simpleHWP한국어

How to open an HWP file

No Hancom Office needed — works on Mac and iPhone too.

HWP is the document format of Hancom Office, the word processor used across Korean government offices and schools. If someone in Korea sent you a file you cannot open, this is almost certainly why. HWPX is the newer version of the same format, XML-based inside, used in the same places.

Open a file in your browser

No install, no sign-in, and the file is not stored.

1. Open it in your browser

The fastest route. Open simpleHWP, drag the file in or pick it, and it appears. Nothing to download.

The document is processed inside your browser and is not sent to a server. That matters when the file is a contract or a personnel record and you would rather not upload it to a conversion site.

2. Opening HWP files on a Mac

macOS has nothing that opens HWP by default, which is why double-clicking does nothing or launches the wrong app. Three options:

• Open it in a browser — Safari or Chrome, no install.
• Buy Hancom Office for Mac — if you need to edit, not just read.
• Ask the sender for a PDF — simplest if you only need to read it once.

3. iPhone and Android

To read an HWP attachment on a phone, save it first, then pick it in simpleHWP. On iPhone it lands in the Files app; on Android, in My Files or Downloads.

4. When the file will not open

Check these in order.

1. Look at the extension. It should be .hwp or .hwpx. Files sometimes arrive as .hwt (a template) or wrapped in .zip.
2. Check the download finished. A file of 0 bytes, or far smaller than expected, was cut off in transfer. Download it again.
3. Check for a password. An encrypted document has to be unlocked by whoever knows the password and sent again.
4. Ask the sender to re-save it. Very old files, or files produced by a converter rather than Hancom Office, can have a damaged structure. A file re-saved from Hancom Office usually opens.

5. Converting HWP to PDF

Open the document, then choose Save as PDF under Print & PDF. You do not need a conversion site. You can also save the original file as-is.

Common questions

Is it really free?

Yes. No account, no sign-in.

Is my file uploaded?

No. The document opens inside your browser. The one exception is when you choose to send a problem report, and you can see exactly what would be sent before sending it.

Can I edit the document?

Not yet — it is read-only. Viewing, text search, zoom, printing, and saving to PDF or keeping the original are supported.

Is there a file size limit?

No, though a very large document takes longer to open.