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Microsoft Word and Google Docs compatibility

It happens very often that someone wants to edit the same document with different processors that contain formulas created with MathType. If you use Microsoft Word 365 and Google Docs, MathType supports a full and bidirectional compatibility for their equations. In this section, we describe the steps to convert documents and equations from one context to another.

Edit equations created with the Microsoft Office Add-in using Google Docs MathType Add-on

You need to convert your .doc document into a document of Google Docs if you want to edit equations created with MathType Add-in for Word with MathType Add-on for Google Docs. Also, first, if there are any MathType 7 equation in the document, they need to be converted to the Add-In format as explained in the Equation conversion process from MathType 7 to MathType Add-in for Microsoft 365 section.

Compatibility with the native Microsoft Word equations editor

Note it is not possible to edit equations created with native Word editor using Google Docs.

In order to edit equations created using the Microsoft Office Add-in via Google Docs, the following steps need to be taken to ensure compatibility:

  1. Having a Microsoft Word file with equations inserted using the MathType Add-in, upload it to a Google Drive folder of your choosing.

  2. Open the file in Google Docs from the files view in Drive.

    If you are using Google Chrome, you will need to disable the Office Editing for Docs, Sheets, & Slides extension so that files open correctly.

    This extension must be disabled to appropriately convert files to Microsoft Word documents instead of being opened as Microsoft Office files. The steps to disable this extension are:

    1. In Google Chrome, tap More in the top right corner,

    2. then More tools,

    3. then Extensions.

    If you see the Office Editing for Docs, Sheets, and slides extension, click remove.

  3. Open the file.

  4. The Add-ons menu will not be visible, since Google Add-ons are only available in Google Docs Documents. To make it appear, click the File menu and then click the Save as Google Docs option.

    A new window will open, with your file in Google Docs format. You should now be able to see the Add-ons menu.

  5. Open the Add-on sidebar, select an equation, and click Open MathType or Open ChemType. The Equation should open in the Add-on. If you click insert, this equation will be in Google Docs format.

Note

The only format difference from the converted Add-in equation is how screen readers will treat the information included in the Accessible Text.

Edit equations created using the Google Docs Add-on in the Add-in for Microsoft Word 365

You need to convert your Google Docs document into a docx file if you want to edit equations created with MathType Add-on for Google Docs using the MathType Add-in for Microsoft Word 365.

To edit equations created using the Google Docs Add-on, you will need to do the following:

  1. In a Google Docs file with equations inserted using the Add-on, click the File menu, then Download, and then Microsoft Word (Docx).

  2. The file will be downloaded, under the same name as your Google Docs file, but with the .docx extension.

  3. Open the file using Microsoft Word, load the Mathtype Add-in, and select any of the equations present in the file.

  4. Click Open MathType or Open ChemType to open the editor with your selected equation. Click insert and the equation will be saved using the Office Add-in format.

Note

The only format difference from the converted Add-on equation is how screen readers will treat the information included in the Accessible Text.

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