Save Time, Reduce Rework: Froala’s Export to Word in action

By Mostafa Yousef

In the fast-paced world of content creation, efficiency and compatibility are everything. Whether you’re a developer, content manager, or editor, the ability to seamlessly move your work from a rich text editor to a Word document can save hours of formatting and rework. That’s where Froala’s Export to Word Plugin shines.

Designed to bridge the gap between web-based content and traditional document formats, this plugin empowers users to convert beautifully formatted Froala Editor content directly into fully compatible Microsoft Word files — with just one click. The result? Effortless document sharing and smoother workflows across teams and platforms.

In this article, we’ll explore how the Export to Word Plugin works, its standout features, real-world use cases, and best practices to help you make the most of this powerful tool in your content pipeline.

Key Takeaways

• One-click export from Froala Editor to DOCX.

• You can customize export behavior with options like wordExportFileName and by subscribing to events (word.beforeExport, word.afterExport).

• This plugin helps maintain fidelity across cross-team sharing and cross-platform workflows.

Plugin Functionality

When the user clicks on the “Export to Word“ button, the plugin intelligently translates the editor content into a native Microsoft Word format, ensuring that the original design and structure remain intact during the conversion process.

Key Benefits

Discover how the Export to Word plugin unlocks smoother collaboration, consistent documents across teams, and significant time savings. Keep reading to see the concrete ways this tool streamlines your content pipeline and boosts productivity.

Simplified Workflow

Developers and content creators can now effortlessly move content between Froala Editor and Word documents with minimum manual reformatting.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

The plugin works consistently across:

• Different browsers

• Various operating systems

Time and Effort Savings

• Eliminates manual document reconstruction

• Reduces potential errors in content transfer

• Streamlines documentation processes

Installation and Setup

Getting started with the Froala Editor is a straightforward process designed to get you up and running quickly.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A modern web browser

• Basic JavaScript knowledge

Download the Editor

To obtain the Froala Editor, download the ZIP package by submitting the form on our download page. Refer to our get started page for alternative installation methods based on your framework.

After submitting the download form, save the API key that appears. Use this key to start your trial or choose a paid plan to obtain a licensed key for production use.

Include necessary JavaScript and CSS files

Open your project HTML file and include the Froala Editor JavaScript and CSS files.

There are different ways to do that.

1. Include Froala files in one bundle

Use Froala’s combined .pkgd bundle to simplify your setup (includes core editor and plugins).

<!-- Include Froala CSS -->
<link href="{{editor__download__folder}}/css/froala_editor.pkgd.min.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

<!-- Include Froala Editor JS files -->
<script type="text/javascript" src="{{editor__download__folder}}/js/froala_editor.pkgd.min.js"></script>

Note: When you use the “.pkgd” bundle, you don’t need to load the individual plugin files separately (including the Export to Word plugin).

2. Include Froala files separately

If you prefer to manage plugins individually, load the core files first and then add the Export to Word plugin explicitly.

<!-- Include Froala CSS -->
<link href="{{editor__download__folder}}/css/froala_editor.min.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

<!-- Include Froala Editor JS files -->
<script type="text/javascript" src="{{editor__download__folder}}/js/froala_editor.min.js"></script>

<!-- Include The “Export to Word“ plugin JS file -->
<script type="text/javascript" src="{{editor__download__folder}}/js/plugins/export_to_word.min.js"></script>

In either case, include the file-saver and html-docx libraries. These libraries are required for converting the editor content to Word documents.

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/file-saver-es@2.0.5/dist/FileSaver.min.js"></script>

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/html-docx-js@0.3.1/dist/html-docx.min.js"></script>

Initialize Your Editor

To initialize your Froala Editor, create an HTML container for the editor, then initialize Froala Editor on the container with JavaScript.

Here is the full code of what we did.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>Froala WYSIWYG Editor</title>
    <!-- Include Froala CSS -->
    <link href="{{editor__download__folder}}/css/froala_editor.pkgd.min.css" rel="stylesheet"
        type="text/css" />
</head>

<body>
    <!-- HTML element where the editor will be initialized -->
    <div id="editor">
        <p>This is the initial content of the editor.</p>
    </div>

    <!-- Include file-saver and html-docx libraries JS files -->
    <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/file-saver-es@2.0.5/dist/FileSaver.min.js"></script>
    <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/html-docx-js@0.3.1/dist/html-docx.min.js"></script>

    <!-- Include Froala Editor JS files -->
    <script type="text/javascript" src="{{editor__download__folder}}/js/froala_editor.pkgd.min.js"></script>

    <script>
        // Initialize the Froala Editor
        new FroalaEditor('#editor');
    </script>
</body>

</html>

Enabling the Plugin

The “Export to Word“ plugin is active by default. If you customize which plugins are loaded, make sure to explicitly include “exportToWord” in pluginsEnabled configuration and exclude it from pluginsDisabled configuration.

new FroalaEditor('#editor', { 

      pluginsEnabled: ['exportToWord','findReplace', 'fontFamily', 'image', 'link', 'video', 'emoticons'],

      pluginsDisabled: [

      'track_changes', 

      'fontSize'

      ]

 });

Toolbar Button

When the plugin is enabled, the “Export to Word” button will appear on the editor toolbar automatically.

If you’re customizing the editor’s toolbar buttons and want to display the Export to Word button, add export_to_word to your toolbar configuration:

new FroalaEditor('#editor', { 

      toolbarButtons: ['export_to_word', 'bold', 'italic', 'insertLink'],

      pluginsEnabled: ['exportToWord','findReplace', 'fontFamily', 'image', 'link', 'video', 'emoticons'],

      pluginsDisabled: [

      'track_changes', 

      'fontSize'

      ]

 });

Froala can tailor the toolbar for different screen sizes to create a responsive toolbar experience using these options:

• toolbarButtonsMD (Medium screens)

• toolbarButtonsSM (Small screens)

• toolbarButtonsXS (Extra small screens)

By default, these inherit the buttons from toolbarButtons.

Ensure “export_to_word” is included where needed in the relevant configuration.

The Export to Word Plugin Configuration

Froala’s Export to Word plugin provides multiple options, events, and methods to allow developers to customize the exporting process.

Rename Exported Document

The wordExportFileName option lets you set the file name for the exported Word document. You only provide the base name; the plugin will append the .docx extension automatically.

If you don’t specify a name, the export will use a default name such as “froala_editor .docx”.

new FroalaEditor('#editor', { 

    wordExportFileName: "myfile",

});

Customize the HTML Content Before Export

The word.beforeExport event lets you preprocess the editor’s HTML content right before it is converted to a Word document. In this event, you receive the HTML to be exported and must return the modified HTML. This gives you full control to adjust formatting, remove unwanted elements, or inject additional content before the export takes place.

Key points:

• Access the editor content as HTML within the event.

• Return the transformed HTML to be exported.

• Use this hook to apply custom formatting or content tweaks prior to conversion.
  

new FroalaEditor('#editor', { 
      wordExportFileName: "myfile",
      events: {
        'word.beforeExport': function (editorHtml) {

          // this is the editor instance.

            // Example: append a note to the exported document
          editorHtml += "<div>Exported By Mostafa</div>"; 

          return editorHtml;

        }
      }
 });

Customization After Export Process

Use the word.afterExport event to run actions once the Word export completes. This is ideal for logging, analytics, notifications, or updating the editor with the result of the export.

What you get:

• The exported HTML content is provided to the event callback, so you can access or modify it as needed.

• You can perform post-export tasks (e.g., send metrics, display a success message, or refresh the editor content).
  

new FroalaEditor('#editor', { 
      wordExportFileName: "myfile",
      events: {
        'word.beforeExport': function (editorHtml) {

          // this is the editor instance.

          // Edit the editor content
          editorHtml += "<div>Exported By Mostafa</div>"; 

          return editorHtml;

        },
        'word.afterExport': function (editorHtml) {

           // example: update the editor with the exported content
          this.html.set(editorHtml);
        },
      }
 });

This event provides flexibility in handling post-export tasks and integrating with other systems or tracking mechanisms.

Notes:

• Use the afterExport event for tasks that should run only after the document has been successfully created.

• The exportedHtml parameter gives you the final HTML that was converted to Word, allowing you to synchronize your UI or data flow accordingly.

Programmatically Export Content

In addition to using the toolbar button, you can trigger the Word export from code. The exportToWord.export() method lets you initiate the export on demand, from any custom event or workflow you define.

Key benefits:

• Flexible export triggers (e.g., after a save, on a separate button, or in response to a workflow event)

• Decouples export from the toolbar UI

• Keeps the user flow consistent with your application logic
  

new FroalaEditor('#editor', { 
      wordExportFileName: "myfile",
      events: {
        initialized: function () {
          this.exportToWord.export()
        },
      }
 });

Use Cases

Here are a few practical scenarios where the Export to Word plugin proves especially valuable. In real-world workflows, teams across content management, collaboration, and enterprise documentation rely on seamless web-to-Word exports to publish, archive, and share polished documents. The use cases below illustrate how this tool fits into everyday processes, helping you choose the right approach for your needs.

Content Management Systems

• Quickly convert web articles to downloadable documents

• Facilitate content archiving

• Enable easy sharing of web-based content

Collaborative Writing Platforms

• Seamless transition between web and desktop editing

• Preserve formatting during collaboration

• Support multiple document workflows

Enterprise Documentation

• Standardize document creation processes

• Integrate web content with traditional document management

• Enhance cross-department content sharing

Conclusion

The Export to Word Plugin represents a significant leap in web-to-document conversion technology. By seamlessly bridging the gap between web interfaces and Microsoft Word, it empowers developers and content creators to work more efficiently and flexibly.

As digital content continues to evolve, tools like this plugin will become increasingly essential in creating smooth, intuitive content workflows.

Take the next step

Ready to experience flawless Word exports in your own workflow? Download Froala Editor with the Export to Word plugin and put it to the test. This quick-start keeps you moving from editor to Word with minimal fuss.

FAQ

Do I need a separate converter or server-side component?

No. The plugin leverages client-side libraries (file-saver and html-docx-js) to produce Word documents in the browser.

Can I customize export behavior?

Yes. Use options like wordExportFileName, and hook into events such as word.beforeExport and word.afterExport as described in the article.

Where can I try Froala’s Export to Word plugin?

You can explore this interactive JSFiddle demo or install the plugin in your project for evaluation today.

This article was posted on the Froala blog.