-way export for legacy use rather than a round-trip format.
Programs that convert ODT: NeoOffice · Apache OpenOffice Writer (OpenOffice.org Writer) · LibreOffice Writer
