Microsoft Word Not Opening After Update Message On Mac

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May 20, 2019  The global template (the Normal.dotm file in Word 2007 and the Normal.dot file in Word 2003 and in earlier versions of Word) is the default template that is used by Word. By default, changes that affect all new documents are saved to the global template. A Microsoft Excel, Word or PowerPoint file does not open because of incorrect file associations. 3/30/2020; 4 minutes to read; Applies to: Excel 2013, Word 2013, PowerPoint 2013, Excel 2010, Microsoft Word 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Office Starter 2010, Office Standard 2010, Office Home and Student 2010, Office Home and Business 2010, Office Professional 2010, Office Professional Plus 2010. Aug 27, 2015 Don't you hate it when Office isn't responding and causing you all kinds of issues. Learn 2 simple fixes for solving the microsoft office not responding issue. Apr 16, 2018 Now, open the Microsoft folder (in Preferences), and drag com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist to the desktop. Note If you have Service Pack 2 installed, open Application Support Microsoft instead of Preferences Microsoft. Do you see the error? Quit Word, and drag one of the files back to its default location and test again.

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Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Symptoms

When you double-click one of these file types:

  • Word document (.doc or .docx)
  • Excel (.xls or .xlsx)
  • PowerPoint (.ppt or .pptx)

You may experience any of these problems:

  1. The file icon is blank or displays an incorrect image.

  2. The file does not open.

  3. You receive this error:

    This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel.

  4. You receive this error:

    <file name> not a valid Win32 Application

Cause

These problems occur when the association between the file and the corresponding application is missing.

Resolution

Before you continue with any of the methods in this section, we recommend that you check for multiple Office installations on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Type appwiz.cpl in the Search box, and then press Enter.
  2. Check the list of currently installed programs for multiple installations of the Microsoft Office suite.

If there are multiple installations of Microsoft Office installed on the computer we recommend that you follow the steps that are listed in Method 2 of this section. If there is only one installation of Microsoft Office on the computer, follow the steps that are listed in Method 1 of this section. Only follow the steps that are listed in Method 3 if you still experience the problem after you have attempted the first two methods or you have installed Microsoft Office Trial suite.

Method 1

If there is only one installation of Microsoft Office 2010 on the computer, follow these steps to repair Microsoft Office:

  1. Type appwiz.cpl in the Search box, and then press Enter.

  2. Select the Microsoft Office 2010 suite you want to repair and then click Change.

  3. Select Repair, and then click Continue. You may have to restart your computer after the repair is completed.

Method 2

If you have more than one installation of a Microsoft Office 2010 suite on your computer we recommend that you uninstall the Click-to-Run based suites to avoid file type association issues. You will have to uninstall the Microsoft Office Starter, Microsoft Office Click-to-Run or Microsoft Office 2010 Trial suite and repair the traditional MSI (Microsoft Installer package) based installation of Microsoft Office 2010:

  1. Type appwiz.cpl in the Search box, and then press Enter.
  2. In the Currently installed programs list, select Microsoft Office Click-to-Run 2010, and click Uninstall.
  3. You will see a prompt requesting to uninstall your selection. Click Yes.
  4. Follow the uninstall instructions, and then restart the computer.
  5. Type appwiz.cpl in the Search box, and then press Enter.
  6. Select the Office 2010 MSI-based suite that you want to repair and click Change.
  7. Select Repair, and click Continue. You may have to restart your computer after the repair is completed.

Method 3

Note

This method may not be a permanent fix to the file type association problem that you are experiencing. We recommend that you follow the previous methods first and only try these steps if you continue to experience the problem.

If you only have one of Microsoft Office Starter, Microsoft Office 2010 Trial or Microsoft Office Click-to-Run 2010 installed on the computer follow these steps to manually reassociate the file:

  1. Right-click the Microsoft Office file that you want to open.

  2. Select Open with, and then click Choose default program...

  3. In the Recommended Programs list, select Microsoft Office Client Virtualization Handler.

  4. Click to select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file check box, and then click OK.
    If you only have a Microsoft Office 2010 MSI (Microsoft installer package) based suite installed on the computer follow these steps to manually reassociate the file:

  5. Right-click the Microsoft Office file that you want to open.

  6. Select Open with, and then click Choose default program...

  7. In the Recommended Programs list, select the appropriate program to associate with the file.

  8. Click to select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file check box, and then click OK.
    Your file icon should now display the correct image and it should open in the correct Microsoft Office program.

More Information

The Click-to-Run and traditional MSI (Microsoft installer package) versions of Microsoft Office 2010 are not designed for use on the same computer. We recommend that you select one version to run on the computer to avoid problems such as those stated in this article.

Microsoft Word Not Opening After Update Message On Mac Download

For more information about Microsoft Office Click-to-Run and file associations, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

982434 An overview of Microsoft Office Click-to-Run for Office 2010

If you have followed the steps in this article, and you are still receiving the same error messages listed in the Symptoms section of this article, you may have permissions problems with your registry.Since it may not be possible to know what caused or led to the permissions problems, we suggest you consider restoring Windows to a previous state.

Restore system files and settings (Windows 7)https://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Restore-system-files-and-settings

How to repair the operating system and how to restore the operating system configuration to an earlier point in time in Windows Vista

How to restore Windows XP to a previous state

If your Excel files are still not opening, but the error has stopped after following these steps, you may have an additional problem to resolve.

We suggest you also check the content provided in this article:

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Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Summary

This article describes how to identify a damaged document in Word 2007 and later versions. Additionally, this article includes steps that explain how to recover the text and data that is contained in a document after you have identified the document as damaged.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Update Microsoft Office and Windows

Many software issues can be resolved by updating the Microsoft Office and Windows programs.

A damaged document or a software issue?

A Word document can become corrupted for several reasons that will prevent you from opening it. This behavior may be related to damage to the document or to the template on which the document is based. This behavior might include the following:

  • Repeatedly renumbers the existing pages in the document
  • Repeatedly redoes the page breaks in the document
  • Incorrect document layout and formatting
  • Unreadable characters on the screen
  • Error messages during processing
  • A computer that stops responding when you open the file
  • Any other unexpected behavior that cannot be attributed to the typical operation of the program

Sometimes, this behavior can be caused by factors other than document damage. It is important to determine whether the document is damaged or whether the problem is a software issue. To eliminate these other factors, follow these steps:

  1. Look for similar behavior in other documents. Try to open other Word documents to see whether the same problem occurs. If they open correctly, then the problem might be with the Word document.
  2. Look for similar behavior in other Microsoft Office programs. If this is the case, then the issue might be with another application or the operating system.

If any of these steps indicate that the problem is not in the document, you will then have to troubleshoot Word, the Office suite, or the operating system that is running on the computer.

Troubleshooting steps to try if the damaged document does not open

Try the methods in the order given. If one does not work for you, try the next one.

Method 1: Open the damaged document in draft mode without updating links

Step 1: Configure Word

  1. Start Word.
  2. On the View tab, select Draft in the Views group.
  3. Select the File Menu, and then Options, and then Advanced.
  4. In the Show document content section, select Use draft font in Draft and Outline views and Show picture placeholders.
  5. Scroll down to the General section, clear the check box Update automatic links at open, select OK, and then close Word.

Step 2: Open the damaged document

  1. Start Word.
  2. Select the File Menu, and then select Open.
  3. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

If you can open the document, close the document and then reopen it by using method 6, and repair the document. Otherwise go to method 2.

Method 2: Insert the document as a file in a new document

Step 1: Create a new blank document

  1. Select the File Menu, and then select New.

  2. Select Blank document, and then select Create.

    Note

    You might have to reapply some formatting to the last section of the new document.

Step 2: Insert the damaged document into the new document

  1. On the Insert tab, select Insert Object, and then select Text From File.

  2. In the Insert File dialog box, locate and then select the damaged document. Then, select Insert.

    Note

    You might have to reapply some formatting to the last section of the new document.

Method 3: Create a link to the damaged document

Step 1: Create blank document

  1. In Word, select the File Menu, and then select New.
  2. Select Blank document, and then select Create.
  3. In the new document, type 'This is a test.'
  4. Select the File Menu, and then select Save.
  5. Type 'Rescue link,' and then select Save.

Step 2: Create link

  1. Select the text you typed in step 1-3.
  2. On the Home tab, select Copy in the Clipboard group.
  3. Select the File Menu, and then select New.
  4. Select Blank document, and then select Create.
  5. On the Home tab, select the arrow on the Paste button in the Clipboard group, and then select Paste Special.
  6. Select Paste link, select Formatted Text (RTF).
  7. Select OK.

Step 3: Change the link to the damaged document

  1. Right-click the linked text in the document, point to Linked Document Object, and then select Links.

  2. In the Links dialog box, select the file name of the linked document, and then select Change Source.

  3. In the Change Source dialog box, select the document that you cannot open, and then select Open.

  4. Select OK to close the Links dialog box.

    Note

    The information from the damaged document will appear if there was any recoverable data or text.

  5. Right-click the linked text, point to Linked Document Object, and then select Links.

  6. In the Links dialog box, select Break Link.

  7. When you receive the following message, select Yes: Are you sure you want to break the selected links?

Method 4: Use the 'Recover Text from Any File' converter

Note

The 'Recover Text from Any File' converter has limitations. For example, document formatting is lost. Additionally, graphics, fields, drawing objects, and any other items that are not text are lost. However, field text, headers, footers, footnotes, and endnotes are retained as simple text.

  1. In Word, select the File Menu, and then select Open.
  2. In the Files of type box, select Recover Text from Any File(.).
  3. Select the document from which you want to recover the text.
  4. Select Open.

After the document is recovered by using the 'Recover Text from Any File' converter, there is some binary data text that is not converted. This text is primarily at the start and end of the document. You must delete this binary data text before you save the file as a Word document.

Click your account name below Current User, then click Login Items. Choose Apple menu System Preferences, then click Users & Groups.b. Test your login items.a. Hi Lou,Since you can use Word properly in Mac safe mode but not in normal mode, the issue may be related to the incompatible login items. Microsoft office safe mode mac. Therefore, you can try the following methods to check the outcome:1.

Note

If you are using Word 2007 and there is not a file button in the User Interface, choose the Office Button and follow the directions when necessary.

Troubleshooting steps to try if you can open the damaged document

Method 1: Copy everything except the last paragraph mark to a new document

Step 1: Create a new document

  1. In Word, select File on the Ribbon, and then select New.
  2. Select Blank document, and then select Create.

Step 2: Open the damaged document

  1. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Open.
  2. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

Step 3: Copy the contents of document, and then paste the contents into the new document

Note

If your document contains section breaks, copy only the text between the sections breaks. Do not copy the section breaks because this may bring the damage into your new document. Change the document view to draft view when you copy and paste between documents to avoid transferring section breaks. To change to draft view, on the View tab, select Draft in the Document Views group.

  1. In the damaged document, press CTRL+END, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+HOME.
  2. On the Home tab, select Copy in the Clipboard group.
  3. On the View tab, select Switch Windows in the Window group.
  4. Select the new document that you created in step 1.
  5. On the Home tab, select Paste in the Clipboard group.

If the strange behavior persists, go to method 8.

Method 2: Change the template that is used by the document

Step 1: Determine the template that is used by the document

  1. Open the damaged document in Word.
  2. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Options.
  3. Select Add-Ins.
  4. In the Manage box, select Templates under View and manage Office add-ins.
  5. Select Go.

The Document template box will list the template that is used by the document. If the template that is listed is Normal, go to step 2. Otherwise, go to step 3.

Step 2: Rename the global template (Normal.dotm)

  1. Exit Word.
  2. Select the Start button.
  3. In your operating system, search for normal.dotm. It's typically found in this location: %userprofile%appdataroamingmicrosofttemplates
  4. Right-click Normal.dotm, and then select Rename.
  5. Type 'Oldword.old', and then press ENTER.
  6. Close File Explorer.
  7. Start Word, and then open the document.

Step 3: Change the document template

  1. Open the damaged document in Word.
  2. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Options.
  3. Select Add-Ins.
  4. In the Manage box, select Templates, and then select Go.
  5. Select Attach.
  6. In the Templates folder, select Normal.dotm, and then select Open.
  7. Select OK to close the Templates and Add-ins dialog box.
  8. Exit Word.

Step 4: Verify that changing templates worked.

  1. Start Word.
  2. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Options.
  3. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

If the strange behavior persists, go to method 3.

Method 3: Start Word using default settings

You can use the /a switch to start Word by using only the default settings in Word. When you use the /a switch, Word does not load any add-ins. Additionally, Word does not use your existing Normal.dotm template. Restart Word by using the /a switch.

Step 1: Start Word by using the /a switch

  1. Exit Word.

  2. Select the Start button and search for Run. In the Run dialog box type the following:

    winword.exe /a

Step 2: Open the document

  1. In Word, select File on the Ribbon, and then select Open.
  2. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

If the strange behavior persists, go to method 4.

Method 4: Change printer drivers

Step 1: Try a different printer driver

  1. In your operating system search for Devices and Printers.
  2. Select Add a printer.
  3. In the Add Printer dialog box, select Add a local printer.
  4. Select Use an existing port, and then select Next.
  5. In the Manufacturer list, select Microsoft.
  6. Select Microsoft XPS Document Writer, and then select Next.
  7. Select Use the driver that is currently installed (recommended), and then select Next.
  8. Select to select the Set as the default printer check box, and then select Next.
  9. Select Finish.

Step 2: Verify that changing printer drivers fixes the problem

  1. Start Word.
  2. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Open.
  3. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

If the strange behavior persists, go to step 3.

Step 3: Reinstall original printer driver.

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  1. In your operating system search for Printers.

  2. Select the original default printer, and then select Delete.

    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or select Continue.

  3. If you are prompted to remove all the files that are associated with the printer, select Yes.

  4. Select Add a printer or scanner, and then follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard to reinstall the printer driver.

Step 4: Verify that changing printer drivers fixes the problem

  1. Start Word.
  2. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Open.
  3. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

If the strange behavior persists, go to method 5.

Method 5: Force Word to try to repair a file

Step 1: Repair document

In Word, select File on the Ribbon, and then select Open.

  1. In the Open dialog box, click once to highlight your Word document.
  2. Select the arrow on the Open button, and then select Open and Repair.

Step 2: Verify that repairing the document fixes the problem

Verify that the strange behavior no longer occurs. If the strange behavior persists, restart Windows, and then go to method 6.

Method 6: Change the document format, and then convert the document back to the Word format

Step 1: Open the document

  1. Start Word.
  2. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Open.
  3. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

Step 2: Save the document in a different file format

  1. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Save as.
  2. Select Other Formats.
  3. In the Save as file type list, select Rich Text Format (*.rtf).
  4. Select Save.
  5. Select File on the Ribbon, and then select Close.

Step 3: Open the document, and then convert document back to Word file format

  1. In Word, select File, and then select Open.
  2. Select the converted document, and then select Open.
  3. Select File, and then select Save as.
  4. Choose Word Document for the Save As type.
  5. Rename the document's file name, and then select Save.

Step 4: Verify that converting the document file format fixes the problem

Verify that the strange behavior no longer occurs. If the behavior persists, try to save the file in another file format. Repeat step 1 to step 4, and then try to save the file in the following file formats, in the following order:

  • Webpage (.htm; .html)
  • Any other word processing format
  • Plain Text (.txt)

Note

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When you save files in the Plain Text (.txt) format, you might resolve the damage to the document. However, all document formatting, macro codes, and graphics are lost. When you save files in the Plain Text (.txt) format, you must reformat the document. Therefore, use the Plain Text (.txt) format only if the other file formats do not resolve the problem.

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If the strange behavior persists, go to method 7.

Method 7: Copy the undamaged parts of the damaged document to a new document

Step 1: Create a new document

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  1. In Word, select File, and then select New.
  2. Select Blank document, and then select Create.

Step 2: Open the damaged document

  1. Select File, and then select Open.
  2. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.

Step 3: Copy the undamaged parts of document, and then paste the undamaged parts to the new document

Note

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If your document contains section breaks, copy only the text between the sections breaks. Do not copy the section breaks because this might bring the damage into your new document. Change the document view to draft view when you copy and paste between documents to avoid transferring section breaks. To change to draft view, on the View tab, select Draft in the Document Views group.

  1. In the damaged document, locate and then select an undamaged part of the document's contents.
  2. On the Home tab, select Copy in the Clipboard group.
  3. On the View tab, select Switch Windows in the Window group.
  4. Select the new document that you created in step 1.
  5. On the Home tab, select Paste in the Clipboard group.
  6. Repeat steps 3a to 3e for each undamaged part of the document. You must reconstruct the damaged sections of your document.

Method 8: Switch the document view to remove the damaged content

If the document appears to be truncated (not all pages in the document are displayed), it might be possible to switch the document view and remove the damaged content from the document.

  1. Determine the page number on which the damaged content is causing the document to appear to be truncated.

    1. In Word, select File, and then select Open.
    2. Select the damaged document, and then select Open.
    3. Scroll to view the last page that is displayed before the document appears to be truncated. Make a note of the content which appears on that page.

  2. Switch views, and then remove the damaged content.

    1. On the View tab in the Document Views group, select Web Layout or Draft view.
    2. Scroll to view the content that was displayed before the document appeared to be truncated.
    3. Select and delete the next paragraph, table, or object in the file.
    4. On the View tab in the Document Views group, select Print Layout. If the document continues to appear to be truncated, continue to switch views and delete content until the document no longer appears truncated in Print Layout view.
    5. Save the document.

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Method 9: Open the document with Notepad

If the document is corrupted and none of the previous methods work, try to recover its content by opening the document with Notepad.

Note

By using this method, you will lose all formatting. The intention is to recover the content.

  1. Locate the damaged document using Windows File Explorer.
  2. Right click the document and select Open with.
  3. Select Notepad:
  1. The document will open in Notepad with extra code and text around the content.

    Note

    You may have to change the file type from 'Text Documents (.txt)' to 'All Files (.*)'.

  2. Clean the text by deleting all or most of the extra characters.
  3. Select File, and then select Save As… Rename the document to make sure that you don't overwrite the damaged one.

Go back to Word and open the new document. Once in Word, you can clean it up and try to reapply the lost format.