When a document won't open in Word, you may get an error message, a different application may start, or the program will freeze or not open at all. There are a number of reasons why you might have problems with your Word document, and we've provided solutions for them all.
The instructions in this article apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and Word 2007.
It's not common for Microsoft Word to have problems opening files, but it does happen. Aside from file corruption, the most likely reason why a document won't open in Word is that your computer is set up to launch a different program when you open the file. The program may also need to be repaired or reinstalled.
There are several solutions depending on the problem.
Change the file association settings so that the document opens in Microsoft Word. If double-clicking a DOCX, DOC, or other document opens a different program (not MS Word), follow the instructions below.
Use the "Open and Repair" option. If the document cannot be opened because it is damaged, select the arrow next to the Open button, and then select Open and Repair .
Files can become corrupted when the computer crashes or loses power, or when the USB device is disconnected while a document stored on it is open.
Restore previous versions of documents. This feature will work if you use OneDrive or SharePoint and it has a working file backup. To check, right-click on the file and go to Properties > Previous Versions .
Unblock the file. Documents downloaded from the Internet may not open correctly in Word. Right-click the file and go to Properties > Unblock > OK and try opening it again.
Open Word in safe mode and try opening the document from there. If it works, check all add-ins installed in Microsoft Word; one or more may be the culprit.
Restart your computer. If Word does not start when you try to open a document, the program may be running in the background and restarting may resolve the issue.
Another way to close Word without restarting your PC is through Task Manager. If you are used to using this tool, find WINWORD.EXE in it and terminate the task.
Fix. In Windows 11, go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps . Find the Microsoft 365 or Office installation in the list, select the three dots and go to Advanced options > Repair . If this doesn't work, try a reset .
Reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office. This process is longer than the fix you performed in the previous step, but it may be necessary to resolve the issue.
Roll back your graphics driver. If Word stops opening documents after you update the driver, a bug may be causing a conflict with Word's Protected View settings.
