What is the ABW file format?
.abw is the default file format used by the AbiWord word processor for saving created documents. .abw files store document data and related elements such as text formatting, page layout, lists, images, diagrams, tables, and more.
.abw is based on XML and offers support for RTF (Rich Text Format). The format also features compatibility with a range of editors, advanced layout functions, and plugin support. Because .abw files are plain, uncompressed XML, you can inspect or edit them in any text editor - each file begins with a standard <?xml ... ?> declaration followed by an <abiword> root element. Embedded images are stored inline as base64-encoded data within the XML.
.abw is similar in purpose to the Microsoft Word .doc format. Documents created with AbiWord are, in contrast to .doc files, compatible with many operating systems including Windows, Linux, macOS, and BSD. The format is also supported by LibreOffice Writer. Two closely related variants exist: .zabw is a gzip-compressed version of the same XML format, and .awt is the AbiWord template file.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWAn .abw is a passive XML document, not a program, so opening one is safe - there is no executable code to run. As with any word-processor document, the only theoretical risks are malformed-file parser bugs (keep your word processor updated) and embedded links you choose to click. Because it is plain XML, you can even inspect a suspicious .abw in a text editor before opening it in AbiWord/LibreOffice.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open ABW files
Windows2 apps
AbiWord
Open-source File > Open the .abw - its native format; full editing. (Windows builds are older; the format still opens.) 
LibreOffice Writer
Open-source Open the .abw directly (Writer imports AbiWord), then edit or 'Save As' .docx/.odt/.pdf. 
macOS2 apps
Linux3 apps
AbiWord
Open-source Install via your package manager ('apt install abiword'); open the .abw natively.
LibreOffice Writer
Open-source Open the .abw to view/edit; the most widely installed option on modern Linux desktops. 
Any text editor (gedit, nano, Kate)
Open-source Open the .abw as XML to read or recover the raw text when no word processor is available. Technical details
deep spec| File structure | Single uncompressed XML document; human-readable plain text |
| Root element | `<abiword>` with a format version attribute (e.g. `1.1`, `1.3`) written by each AbiWord release |
| Character encoding | UTF-8 throughout; declared in the `<?xml?>` header |
| MIME type | `application/x-abiword` (also seen as `application/abiword`) |
| Magic bytes | `3C 3F 78 6D 6C` (`<?xml`) at offset 0, followed by DOCTYPE and `<abiword>` root |
| Image storage | Raster images embedded as base64-encoded data inside `<data>` child elements of `<abiword>` |
| Compressed variant | `.zabw` - identical content gzip-compressed; magic bytes `1F 8B` at offset 0 |
| Template variant | `.awt` - flat-XML AbiWord template file using the same schema |
| Body structure | `<section>` and `<p>` elements form the document body; paragraph properties carried as attributes |
| Styles | Named paragraph and character styles defined in a `<styles>` section near the top of the file |
| Page settings | `<pagesize>` element records paper size, orientation, and margin values |
| Plugin support | AbiWord plugin architecture can extend format handling (e.g. maths, grammar, change-tracking plugins) |
| RTF interoperability | AbiWord reads and writes RTF; `.abw` documents can round-trip through RTF export and import |
| Cross-platform support | AbiWord runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD; `.abw` files also open in LibreOffice Writer |
| Released | 1998 (AbiWord 0.x); the .abw XML format matured with AbiWord 1.0 (2002) |
| Latest version | AbiWord 3.0.x file format (3.0.5, 2021 was the last stable release) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.abisource.com |
ABW conversions
Community Q&A
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