Extract text from DVI files
To convert your DVI file to another format, you need TeX Live or other Page Layout software.
To convert other file formats to the "Typesetting Document" file type, you need software like TeX Live or a similar tool.
The .dvi (Device Independent) file is the fundamental output format of the TeX typesetting system, storing precise page layout instructions and character placement coordinates. Unlike modern document formats, .dvi files are merely an intermediate step in the publishing workflow.
Because .dvi files are not self-contained - they often rely on external system fonts and lack embedded graphics - they are notoriously difficult to share or view on standard devices like smartphones or web browsers. They require specific drivers to translate coordinates into visible pixels for printing or display. Consequently, most users find them unusable for final distribution.
To ensure your document is readable, the standard solution is converting .dvi to PDF (Portable Document Format) for universal compatibility and archiving. For professional printing workflows, converting to PostScript (.PS) is recommended. If you need to display technical or mathematical content on the web, converting to SVG or HTML ensures scalable, crisp rendering without requiring plugins.
Convert.Guru analyzes your DVI file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted PDF, DJVU, TEX, PS, GZ, CRDOWNLOAD, DAV, TXT, ZIP, AVI, RPT, PNG and PPTX files.
If you want to convert DVI file to PDF, VGA, MP4, DP, USB, AVI, PS, TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX or ODT, you can use TeX Live or similar software from the "TeX Typesetting Output" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert PDF, DOC, ASC, TODO, NFO, MEMO, README, DOCX, JPG, TXT, NOTE or RTF files to DVI, try TeX Live or another comparable tool in the "TeX Typesetting Output" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our DVI converter.