Google Documents has recently dropped support for older formats of Microsoft Office which means now you can’t download your documents in old formats such .doc, .xls and .ppt.
You can still import your old Office formats into Google Docs but you cannot export the files out of Google Docs in older formats. The new formats that Google Docs supports are .docx, .xlsx and .pptx.
Here are a few ways using which you can get make your Google Docs documents compatible with older version of Microsoft Office.
Convert the file online
There are many online converter tools available using which you can convert files online. After downloading a file from Google Docs, head over to these sites which will convert files to old format. Zamzar.com and mediaconverter.org are two such sites. If you have sensitive data in the file, then this may not be the best option for you. Take a look at other two options below.
Install Office Compatibility Pack
Install the Office Compatibility pack on machines running older version of Microsoft Office. This compatibility pack enables you to open, edit, and save newer formats through the older version of Microsoft Office.
Email the file as attachment
Here’s a small trick which allows you to export the file in older office formats. You need to simply email the file to yourself as an email attachment. This can be done from File -> Email as attachment. Select the desired format from “Attach as” drop-down menu, enter your email address in “To” field and hit the Send button.
Try out any one of these options to download Word, Excel and PowerPoint Files From Google Docs in Old Office.
(via: CNET)
