mydocs.school

Guide · Reference

Microsoft 365 file types in your school account.

A practical reference. What each format holds, what it opens with on a personal computer, and the file types you should convert before your school account closes.

Why this matters

When you download your archive from mydocs.school, you'll see a zip full of files with extensions like .docx and .one. Most of them open with software you probably already have, but some — Publisher, Access, Visio — can be tricky on a personal computer. Knowing which is which lets you triage now, while you still have your school account, instead of discovering a problem next year.

Every format you're likely to find

  • .docxMicrosoft Word document

    Holds: Essays, reports, coursework drafts, marked teacher feedback.

    Opens with: Word (any version since 2007). Free alternatives: Google Docs (upload), LibreOffice Writer, Apple Pages.

  • .pptxPowerPoint presentation

    Holds: Class talks, society pitches, open-evening presentations, group projects.

    Opens with: PowerPoint. Free alternatives: Google Slides (upload), LibreOffice Impress, Apple Keynote.

  • .xlsxExcel spreadsheet

    Holds: Data tables, fieldwork results, budget planners, science practical results, Maths project workings.

    Opens with: Excel. Free alternatives: Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, Apple Numbers.

  • .oneOneNote section file

    Holds: One section's worth of pages from a OneNote notebook — text, ink, images, embedded files.

    Opens with: OneNote desktop. The Mac OneNote app needs a workaround — see the support page.

    How to open .one on Windows and Mac →

  • .onetoc2OneNote table of contents

    Holds: The notebook's index — keeps sections in order and tracks links between pages.

    Opens with: OneNote desktop, but it isn't a file you open by itself; it sits alongside the .one files in a notebook folder.

  • .pdfPortable Document Format

    Holds: Marked exam papers, reading lists, teacher handouts, official letters, certificate copies.

    Opens with: Any web browser, Adobe Reader, Preview on Mac, or any PDF reader.

  • .jpg / .png / .heicPhoto or scanned image

    Holds: Whiteboard photos, scanned worksheets, art portfolio shots, design sketches.

    Opens with: Photos app on Mac/Windows, Preview on Mac, any browser. .heic from iPhone may need conversion on Windows.

  • .mp4 / .movVideo

    Holds: Recorded class sessions, presentations you filmed, drama performances, science demos.

    Opens with: Any video player (VLC, QuickTime, Movies & TV).

  • .vsdxVisio diagram

    Holds: Flowcharts, network diagrams, architecture drawings — common in Computer Science and Design Technology.

    Opens with: Visio (Windows). Free alternative: draw.io / diagrams.net imports .vsdx in a browser.

  • .pubMicrosoft Publisher document

    Holds: Newsletters, posters, programme leaflets — older school work often uses Publisher.

    Opens with: Publisher (Windows only). Free alternatives are limited; LibreOffice Draw can sometimes open it. Worth converting to PDF before you lose your school account.

  • .accdbAccess database

    Holds: Computer Science coursework, ICT projects, club membership databases.

    Opens with: Access (Windows). Free alternatives are scarce — LibreOffice Base can sometimes import the tables. Consider exporting your tables to .csv before you leave.

  • .doc / .xls / .pptLegacy Office formats (pre-2007)

    Holds: Older work, often inherited from a teacher's template or copied from a parent's drive.

    Opens with: Modern Word/Excel/PowerPoint open these without issue. Free alternatives also support them.

Protected or encrypted files

Some schools apply Information Rights Management (also called Microsoft Purview / Azure Information Protection) to sensitive documents — typically exam papers, safeguarding records, and confidential teacher reports. These files are tied to your school account and won't open after you leave, even if you keep a copy.

If you click a downloaded file and Word says “Permission to this document is currently restricted”, you have a protected file. Options:

  • Open it now (while your account still works) and save a copy as PDF. PDFs from protected sources usually keep working after the account closes.
  • Ask the teacher who shared it whether an unrestricted version exists.
  • Accept that some content was never yours to keep — that's the point of IRM.

Files worth converting before you leave

Most Microsoft formats are well-supported on personal computers, but a few aren't. While you still have your school account, consider converting these to a more portable format:

  • Publisher (.pub): open in Publisher → File → Export → PDF. Now it opens anywhere forever.
  • Access (.accdb): open in Access → for each table, External Data → Export → Excel or CSV.
  • Visio (.vsdx): open in Visio → File → Save As → PDF or PNG. Keeps the diagram readable on any device.
  • Anything you marked “Restricted”: save as PDF first.