How to Make a File Unopenable on a PC or Mac (A Simple Guide)

If you're here to learn how to corrupt a file so that it won't open on a PC or Mac, you might think that it's a complicated task involving dozens of steps and a lot of time. Not so. You can damage a file and fix the problem in no time.

【Savior?】How to Use File Repair Tools to Fix Damaged Files

You can intentionally corrupt a file for reuse; just make sure to create a backup copy in case you need access to the data in the future. If, for some reason, your file gets corrupted or is damaged due to a virus, you might find yourself in deep trouble. Now, gaining access to this corrupted file will be your top priority, and tools like Fixo Document Repair can help you achieve that goal. Learn more about document repair tools.

This tool's PDF repair feature can quickly fix corrupted files. It can repair Excel, Word, PPT, and PDF documents. Additionally, it supports the repair of damaged videos and images.

Now, download this free data recovery tool to fix any corrupted files. It can also handle many other tasks to make your life easier. Besides, it's a cost-effective option since many file repair tools available online come with a hefty price tag.

Step 1: Download and launch Fixo on your computer or laptop. Choose "File Repair" to fix corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and more. Click "Add File" to select the damaged document.

Step 2. Click “Repair All” to fix multiple files at once, or hover over the file you want to repair and click “Repair.” You can also preview documents by clicking on the eye icon.

Step 3. Click “Save” to save the selected documents. Choose “Save All” to save all repaired files. Select “View Repaired Files” to locate the folder with your repaired files.

You can watch this video to learn how to repair a damaged file.

• 00:14 - Method 1: Insert into a New Word Document
• 00:38 - Method 2: Open and Repair
• 00:55 - Method 3: Default Settings
• 01:30 - Method 4: Using the Fixo Document Repair Tool

Method 1: Corrupt a File on a Mac or PC by Changing the File Extension On both Windows and macOS, file extensions are crucial for determining which application can open them. By simply changing the file extension, you can render a file unreadable or "corrupted." Note that this will permanently damage the file, and it may not be recoverable unless you have a backup. ### Changing a File Extension on Windows 1. **Locate the file whose extension you want to change.** Open "My Computer" or use the file search feature to find the file. 2. **Show hidden file extensions.** If the file extension is not visible, press `Win + E` to open File Explorer, then click the "View" tab at the top. Under "Advanced settings," check "File name extensions." 3. **Right-click the file and select "Rename."** 4. **Type in the new extension, then press `Enter`.** For example, change `.txt` to `.corrupt`. 5. **Confirm the change.** If a warning appears, confirm that you want to change the file extension. ### Changing a File Extension on a Mac 1. **Locate the file whose extension you want to change.** Open Finder and navigate to the file's location. 2. **Show hidden file extensions.** Open the Finder menu, choose "Preferences," and under the "General" tab, check "Show all file extensions." 3. **Select the file and press `Cmd + I`.** This opens the file information window. 4. **In the "Name & Extension" section, click the extension and type in the new one.** For instance, change `.docx` to `.garbled`. 5. **Close the file information window.** Now, the file should be corrupted on either Windows or macOS. However, be aware that this can lead to data loss and might violate computer usage policies. Proceed with caution.

File extensions are identifiers that tell the operating system about a file's nature and how to run it. Altering these extensions can confuse the OS about a file's type, making it unable to run the file. If you've mistakenly damaged your files, you can use tools like Fixo File Repair to help fix them:

Here's how to change a file extension to corrupt a file:

Step 1: Press the Windows key, search for “Folder Options.”

Step 2: Click the “View” tab when in Folder Options.

Step 3: There should now be a check box next to “Hide extensions for known file types.” Check that box.

Step 4: Now go to the file you want to corrupt, which will have an extension at the end of it; let's say it's a Word document with the .docx extension.

Step 5: Right-click the file and rename it.

Step 6: Don't rename it completely, just change the extension and hit Enter.

Now the operating system will not run that file, and anyone who tries to run it will see an error message.

Method 2: Corrupt the File Using Notepad on Windows

It is child's play to corrupt a Word or PDF file using Windows Notepad, in a matter of seconds, without compromising your reputation. If you accidentally corrupt an important file, you can repair it with a tool like Fixo File Repair.

Here's how to corrupt a file using Notepad on Windows:

Step 1: Right click on the file you want to corrupt and open it with Notepad. Depending on the file type, Notepad may take some time to load, so be patient.

Step two: Open the text file, and you'll see a lot of weird commands that you've never seen before. Just select and delete 10 to 12 lines of code from the top, middle, or bottom.

Step 3: Once done, save the file and close the Notepad application. Saving and closing the Notepad file may take some time.

Step four: Try to open the file with any file viewer, and you'll find that the file is corrupted and cannot be opened. This simple method takes only one or two minutes.

Method 3: Corrupt a File with an Online Tool on Mac or PC

Some bosses or professors might be smart enough to realize that a file has been tampered with and corrupted, which could get you into trouble. So, just to be safe, and to make sure no one can tell that you intentionally messed up the file, use the online tool corrupt-a-file.net.

This is a free online tool that will quickly destroy your files. Here's how to use it:

Step one: Visit their website (https://corrupt-a-file.net/).

Step 2: Scroll down, then click “Choose from your computer,” located under “Select the damaged file.”

Corrupt a file with an online tool

Step three: Find the file you want to corrupt, click on it, and upload it to the site.

Step 4. Next, click the Damaged File option and wait a moment.

Step five: The file will be corrupted and saved in the location you specified.

Method 4: Corrupt the File with a Compression Utility Method 4: Corrupt the File with a Compression Utility

Using a file compression tool is another simple way to corrupt any file intentionally. The best compression file tool is WinRAR Archiver, which you can download for free online. After installing this tool, you can proceed with the following steps:

Step 1: Right-click the file you want to destroy, and select “Compress.”

Step 2: When the compression is about 90% complete, pause and cancel it.

Step three: If you stop the compression at 90%, it will create a new file – but one that, because it contains only 90% of the old file's data, will not run.

Conclusion

There are many ways to damage your file and alleviate your problems. However, if you are a student, we do not recommend damaging your file, as many educational institutions are aware of such tricks and have strict policies against them.

However, you can corrupt a file in various ways, including changing the file extension, using online file corruption tools, or compressing the file. But if you didn't back up your file and accidentally corrupted it immediately, you can still easily fix a damaged file with the help of software. Fixo is a feature-rich tool that can not only repair your files but also offer you many other benefits.