Convert ODT to BBCode

Drag and drop files here or click to select.
Max file size 100mb.

Uploading progress:

ODT vs BBCode Format Comparison

Aspect	ODT (Source Format)	BBCode (Target Format)
Format Overview	ODT OpenDocument Text Open standard document format used by LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice. Based on XML inside a ZIP container. ISO/IEC 26300 standard for office documents with rich formatting support. Open Standard ISO/IEC 26300	BBCode Bulletin Board Code Lightweight markup language used on forums, message boards, and online communities. Uses square bracket tags for formatting. Supported by phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, Discourse, and many other platforms. Forum Markup Plain Text
Technical Specifications	Structure: ZIP archive with XML Encoding: UTF-8 XML Format: OASIS OpenDocument Compression: ZIP compression Extensions: .odt	Structure: Plain text with tags Encoding: UTF-8 text Format: Square bracket markup Compression: None Extensions: .txt, .bbcode
Syntax Examples	ODT uses XML markup: <text:p> <text:span style="bold"> Important text </text:span> </text:p>	BBCode uses square brackets: [b]Bold text[/b] [i]Italic text[/i] [u]Underlined[/u] [color=red]Red text[/color] [size=20]Large text[/size] [url=https://example.com]Link[/url]
Content Support	Rich text formatting Fonts, colors, sizes Tables with formatting Embedded images Headers and footers Page numbering Footnotes and endnotes Styles and templates	Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough Text colors and sizes Hyperlinks and email links Images via URL Ordered and unordered lists Quotes and code blocks Text alignment Spoiler tags (platform-specific)
Advantages	Open international standard WYSIWYG editing Rich formatting options Long-term archival format No vendor lock-in	Simple and easy to learn Works on most forums Prevents XSS attacks Human-readable source Copy-paste friendly No special software needed
Disadvantages	Cannot paste into forums Requires office software Binary format Not web-native	Limited formatting options No standard specification Platform variations No embedded images No tables (most platforms)
Common Uses	Office documents Reports and papers Business correspondence Document archival	Forum posts and replies Community announcements Game server descriptions Support tickets Wiki-style content Signature lines
Platform Support	LibreOffice: Native format OpenOffice: Native format MS Word: Import/export Google Docs: Import/export	phpBB: Full support vBulletin: Full support XenForo: Full support Discourse: Partial (Markdown preferred) SMF: Full support
BBCode Tags Reference	Note: ODT formatting converts to BBCode tags	Text: [b], [i], [u], [s] Links: [url], [email] Media: [img], [video] Lists: [list], [] Other:* [quote], [code], [spoiler]
Best For	Document creation Print-ready content Complex formatting Professional documents	Forum posts Online communities Gaming forums Support forums

Why Convert ODT to BBCode?

Converting ODT documents to BBCode allows you to post formatted content on forums and bulletin boards. BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is the standard markup language used by phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, and countless other forum platforms to safely format user posts.

BBCode uses square bracket tags like [b]bold[/b] and [i]italic[/i] instead of HTML. This design prevents XSS (cross-site scripting) attacks while still allowing users to format their posts attractively. Forum administrators can control which tags are allowed, ensuring security without sacrificing functionality.

When you have a document written in LibreOffice or OpenOffice and need to share it on a forum, you can't simply copy-paste – all formatting is lost. Converting to BBCode preserves your bold text, italics, lists, and links in a format that forums understand and render correctly.

BBCode is particularly useful for gaming communities, technical support forums, and any platform where users share formatted content. From game server rules to detailed tutorials, BBCode-formatted posts stand out and communicate information more effectively than plain text.

Key Benefits of Converting ODT to BBCode:

Forum Ready: Paste directly into phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, and more
Preserve Formatting: Keep bold, italic, lists, and links intact
Safe Markup: BBCode prevents security issues unlike raw HTML
Universal: Works on thousands of forum platforms
Human Readable: Easy to edit and customize after conversion
Copy-Paste: Simple text that works anywhere
No Plugins: Standard forum feature, no extensions needed

Practical Examples

Example 1: Forum Announcement

Input ODT file (announcement.odt):

Server Rules Update

Important: Please read carefully!

We've updated our community guidelines:
• Be respectful to all members
• No spam or advertising
• Keep discussions on-topic

Contact [email protected] for questions.

Output BBCode:

[size=24][b]Server Rules Update[/b][/size]

[color=red][b]Important:[/b][/color] Please read carefully!

We've updated our community guidelines:
[list]
[*]Be respectful to all members
[*]No spam or advertising
[*]Keep discussions on-topic
[/list]

Contact [email][email protected][/email] for questions.

Example 2: Game Guide

Input ODT file (guide.odt):

Beginner's Guide to PvP

Getting Started
First, you need to reach level 10.

Recommended Build:
1. Strength: 20
2. Agility: 15
3. Stamina: 10

Tip: Always carry healing potions!

Output BBCode:

[size=22][b]Beginner's Guide to PvP[/b][/size]

[b]Getting Started[/b]
First, you need to reach level 10.

[b]Recommended Build:[/b]
[list=1]
[*]Strength: 20
[*]Agility: 15
[*]Stamina: 10
[/list]

[quote]Tip: Always carry healing potions![/quote]

Example 3: Product Review

Input ODT file (review.odt):

Smartphone X Review

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Pros:
• Excellent camera
• Long battery life
• Beautiful display

Cons:
• Expensive
• No headphone jack

Buy here: https://example.com/phone

Output BBCode:

[size=22][b]Smartphone X Review[/b][/size]

[b]Rating:[/b] [color=gold]★★★★½[/color] 4.5/5 Stars

[color=green][b]Pros:[/b][/color]
[list]
[*]Excellent camera
[*]Long battery life
[*]Beautiful display
[/list]

[color=red][b]Cons:[/b][/color]
[list]
[*]Expensive
[*]No headphone jack
[/list]

[b]Buy here:[/b] [url=https://example.com/phone]example.com/phone[/url]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is BBCode?

A: BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language used to format posts on web forums. It uses square brackets like [b]bold[/b] instead of HTML tags. BBCode was created to allow formatting while preventing malicious HTML/JavaScript injection.

Q: Which forums support BBCode?

A: Most major forum platforms support BBCode, including phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, SMF (Simple Machines Forum), MyBB, Vanilla Forums, and many others. Some modern platforms like Discourse prefer Markdown but often still support BBCode for compatibility.

Q: Why not just use HTML on forums?

A: Allowing raw HTML would create security vulnerabilities (XSS attacks). BBCode provides formatting capabilities while being safely parsed by the forum software. Administrators can control exactly which BBCode tags are allowed.

Q: Are BBCode tags the same on all forums?

A: Basic tags like [b], [i], [u], [url], [img], and [list] are nearly universal. However, advanced tags like [spoiler], [video], [table], or custom tags vary by platform. Always check your forum's BBCode documentation for supported tags.

Q: Will my images from ODT work in BBCode?

A: BBCode's [img] tag only works with image URLs, not embedded images. Images from your ODT must first be uploaded to an image hosting service (Imgur, ImgBB, etc.), then referenced by URL: [img]https://example.com/image.png[/img].

Q: Does BBCode support tables?

A: Table support varies by forum. Some platforms have [table], [tr], [td] tags, while others don't support tables at all. If your ODT has tables, they may be converted to plain text or simplified lists depending on target platform capabilities.

Q: Can I edit BBCode after conversion?

A: BBCode is plain text, so you can easily edit it in any text editor before posting. Adjust colors, sizes, or tags to match your forum's style. The converted BBCode is a starting point you can customize.

Q: What's the difference between BBCode and Markdown?

A: BBCode uses square brackets [b]like this[/b], while Markdown uses symbols **like this**. BBCode is traditional for forums; Markdown is common on GitHub, Reddit, and modern platforms. Some sites support both. BBCode offers more formatting options (colors, sizes) than standard Markdown.