How are you accessing your .dotx files? Are you going to Word > File > Open...? If so, that's your edit mode. If you choose New instead of Open, then select Personal rather than Office, you should be able to use templates instead of editing them.
How are you accessing your .dotx files? Are you going to Word > File > Open...? If so, that's your edit mode. If you choose New instead of Open, then select Personal rather than Office, you should be able to use templates instead of editing them.