Convert WordStar .WS to Word (DOCX)
Make old WordStar documents fully editable in Microsoft Word — one file or ten thousand, converted locally on your PC.
TL;DR
Install the free WordStar Converter trial, add your .ws files, choose DOCX, and convert. You get real, editable Word documents with wrap, emphasis, and layout recovered from the native WordStar format — and nothing is uploaded.
How to convert WordStar to Word (DOCX) — step by step
Install WordStar Converter (free trial)
Download the installer for Windows 10/11. The trial converts up to 10 files free with all features enabled.
Add .WS files or an entire folder
Drag and drop files, or point the app at a folder tree. .ws, .wsd, and versioned .ws3–.ws8 names are all included.
Choose DOCX as the output format
Select Word (.docx). Need PDF copies for the record at the same time? Select both formats in a single pass.
Convert and open in Word
Click Convert, then open the results in Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, or Google Docs. Documents are fully editable.
Why convert WordStar files to Word?
WordStar defined PC word processing in the 1980s. Microsoft Word has never shipped a .WS import filter. LibreOffice’s WordStar filter is incomplete. Converting .WS to DOCX turns a frozen archive back into a living document your team can edit.
A native conversion is different from dumping high-bit text into Notepad. WordStar Converter unwraps the classic high-bit word-wrap flags, maps print controls and emphasis, and honors Release 5+ symmetrical sequences so the DOCX looks like the document instead of a telegraph tape.
Safer than free online converters
Online converters require uploading confidential WordStar documents to third-party servers. WordStar Converter runs entirely on your Windows PC — nothing is uploaded.
That matters for contracts, case files, board minutes, and any archive covered by privilege, GDPR, HIPAA, or confidentiality clauses.
FAQ
Is there a free way to convert .WS to Word?
Yes. The free trial of WordStar Converter converts up to 10 files with full features — no signup and no watermarks. Unlimited conversions are a one-time $39.95 license (no subscription).
Is this an online converter? Do my files get uploaded?
No. WordStar Converter is a Windows desktop app. Every conversion runs locally on your PC. Nothing is uploaded.
Can I convert an entire folder of WordStar files at once?
Yes. Point the app at a folder (it scans subfolders), select Word as the output, and it batch-converts .ws, .wsd, and .ws3–.ws8 files in parallel.
Which WordStar versions are supported?
WordStar Converter reads classic WordStar documents through Release 7, including high-bit wrap flags, print controls, and later symmetrical sequences.
Can Microsoft Word open .ws files by itself?
No. Word has no WordStar import filter — not in Microsoft 365, and not in any recent release. Convert to DOCX first.
Will bold, underline, and wrapping survive?
Yes. High-bit wrap, print controls, and emphasis sequences are mapped to native Word runs instead of being left as 8-bit artifacts.
Related conversions
Ready to make your WordStar documents editable again?
Free trial converts 10 files to Word — full fidelity, no uploads, no watermarks.
Free trial
Full app features — up to 10 files
Windows 10 or 11
Download the Windows installer for the full 10-file trial. Same app you unlock with a license — 100% local on your PC.