ABW to TXT Converter

Convert ABW to TXT online — extract plain text free

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up
to
Facebook Amazon Microsoft Tesla Nestle Walmart L'Oreal

Instant Extraction

ABW to TXT conversion is lightning fast — plain text output means minimal processing time for any document size.

No Software Needed

Run the conversion straight from your browser on any platform. No apps, plugins, or extensions required.

Privacy Guaranteed

Uploaded ABW files are deleted after conversion. TXT downloads are removed from servers within 24 hours.

How to convert ABW to TXT

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose txt or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your txt file right afterwards

About formats

ABW is the native document format of AbiWord, a free and open-source word processor originally developed by AbiSource in 1998 and later maintained as part of the GNOME Office suite. The format stores document content as well-formed XML, describing paragraphs, character formatting, page layout, headers and footers, tables, lists, footnotes, and embedded images in a human-readable structure. ABW files use a straightforward markup where document sections map to XML elements with attribute-based styling, making the format transparent and easy to parse programmatically. AbiWord was designed as a lightweight alternative to heavyweight office suites, running efficiently on older hardware and resource-constrained systems while still providing core word processing functionality. One advantage is the clean XML foundation — ABW files can be inspected, transformed, and generated using standard XML tools and scripting languages without requiring the AbiWord application itself. The lightweight nature of both the format and its parent application is another practical strength: AbiWord and its ABW format are commonly found on Linux distributions targeting older computers and educational deployments in developing countries through projects like OLPC. ABW files can be converted to mainstream formats like DOC, ODT, and PDF through AbiWord's built-in export or through document conversion tools.
Developer: AbiSource
Initial release: 1998
TXT (Plain Text) is the most fundamental digital document format, storing unformatted text as a sequence of character codes with no embedded styling, layout instructions, or metadata beyond the characters themselves. The foundation of plain text computing traces to the ASCII standard published in 1963 by the American Standards Association (now ANSI), which defined 128 character codes including uppercase and lowercase Latin letters, digits, punctuation, and control characters. Modern plain text files typically use UTF-8 encoding, a variable-width Unicode scheme that encompasses virtually every writing system worldwide while maintaining backward compatibility with ASCII. Line endings vary by platform convention — LF on Unix/macOS, CR+LF on Windows — though most contemporary tools handle both transparently. One advantage is absolute universality — TXT files can be created, read, and edited on every computing device ever manufactured, from 1960s mainframes to modern smartphones, without any specialized software. The minimal overhead is another core strength: plain text carries zero formatting baggage, making TXT files ideal for configuration files, log output, data interchange, source code, scripts, and any context where content must be processed programmatically. Plain text serves as the substrate for structured formats like CSV, JSON, XML, YAML, and Markdown, and remains the input/output medium for virtually all command-line tools and programming environments. Despite decades of richer alternatives, TXT endures as the one truly universal document format.
Developer: ANSI
Initial release: 1963

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert ABW to TXT?

TXT strips away all markup and gives you raw text — perfect for data extraction, scripting, or minimal editing.

Will I lose formatting in TXT?

Yes, TXT is plain text only. Bold, fonts, and layout are removed — only the textual content is preserved.

What opens a TXT file?

Every operating system includes a text editor: Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on Mac, gedit or nano on Linux.

Is the conversion free?

Standard ABW to TXT conversions are completely free. Premium plans unlock higher volume and speed.

Can I batch-convert ABW files to TXT?

Upload several ABW files at once and each will be converted to an individual TXT file in parallel.

Is TXT good for archiving text content?

TXT is the most durable text format — readable by any system, any era, with zero software dependencies.

ABW to TXT Quality Rating

4.3 (42 votes)
You need to convert and download at least 1 file to provide feedback!