Convert a file to Google Docs,
Sheets, or Slides
Converting a file to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides allows you to edit, collaborate on, and share the file
online. When you convert a file, the original file will remain intact and accessible from Google Drive. A
copy of the file in a Google format appears in My Drive in Google Drive on the web.
Please note that you can edit Microsoft® Office files by making sure that you have enabled editing for
Office files in a Chrome browser, on a Chromebook, or in the Docs, Sheets, and Slides mobile apps. To
share the file online and collaborate with others, save the file to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Convert a file to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
After syncing or manually uploading a file to Google Drive on the web, here's how to convert it to Google
Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
1. Sign in to Drive at drive.google.com.
2. Right-click the file you want to convert.
3. Select Open with..., and then choose an app. Depending on what type of file you're trying to
open, Docs, Sheets, or Slides will be listed there.
Compatible file types
These are the file types that can be converted to a Google document, spreadsheet, or presentation:
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For documents: .doc, .docx, .dot, .html, plain text (.txt), .rtf
For spreadsheets: .xls, .xlsx, .xlt, .ods, .csv, .tsv, .txt, .tab
For presentations: .ppt (if newer than Microsoft® Office 95), .pps, .pptx
For drawings: .wmf
For OCR: .jpg, .gif, .png, .pdf
Conversion error messages
If you’ve received an error message when trying to convert one of your files, wait a few minutes and try
again. If you continue to see an error, the list below will help you troubleshoot the most common errors:
Error message
Explanation
We're sorry, a server error
This is a temporary error, try converting the file again in a few
occurred. Please wait a bit and
minutes.
try again.
Document too large.
The file is too large for the conversion process; consider
dividing up the original file. You can also learn more about size
limits.
Sorry, that file is corrupt, or an
The file can't be converted. Check if it's a supported format. If
unknown format.
the file is a supported format, try uploading it again.
Unable to convert document.
Try converting the file again in a few minutes. If it still doesn’t
convert you may need to upload the file again.