Default file format
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Word 2016\Word Options\Save Description
This policy setting determines the default file format for saving files in Word. If you enable this policy setting, you can set the default file format from among the following options: - Word Document (*.docx): This option is the default configuration in Word. - Single Files Web Page (*.mht) - Web Page (*.htm; *.html) - Web Page, Filtered (*.htm, *.html) - Rich Text Format (*.rtf) - Plain Text (*.txt) - Word 6.0/95 (*.doc) - Word 6.0/95 - Chinese (Simplified) (*.doc) - Word 6.0/95 - Chinese (Traditional) (*.doc) - Word 6.0/95 - Japanese (*.doc) - Word 6.0/95 - Korean (*.doc) - Word 97-2002 and 6.0/95 - RTF - Word 5.1 for Macintosh (*.mcw) - Word 5.0 for Macintosh (*.mcw) - Word 2.x for Windows (*.doc) - Works 4.0 for Windows (*.wps) - WordPerfect 5.x for Windows (*.doc) - WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS (*.doc) - Word Macro-Enabled Document (*.docm) - Word Template (*.dotx) - Word Macro-Enabled Template (*.dotm) - Word 97 - 2003 Document (*.doc) - Word 97 - 2003 Template (*.dot) - Word XML Document (*.xml) - Strict Open XML Document (*.docx) - OpenDocument Text (*.odt) Users can choose to save presentations or documents in a different file format than the default. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Word saves new files in the Office Open XML format: Word files have a .docx extension. For users who run recent versions of Word, Microsoft offers the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, which enables them to open and save Office Open XML files. If some users in your organization cannot install the Compatibility Pack, or are running versions of Word older than Microsoft Office 2000 with Service Pack 3, they might not be able to access Office Open XML files. This policy setting is often set in combination with the "Save As Open XML in Compatibility Mode" policy setting.
Registry
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Default file format
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options]
; "defaultformat"= ; value not representableMore formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Default file format
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'defaultformat' -Value # value not representableIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Default file format
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
# HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options\defaultformat: defaultformat= is not representable as a registry value.
# No testable registry values are available for this state.
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Default file format
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'defaultformat' -Value # value not representableSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Default file format
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Default file format
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
# HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options\defaultformat: defaultformat= is not representable as a registry value.
# No testable registry values are available for this state.
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Default file format
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'defaultformat' -Value # value not representableBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.