Top 10 Solutions To Repair Corrupt Word Files Easily

(Automatic Solution) – How Do I Open A Word Document That Won’t Open?

In order to repair a corrupt Word file, I would like to recommend one of the best options which you can try is MS Word Repair Tool. This software is the most effective way to fix damaged, corrupt, or inaccessible Word file formats such as DOC, DOCM, DOTX, DOCX, and DOTM.

The best part about this repair software is that it is compatible with almost every version of the Windows program. And it specially designed to repair corrupt or (.doc) and (.docx) files back in a hassle-free manner.

Steps To Use This Recommended Tool:

First, download & install the repair tool on your PC.
Next, run the tool & select .doc file to fix.
Let the program scan your .docx file to repair it.
After completing the scanning process, you’ll get the message the process is successful.
On the screen, you can preview the fixed file.
Lastly, choose the location where you want to save your DOCX file on your computer drive.

(Manual Solutions) – How Do I Repair A Corrupted Docx File?

No matter whatever the reason may responsible for the corruption in Word document is, now you can easily repair corrupt Word files by trying the below possible ways.

Fix #1: Try To Open Your Word File In Another PC

When first time you notice that your MS Word file got corrupted, then you can try to open the “corrupt” Word document in some other computer. After doing so, if you are still unable to open your Word document then you try the next method to fix corrupt MS word file.

Fix # 2: Open & Repair Option

To repair a corrupt Word file, try the inbuilt Microsoft Office feature. This feature is quite easy & useful to remove minor file corruption issues for sure. So, simply follow the steps below to fix the corrupt Microsoft word file:

First of all, open your MS Word and make click on the File and then Open button (In absence of the File button, you can click on the Office Ribbon).
After that, navigate where your damage Word document is located.
Next, choose the Word file & click on down arrow near the Open
At last, tap on the ‘Open & Repair’ option, then MS Word will try to repair and open via removing its file corruptions.

In case, this inbuilt feature doesn’t solve your issue, then try the other solutions mentioned below.

Fix #3: Change The Doc File Format

To Repair Docx file, you can also convert your corrupt Word document file to any other format. For this, you need to follow the below-given instructions:

Step 1: Select your DOC file which you need to convert.

Step 2: Next, choose the DOCX as the file format you require to convert the corrupt DOC file to.

Step 3: Finally, make click on the “Convert” option to simply convert the broken DOC file.

Fix #4: Try CHKDSK To Repair Corrupt Word Document:

CHKDSK is another method that you can try to fix the problem. Performing the CHKDSK will allow you to test the integrity of the file system and to resolve your .docx file corruption problem as soon as possible. To fix corrupt word file, just try these steps:

Firstly, you have to go to search bar, after that just type Run
Next, you need to type the CMD in Run Window

Now, run the command CHKDSK [Drive][Path][filename][/R] in CMD to fix your DOCX file.

Fix #5: Try To Open Your Docx File In The Draft Mode

Also, you can use Draft mode to fix and open your broken MS Word document file. Below are the steps described which you can follow to do so:

Step 1: At first, you need to click on the File and then Options

Step 2: After that, tap on the option Advanced and scroll down to Show document section

Step 3: Now, verify Show picture place holder’s box & Use the draft font in Draft and Outline views box

Step 4: In the Document Views section, you have to go to the word > View > Draft

Step 5: Lastly, try to open your damaged .docx file.

Fix #6: Open Your Word File Using Default Setting

Try to launch your Word file by using /a switch. When you launch a document by using /a switch then Word file neither load any add-ins nor it uses a global template.

Step 1: Open Your Word File Using /A Switch

Exit all word files.
Click on Start, go to Run.
Type “%programfiles%microsoft officeoffice12winword.exe” /a (Word 2007) and “%programfiles%microsoft officeoffice14winword.exe” /a (Word 2010).

Step 2: Now Launch Your Document:

Go to File>Options.
Select your corrupt file and click Open.

If this tip does not repair your file then try the next way.

Fix #7: Restart Your Window In Safe Mode &Then Open The .Docx File

Step 1: Start Windows In Safe Mode

Remove all connected devices such as pen drive, external hard disk, DVD, memory card, cd from your computer, and then restart it.
Go to Start > Shutdown.
A message prompt with the message ‘What do you want the computer to do’, select Restart, and then hit Ok.
When Windows restart a message will appear on your screen, press F8, and select Safe Mode.

Step 2: Check If Restarting Windows Has Fixed Your Problem Or Not

Open Word.
Go to File>Options.
Select your corrupted Word and click Open.

If the problem still persists then try other methods.

Note: This method is only valid when you’re able to open the corrupted file (.doc & .docx).

Fix #8: Use a New Document

Here is another trick to repair MS Word files while the documents are facing corruption issues. But creating a new file might help you to repair Word documents.

Open MS Word 2010 or any other version and click on File
New Choose Blank document and proceed to click on Create.
Select Insert tab and click on Insert Object > Text from File.

‘Insert File’ dialog box will appear on the screen.

There, you need to select the corrupt document file by going to its location and click on Insert. You will be able to view the text contents of the damaged Word file.

Fix #9: Change Global Template (Normal.Dotm)

Step 1: But first you have to find out the type of template used by your file. Follow the below steps to do that:

Just open the MS Word file
Next, click on the MS Office button then, go to the File > Options.
After that, click on Add-Ins.
At this time, go to the Manage Box > View and then, manage the Office add-ins > Template. And tap on the go.

Well, if the listed template is Normal then go to step 2, or else follow step 3.

Step 2: Rename Global Template:

First exit all Word file.
Click on Start, go to the Run and type %userprofile%Application DataMicrosoftTemplates, and hit enter.
Right-click and rename the Normal.dotm file by Oldword.old and hit enter.

Step 3: Change A Template:

First of all, open the Word document.
Now, go to the File > Options > Add-Ins > Manage Box > Template & then click on Go
After that, tap on Attach and go to the Template folder > Normal.dotmand. Press Open.
In this step, click on Ok & close the Word.

Step 4: Check If New Template Is Working Or Not:

Simply, go to the File > Options.
Then, choose your corrupted Word file & click on Open.
Thus, if your file is still broken and not open then try the professional MS Word File Repair Tool to repair corrupt Word files.

Why Do Word Documents Get Corrupted?

Sometimes, it happens that the data may easily get corrupted due to the virus or malware infection or broken header of that file. So you should be very careful when you are handling the DOCX file otherwise there is a chance to lose the data in the Word documents for corruption.

How Do I Change A Word Document From Read Only To Edit?

You can easily change a Word Document from Read-only to edit by following the steps given below:

At first, close your Microsoft Word
Then, make right-click on MS Word file and choose the “Properties” from the context menu.
After that, clear “Read-Only” checkbox in the Properties dialog box.
Simply, click on “OK.”
At this time, right-click on Word file and then from the context menu choose the “Open with Microsoft Word“. Now, you will be able to edit the formerly read-only Word file.

Why Is My Word Document Not Opening?

Word document may fail to open due to the file itself is corrupted or because the Word document is being loaded from the damaged or corrupted floppy disk.

Why Can’t I Save My Word Document?

I think you may not be able to save your Word document due to any of the below-mentioned factors:

Sometimes, you may not be able to save your Word file due to antivirus.
This problem can occur because of your add-ins.
The issue can be caused by your template file.
Due to the registry issue.

How To Avoid Further MS-Word Document Corruption?

By following the below-listed points, you can easily prevent your MS Word document from further corruption issue:

Update antivirus tools on the PC to keep your computer clean from viruses & keep away from any file corruption.
Always try to keep a backup of your important documents to get back in case of any accidental data loss.
Use UPS to avoid unexpected system shut down because of power failure which may cause corruption of the file.

Final Verdict

After going through this complete article, now you can easily solve how to fix corrupt Word document problem. All the specified solutions mentioned in the above-section are very easy and effective to perform for any user.

For quick & instant results, you can try the MS Word file repair tool to repair corrupt Word files. You can free download the MS Word repair tool demo version to know its outstanding features & how it works.

Thanks for reading this article…

Steven Telfer is a senior writer at filerepairtool.net. He is a technology expert having over 4 years of experience and loves to write in different subjects like Video Repair, Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, Word & others. He has a Master’s degree in Computer Application and has solve many technical problems. In free time, he loves to read books and do research work to grow in his field.

Top 10 Solutions To Repair Corrupt Word Files Easily