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TMP DOCX
File conversion

Convert TMP to DOCX

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 14, 2026
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Is it possible to convert TMP to DOCX?
Yes - TMP converts to DOCX.

After a Word crash, use File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents first - Word lists recognized recovery files. If that fails, check the .tmp in Notepad++: if the first two bytes read PK, rename a copy to .docx and open it in Word.

Also to DOCX: PDF · WHTML · XHTML

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert TMP to DOCX?

Microsoft Word writes temporary files to disk during editing; a crash before the final save can leave a .tmp that already contains DOCX data in a ZIP-based Office Open XML package. The .tmp naming convention is inherited from MS-DOS and early Unix - the file content depends entirely on the creating program. Only Word-created .tmp files can become usable .docx documents.

How to convert TMP to DOCX

Microsoft Word APP

Open Word, go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents, select the file with the correct timestamp, and save it as .docx.

Notepad++ FREE

Open the .tmp in Notepad++ and check the first two bytes; if they read PK (hex 50 4B), rename a copy to .docx and open it in Word.

7-Zip OPEN-SOURCE

If the .tmp starts with PK, open it in 7-Zip to browse its contents and confirm it contains Word XML parts before renaming to .docx.

About these formats

.TMP Temporary File

A TMP file is a temporary scratch file a program or the operating system creates to hold working data, such as autosave snapshots, installer payloads, or partial downloads. There is no…

Open .TMP details →
.DOCX Microsoft Word Open XML Document

A DOCX file is a Microsoft Word document in the Open XML format introduced with Word 2007. You do not need to buy Microsoft Office to open one - LibreOffice Writer, Google Docs, and Word…

Open .DOCX details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Word's tilde-prefixed files (e.g., ~WRD0001.tmp) are ownership lock markers, not document copies - renaming them will not produce a working DOCX.
  • PK at bytes 0-1 indicates a ZIP-based Office document (DOCX); D0 CF 11 E0 indicates an older OLE .doc format - rename accordingly.
  • If the file was partially written before the crash, the renamed DOCX may open with content errors; Word will attempt to repair it on opening.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Word store its recovery files?
Check C:\Users\<name>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles\ for .asd and .tmp files if the recovery dialog shows nothing.
Can I recover a TMP file on macOS?
Run file something.tmp in Terminal; if it says Microsoft Word or Zip archive, rename to .docx and open in Word.
What if the file header is neither PK nor D0 CF?
The .tmp was not created by Word and cannot be turned into a DOCX.