docx
DOCX is Anthropic's proprietary agent skill for creating, reading and editing Word files, including tracked changes, comments and tables of contents; its license limits it to Claude and Anthropic's own products.
Install DOCX
In Claude Code, add Anthropic's skills marketplace
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skillsThen install the document-skills plugin, which holds the Word, PDF, PowerPoint and Excel skills
/plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skillsIn Claude.ai, Anthropic says its example skills are already available on paid plans: switch them on under Customize > Skills.
Or paste this into your coding agent: Install the agent skill docx from github.com/anthropics/skills.
A skill can include scripts that run on your computer, so read its source first.
What DOCX does
The DOCX skill teaches Claude to work with Word documents (.docx) and Word templates (.dotx). It loads when you mention a Word file or ask for a report, memo, letter or template delivered as one. It covers creating, reading and editing documents, find-and-replace, images, tracked changes and comments. It is not for PDFs, spreadsheets or Google Docs.
DOCX writes new documents with the docx library for JavaScript, following a list of known pitfalls, such as A4 being the default page size and tables needing widths on the table and on every cell. Existing files are unzipped and their XML edited directly. Bundled Python scripts merge split text runs so phrases can be found, validate against the Office XML schemas, check that every redline edit is tracked, accept tracked changes and add anchored comments. After writing a file, Claude renders its pages as images and looks at them.
DOCX is one of Anthropic's four document skills, next to PDF, PowerPoint and Excel. Unlike most skills in Anthropic's repository it is not open source: the license allows use only within Anthropic's own services and forbids copying, changing or redistributing it. That is why this page lists only Anthropic's install routes.
When to use DOCX
- You need a report, memo or letter as a Word file with headings, page numbers or a table of contents.
- You want to redline a contract with tracked changes and comments.
- You need to find and replace text or swap images in an existing Word document.
- You want the text of a .docx file as Markdown.
When to pick something else
- You work in Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI or another agent that is not Anthropic's: the docx license bars copying the skill there.
- You want a PDF or a spreadsheet: the skill says it is not for those; Anthropic's PDF and XLSX skills cover them.
- You want a Google Doc: the skill does not load for Google Docs.
Which agents DOCX works in
Anthropic documents DOCX for Claude Code, Claude.ai, Claude API.
DOCX license
DOCX is published under Proprietary: use only within Anthropic's services, no copying or redistribution. The LICENSE.txt in the docx folder (read 2026-10-01) puts use under your agreement with Anthropic and forbids extracting the files from Anthropic's services, keeping copies outside them, copying them, making derivative works and redistributing them. Anthropic's README calls its four document skills source-available, not open source. You may read the files on GitHub, but you may not copy them into Codex, Cursor or any other agent, or publish a changed version.
Questions people ask
Can I use Anthropic's docx skill in Codex, Cursor or ChatGPT?
No. Its LICENSE.txt (read 2026-10-01) forbids keeping copies outside Anthropic's services, copying and redistribution, so it is meant for Claude.ai, Claude Code through Anthropic's plugin, and the Claude API. The open skills CLI does list it, but installing it into another agent copies the files, which the license forbids.
Can the docx skill redline a contract with tracked changes?
Yes. It edits the document XML directly, and bundled scripts check that every redline edit is tracked, add anchored comments and validate the file against the Office XML schemas. Claude then renders the pages as images and looks at them.
Related skills for documents and office files
- Obsidian Markdown: obsidian-markdown is Steph Ango's agent skill for writing Obsidian Flavored Markdown: notes with properties, wikilinks, embeds, callouts and block references that render correctly in an Obsidian vault.
- PDF (OpenAI): pdf is OpenAI's open-source agent skill for making and reviewing PDF files: the agent builds them with Python libraries, renders each page to an image and checks the layout before delivering.
- PDF: PDF is Anthropic's proprietary agent skill for reading, creating and editing PDF files, from pulling out tables to filling forms and OCR; its license limits it to Claude and Anthropic's own products.
- PPTX: PPTX is Anthropic's proprietary agent skill for building PowerPoint decks from scratch or from your template and checking every slide for overflow; its license limits it to Claude and Anthropic's products.
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