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How to Work with WordPerfect Files on a Mac

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Ben Stevens Posted in How Do I ...? 14 Comments
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Some attorneys just seem to love WordPerfect.  I am not (and have never been) one of them, though I have several good friends who are.  For that reason, I occasionally receive files in *.wpd format, which I must open on my Mac.  This might seem to pose a slight problem, since there hasn’t been a Mac version of WordPerfect for several years.

Fortunately, there are several solutions to this "problem."  The one that I prefer is to simply open the *.wpd files using NeoOffice, a free open source word processor, and then saving into one of the many available formats, which will work with virtually all of the Mac word processing programs. In fact, many attorneys use NeoOffice as their word processing program, though I prefer Pages for my firm.

Of course, if you don’t want to use NeoOffice, you can also utilize one of the following methods: online translators (Zamzar or Media-Convert), translation program (MacLinkPlus), other word processing programs (Open Office, AbiWord, or Nisus Writer), or run WordPerfect for Macintosh using Classic environment (pre-Intel Macs) or Sheepshaver
(Intel Macs).

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14 thoughts on “How to Work with WordPerfect Files on a Mac”

  1. William Jackson says:
    September 25, 2009 at 5:53 pm

    Open Office 3 runs native now. I can run it in Snow Leopard even booted into 64 bit mode.

  2. Jennifer Ator says:
    September 29, 2009 at 9:10 am

    Yes, but how to do deliver a document in word perfect v11 format to the court (as required by Court order)?

  3. Jochen Brosien says:
    July 15, 2010 at 10:23 am

    Hi,
    I recently purchased a MacBook Pro for my wife. She is as well one of the attorneys who loves to work with WordPerfect. after talking to the Corel Hotline there is apparently no “WordPerfect for Mac” version available. The advice was to run the Mac like a PC. As a complete rookie to a Mac … who do I do that?
    I REALLY appreciate any help and guidance!
    Thanks,
    JB

    • Julie says:
      November 3, 2014 at 2:22 pm

      Hi there … was your wife ever able to run her Mac as a PC? I know it’s four years later now, so this may be a thing of the past for you guys (and your answer may be outdated for my needs!) … but just wondering if you ever learned/discovered anything that might help me. I’m trying to get into scoping and transcribing, but I have a Mac and would rather not buy a PC too, if I don’t have to. Thoughts? Thanks so much.

  4. Kimberly A. Barnett says:
    August 15, 2010 at 3:22 pm

    I too use WordPerfect in my solo office, have since v3.1!!! (Loved v5.1 when the fax ability was implemented.) Now, it is just part of my office. I have just pruchased an iPad and love it. Loved the iMac 21.5″ as well at the store. But, without WordPerfect, I am reluctant to switch. I am currently utilizing a netbook in my office. (Look Mom, no cords!) The iPad with an iMac would really make live easier with info easily transferred between the two, and only one cord. I can live with Keynote. But I would miss the PDF function and pleadings of WordPerfect. Way better than Bill’s. Maybe Corel will reinstate a Mac version with Office v6 and I’ll be a iMac? Until then, WordPerfect is why I’m a PC with an iPad.

    • Regina says:
      August 14, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      Does it make you wonder if ‘Bill’ has Corel on the payroll?

  5. John Rethorst says:
    September 8, 2010 at 10:10 pm

    WordPerfect Mac can now run on Intel Macs and on Macs using the Leopard OS (10.5) and later, using a free emulator called SheepShaver. A complete, one-click install is free at:
    http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/wordperfectmac/
    This site also has hundreds of third-party files and links, and a knowledgeable, active support group.
    John R.

    • John Rethorst says:
      November 15, 2019 at 10:35 pm

      The WP Mac community has moved from Yahoo to Groups IO. Please see:

      https://groups.io/g/wordperfectmac

      Thank you,
      John R.

  6. Cheryl Warren says:
    October 11, 2010 at 1:28 pm

    Hi, I am not a licensed practicing attorney but would like to join the group. I favor Word Perfect and want to convert from P.C. to Mac. And generally would like to become proficient in using mac applications. Really appreciate your expertise.

  7. Derick Fay says:
    October 27, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Here is my approach / some resources to the switch.
    http://dfay.fastmail.fm/wordperfect/
    Gero Hermann’s Spotlight plug-in and QuickLook viewer have made things a lot easier.

  8. Tamas Makai says:
    November 17, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    If any one needs help converting let me know ai can make same very good sugestion on how to du it.!

    • Jeff Short says:
      November 27, 2014 at 9:22 am

      Just bought an iMac yesterday and beginning the transition from PCs. I have an old, PC version of WordPerfect (9) that will suffice for my purposes. So, is there a download that I should use to utilize that software, or should I buy the new versions?

  9. Koes Nandar says:
    May 26, 2015 at 10:32 pm

    I still use WordPerfect 2012 on my MacBook via CrossOver. It works well after some workarounds. Using WP on CrossOver is far better than using SheepSaver/QEMU/Parallels/VMWare, because it runs at near native speed, smooth animation, and integrated to OSX filesystem.

  10. Dean Burrell says:
    August 3, 2016 at 3:06 pm

    I just converted to Mac, after 6 disastrous months with Windows 10 on HP spectre. Is CrossOver still the best approach? I downloaded/purchased WordPerfect Viewer for Mac from the lawbox before checking this blog. Really cheap, $6, problem is that once a document is converted from word perfect to word it can’t be converted back. The conversion process does funky things (changing font size, spacing, etc.) but manageable. I need to be able to work on wp doc and return in that format to my mentor.

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