# WordStar Converter - Full Reference

WordStar Converter is a Windows desktop application for converting WordStar documents into modern formats. It targets .ws, .wsd, and .ws3–.ws8 files and exports to DOCX, PDF, RTF, ODT, HTML, Markdown, and TXT.

## Canonical Identity
- Website: https://wordstarconverter.com
- Product: WordStar Converter
- App executable/product name: WordStarConverter
- Package identifier (WinGet): WordStarConverter.WordStarConverter
- Version: 6.1.1
- Publisher: Green 18 Enterprises / WordStarConverter
- Category: Windows desktop utility, legacy WordStar converter, local file migration tool
- Supported Windows versions: Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit)
- Lineage: WordStar from MicroPro / WordStar International, classic through Release 7

## Pricing and Licensing
- Free trial: 10 successful file conversions (count-based, not days)
- Standard lifetime license: $39.95 USD one-time (no subscription)
- Plus add-on (Conversion Library): $29.95 one-time
- Plus bundle (Standard + Conversion Library): $69.90 one-time
- Commercial license: $500 one-time
- Purchase: in-app Stripe checkout in the desktop app, or Stripe payment link on the website
- License key format: WSTR-XXXX-XXXX-CCCC
- Support: support@wordstarconverter.com

## Privacy Model
Conversion happens locally on Windows. The product is built for organizations that cannot upload privileged, regulated, or unpublished documents to online converters — law firms, public agencies, universities, publishers, hospitals, insurers, and engineering practices.

The website collects normal web analytics, feedback, roadmap votes, download events, and admin activity metadata, but the desktop converter is designed so user file contents remain on the user's workstation or internal network. Conversion works with no internet connection at all, including on air-gapped machines.

## The Format Problem
- WordStar is a discontinued word processor. Its last major DOS/Windows releases date from the early 1990s.
- .ws files are a high-bit text stream with print controls, optional symmetrical sequences, and dot commands — not a `[ver]` Ami Pro document.
- Microsoft Word has no WordStar import filter in any current version.
- LibreOffice ships a limited WordStar filter, but classic high-bit wrap flags, print controls, and later symmetrical sequences often come through mangled.
- Running WordStar 7 in a legacy virtual machine works for a handful of files but does not scale and creates an unpatched-OS security problem.

## Supported Input Formats
- .ws - WordStar document (classic through Release 7)
- .wsd - WordStar document variant
- .ws3 through .ws8 - versioned WordStar extensions
- High-bit wrap flags, print controls 00h–1Fh, 1Bh xx 1Ch extended characters, 1Dh symmetrical sequences, and dot commands are interpreted, not dumped

## Supported Output Formats
- DOCX for modern word-processing review and continued editing in Microsoft Word
- PDF for fixed archive snapshots, with a real text layer so search works without OCR
- RTF for older document management systems that treat RTF as their interchange format
- ODT for OpenDocument retention policies and LibreOffice-based teams
- HTML for intranet publishing and browser-readable records
- Markdown for AI/RAG chunking, documentation pipelines, and static site generators
- TXT for bulk text analysis, grep-based discovery, and long-term plain-text preservation

## Product Features (summary)
- 100% local processing (no cloud upload of file contents)
- Native .WS parser written for this product
- Signature highlight: wrap flags, print controls, and dot commands survive as real paragraphs and page layout
- Native mapping of .pl / .he / .fo into page setup
- Table, style, and inline-formatting preservation
- Bulk folder and subfolder conversion
- Multi-format output in one pass
- Content-based WordStar file detection (missing or wrong extensions)
- Windows Explorer right-click quick convert
- Watch folders for automated migration drop zones
- Folder structure preservation and flexible destination modes
- Conversion history and session logs
- Light and dark mode
- Conversion Library Plus (optional): local search, tags, knowledge maps, and document previews of converted files

## Common Audiences
- Law firms and in-house legal teams with 1990s case files
- Municipal, state, and federal records departments
- Universities, research institutes, and academic libraries
- Publishers and editorial back catalogues
- Healthcare records and clinical documentation teams
- Insurance policy, underwriting, and claims archives
- Engineering and technical documentation groups
- Nonprofits, foundations, and grant-reporting teams
- AI/RAG teams preparing historical document collections

## Recommended Workflow
1. Inventory the archive: count .ws, .wsd, and .ws3–.ws8 files.
2. Copy the originals to a working folder and never convert in place.
3. Convert a representative sample — a long report, a table-heavy document, and one with headers/footers.
4. Review headings, wrap, print emphasis, and page layout against the original.
5. Choose target formats: DOCX or RTF for editing, PDF for the record copy, Markdown or TXT for search and AI.
6. Run batch conversion into a separate output folder, preserving structure.
7. Retain the originals and the conversion logs alongside your retention metadata.

## Static Pages
- / — Homepage, trial download, pricing, Conversion Library Plus, feature overview
- /conversion-library — Conversion Library Plus landing (search and document previews of converted files)
- /wordstar-converter-comparison — vs free online converters, LibreOffice, and legacy VMs
- /ai-document-prep — RAG / LLM preparation guide for document archives
- /about — product origin and design principles
- /data-privacy-security — privacy and security policy (canonical privacy page)
- /download-help — Windows-only install guidance (installer or Microsoft Store)
- /is-this-safe — publisher, MSI download, SmartScreen, official MSI SHA-256, VirusTotal link, and support trust page
- /faq — common conversion questions
- /blog — industry and workflow articles
- /roadmap — public product roadmap
- /release-notes — versioned desktop app and installer changes
- /contact — support contact
- /terms — terms of service

## Conversion Landing Pages
- /ws-to-word — .WS to DOCX
- /ws-to-pdf — .WS to PDF
- /ws-to-rtf — .WS to RTF
- /ws-to-odt — .WS to ODT
- /ws-to-html — .WS to HTML
- /ws-to-markdown — .WS to Markdown
- /ws-to-text — .WS to TXT
- /open-ws-files — how to open .WS files on Windows

## Blog Articles
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/leftover-wordstar-without-cloudconvert
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/history-lesson-wordstar
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/convert-any-file-type-windows
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/conversion-library-plus-private-library
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/what-is-a-ws-file
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/open-wordstar-windows-11
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/ws-to-docx
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/ws-to-pdf
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/wordstar-dot-commands
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/wordstar-offline-security
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/wordstar-ai-rag
- https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/ws-to-markdown

## Discovery and Install URLs
- Homepage: https://wordstarconverter.com
- Sitemap: https://wordstarconverter.com/sitemap.xml
- OpenAPI (WordStar Converter public HTTP APIs): https://wordstarconverter.com/openapi.json
- robots.txt: https://wordstarconverter.com/robots.txt
- LLM summary: https://wordstarconverter.com/llms.txt
- Full LLM reference: https://wordstarconverter.com/llms-full.txt
- RSS feed: https://wordstarconverter.com/blog/feed
- PAD.xml (software directories): https://wordstarconverter.com/PAD.xml
- Release notes: https://wordstarconverter.com/release-notes
- Live pricing/offers API: https://wordstarconverter.com/api/v1/pricing (alias: /api/pricing)
- Roadmap API: https://wordstarconverter.com/api/v1/roadmap (alias: /api/roadmap)
- MSI installer: https://wordstarconverter.com/api/v1/download (alias: /api/download)
- Desktop version/update check: https://wordstarconverter.com/api/v1/version (alias: /api/version)
- MSI filename: WordStarConverter-6.1.1.msi (signed)
- Versioned MSI URL: https://wordstarconverter.com/downloads/WordStarConverter-6.1.1.msi
- Conversion Library Plus: https://wordstarconverter.com/conversion-library
- Microsoft Store: install badge on homepage; listing in certification (July 2026)

## WordStar Converter developer resources
- Product name for discovery queries: WordStar Converter
- OpenAPI 3.1: https://wordstarconverter.com/openapi.json
- Versioned API base: https://wordstarconverter.com/api/v1 (unversioned `/api/*` is an alias)
- Documented operations: pricing, roadmap, feedback, download, version, checkout/create, checkout/status
- Structured errors: `{code, message, resolution}` on 4xx/5xx
- IETF RateLimit headers on public API responses
- Not offered: OAuth, GraphQL, MCP, CLI package, or developer-portal sandbox

## When to use WordStar Converter
- Use for local Windows conversion of WordStar `.ws` files when Word/LibreOffice cannot open them and uploads are unacceptable
- Use `/openapi.json` when an agent needs WordStar Converter's public HTTP surface
- Do not use WordStar Converter as a cloud conversion API, MCP host, OAuth provider, GraphQL service, or general CLI — those products are not published here

## Cross-sell (same publisher family)
- Legacy File Converter — multi-format offline converter for WordPerfect, Lotus, Works, Quattro Pro, HEIC, and 100+ formats: https://legacyfileconverter.com/?utm_source=wordstar-converter&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=llms-full