View and edit PDF, Hangul and Word documents
on your own computer, for free.
Papy is a source-available document app that opens and edits PDF, HWP, HWPX, DOCX and DOC files. Switch between view and edit mode in one step, then save, save as or convert formats, all offline. No sign-up, no ads, no uploads.
What Papy promises
Offline first
Your documents are never sent to any server. Papy works without an internet connection.
No account, no ads
No sign-in, no ads, no usage tracking. Install it and start working.
View or edit
Read in view mode, then press Ctrl/⌘+E to edit. One app for every document.
Save and convert
Save in the original format, or convert between HWP, HWPX, DOCX and PDF. Legacy Word (.doc) files open and convert too.
Korean documents first
Open and edit HWP and HWPX, the formats widely used in Korea, without Hancom Office.
Light and fast
Built with a Rust document engine and Tauri, so the installer is small and the app starts quickly.
Every desktop
Windows, macOS and Linux first, then Android and iOS.
Source available
All code is public on GitHub, so anyone can review it and contribute (PolyForm Noncommercial).
Formats and progress
| Format | What works | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing, zoom, outline; highlight, underline, strikethrough, pen, text box, notes; fix text already on the page; rotate, move and delete pages | v0.4.0 | |
| HWPX · HWP (5.x) | Viewing, typing and deleting text, character and paragraph formatting, undo, password-protected files | v0.4.0 |
| DOCX | Viewing, typing and formatting text; tables, images, shapes (rectangles, ellipses, lines, text boxes), grouped shapes, charts (as pictures), headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes and numbered lists kept | v0.4.0 |
| DOC (Word 97–2003) | Viewing and editing; tables, images, footnotes, headers and footers kept; save as DOCX, HWP, HWPX or PDF | v0.4.0 |
| Conversion | Between HWP, HWPX and DOCX, from DOC, plus export to PDF and plain text | v0.4.0 |
| Advanced editing (HWP, HWPX) | Tables and cells, images and objects, headers and footers, footnotes, find and replace | v0.4.0 |
| PPT · PPTX → XLS · XLSX | Next after the three document families: PowerPoint viewing and PDF export first, then Excel viewing and editing | Planned |
Frequently asked questions
Click a question to see the answer. If yours is not here, please contact us.
Price and license
Is it really free?
Yes, for noncommercial use such as personal, study, research and nonprofit work. There are no ads, subscriptions or paid features.
Can I use it at work?
Commercial use, such as at a company, needs a separate commercial license. Please contact us.
What is the license?
Both the source code and the released apps use the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 license.
- Use, modify and share for noncommercial purposes: allowed
- Commercial use: needs a separate commercial license
Documents and formats
Can I open HWP files without Hancom Office?
Yes. Papy opens HWP (5.x) and HWPX without Hancom Office, and you can edit the text and formatting and save. Tables, images and headers are edited with advanced editing.
Does it work with Word (DOCX, DOC) files?
- DOCX: open, edit, and save as DOCX, or convert to HWP, HWPX or PDF.
- DOC (97–2003): open and edit, then save as DOCX, HWP, HWPX or PDF.
- Images, shapes, grouped shapes, charts, headers, footers, footnotes and numbered lists are carried over.
Papy tells you when a file has elements it cannot carry over yet, such as OLE objects or floating shapes in .doc files.
Does the layout stay the same between Hangul and Word?
The content is carried over, but Hangul and Word break lines and pages by different rules, so line breaks and page counts may differ slightly. Papy tells you before you save to another format and when you open a Word file. Keep the original of important documents.
Can I export to PDF?
Yes. HWP, HWPX, DOCX and DOC documents export to PDF. PDFs open for highlighting, notes, pen, fixing text, and rotating or deleting pages.
When will PowerPoint and Excel files work?
After the three document families (Hangul, Word, PDF) are stable, PPT and PPTX come next, then XLS and XLSX.
Privacy and security
Are my documents sent over the internet?
No. Documents are processed only on your computer. The app goes online only for clearly stated purposes, such as checking for a new version (if that is added). See the privacy policy for details.
I see a security warning when installing.
Papy is not code-signed yet, so Windows and macOS warn on first launch. Files from the official download page are safe to open. See installation for the steps on each system.
Install and devices
Which operating systems are supported?
Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Linux (.deb, .rpm, AppImage). The download page shows the file for your system first.
How do I get a new version?
Download the new version and install it the same way; it replaces the old one. There is no automatic update yet.
Can I use it on my phone?
Only desktop apps are released for now. Android and iOS apps using the same engine are in preparation.