AW to DOTM Converter

AW to DOTM online — macro-enabled Word templates from old files

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Macro-Ready Output

DOTM supports VBA macros, letting you automate workflows on top of the document structure recovered from your AW files.

Browser-Based Tool

No software to install — just open the converter in any browser, upload your AW file, and download the DOTM template.

Fast Conversion

Get your DOTM file in seconds. Dedicated cloud servers handle the transformation so your machine stays free.

How to convert AW to DOTM

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

AW is the document format of Applix Words, the word processor component of the Applix office suite (later renamed Anyware Office) developed by Applix, Inc. for Unix and Linux workstations. The suite targeted enterprise Unix environments during the 1990s, providing word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, and presentation capabilities on platforms like Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, and Linux where Microsoft Office was unavailable. AW files store formatted text documents with support for character and paragraph styling, page layout, tables, headers and footers, and embedded graphics. The format uses a proprietary binary structure optimized for the Applix application's internal document model. Applix Words gained particular visibility in the Linux community during the late 1990s when it was bundled with several commercial Linux distributions as their default word processor before OpenOffice.org became widely available. One advantage was native Unix platform support — Applix provided professional word processing capabilities on Unix workstations at a time when few commercial alternatives existed. The format's tight integration with other Applix suite components enabled cross-referencing between word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Applix was acquired by Cognos in 2003, and the office suite was discontinued. AW files are primarily encountered today in archived documents from Unix enterprise environments of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Developer: Applix, Inc.
Initial release: 1992
DOTM is a macro-enabled template format for Microsoft Word, introduced with Office 2007 as part of the Office Open XML family. DOTM combines the template functionality of DOTX — providing reusable styles, page layouts, boilerplate content, and formatting definitions — with the ability to embed VBA macro code that executes in documents created from the template. The format is a ZIP archive containing XML parts for styles, document defaults, and theme definitions, plus a vbaProject.bin stream for the VBA project. This combination enables organizations to distribute not just visual consistency but also functional automation: every document created from a DOTM template inherits both the formatting framework and programmatic capabilities. Common use cases include templates that auto-populate document fields from corporate directories, enforce naming conventions, generate tables of contents, insert dynamic headers with project metadata, or validate document structure before submission. One advantage is embedded workflow automation — a DOTM template can include initialization macros that configure the document environment, register custom ribbon commands, and connect to data sources the moment a new document is created from it. The distinct .dotm extension allows administrators to apply differentiated trust policies for macro-containing templates versus standard DOTX files. DOTM is supported exclusively in Microsoft Word desktop editions where VBA execution is available.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: January 30, 2007

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DOTM?

DOTM is a macro-enabled Word template format. It can contain VBA macros alongside formatting, styles, and layout data.

Why convert AW to DOTM?

If you plan to add macros to your template later, DOTM is the right choice — it supports automation that DOTX cannot.

What software opens DOTM files?

Microsoft Word (2007+) opens DOTM files natively. LibreOffice Writer can also open them with some macro limitations.

Is AW to DOTM conversion free?

Yes, the conversion is free. For higher volume or larger files, premium accounts provide expanded capabilities.

Are macros created during conversion?

No — the conversion produces the DOTM container. You can add macros afterward using the VBA editor in Word.

How long does it take?

Most AW to DOTM conversions complete in seconds. Cloud-based processing ensures your device is never burdened.