DOCX vs LIT
A detailed comparison of Word Document and Microsoft LIT — file size, quality, compatibility, and which format to choose for your workflow.
Word Document
Documents & TextDOCX is the modern Microsoft Word format based on Open XML. It is the most widely used word processing format in business and education, supporting rich text, images, tables, and macros.
About DOCX filesMicrosoft LIT
eBooksLIT is a legacy Microsoft Reader eBook format, now obsolete.
About LIT filesStrengths Comparison
DOCX Strengths
- Much smaller than the legacy .doc format thanks to ZIP compression.
- Human-readable XML inside — automated extraction and manipulation is straightforward.
- Preserves formatting, images, tables, footnotes, comments, and track changes.
- Supported natively by Word, LibreOffice, Pages, Google Docs, and most modern editors.
- ISO/IEC 29500 standardized — not locked to a single vendor.
LIT Strengths
- Good rendering quality via ClearType in its era.
- Efficient compression via LZX.
- Small file sizes for text-heavy books.
Limitations
DOCX Limitations
- Subtle formatting drifts when opened in non-Microsoft editors (fonts, line spacing, tab stops).
- Macros and embedded scripts make older .docm variants a common malware vector.
- Complex layouts with floating objects often reflow unpredictably.
- Version compatibility matters — Word 2007 cannot open some Word 2019 features cleanly.
LIT Limitations
- DRM activation servers are permanently offline — DRM-protected purchases are dead weight.
- Proprietary format with no vendor successor.
- Zero modern reader support (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
- Microsoft officially retired the product in 2012.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | DOCX | LIT |
|---|---|---|
| MIME type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | application/x-ms-reader |
| Container | ZIP archive (Office Open XML) | CHM-like (LZX-compressed OEBPS) |
| Standard | ISO/IEC 29500, ECMA-376 | — |
| Released in | Microsoft Office 2007 | — |
| Legacy predecessor | .doc (binary, OLE Compound File) | — |
| Extension | — | .lit |
| DRM | — | Microsoft Reader activation (servers offline since 2012) |
| Status | — | Retired |
Typical File Sizes
DOCX
- Short letter (1 page) 15–30 KB
- Academic paper (20 pages, no images) 80–200 KB
- Report with several images (30 pages) 1–5 MB
- Dissertation with figures (200 pages) 10–30 MB
LIT
- Novel (text only) 200 KB - 1 MB
- Illustrated book 2-10 MB
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Frequently Asked Questions
DOCX is the default document format for Microsoft Word since 2007, based on the Office Open XML standard. It stores text, formatting, images, tables, and macros in a compressed XML-based package.
DOCX is the default document formato para Microsoft Word since 2007, based no Office abrir XML padrão. It stores text, formatoting, images, tables, e macros em um comprimido XML-based package.
DOCX files open in Microsoft Word, Google Docs (free), LibreOffice Writer (free), and Apple Pages. You can also view them in web browsers using OneDrive or Google Drive.
DOCX arquivos abrir in Microsoft Word, Google Docs (free), LibreOffice Writer (free), e Apple Pages. You can also view them in web browsers usando OneDrive ou Google Drive.
Use DOCX when the document will be edited by others or needs collaborative review. Use PDF when you want to lock the layout and ensure the document looks identical on every device and printer.
Use DOCX when the document will be edited by others ou needs collaborative review. usar PDF when you querer lock the layout e ensure the document looks identical on every device e printer.