Can I recover a Word document when 'Word cannot read the content' on Mac?

Microsoft Word is a commonly used text editor for work, and you may frequently use it. However, many Mac users have reported issues with Word not being able to read the content. It can be frustrating if you're in the middle of editing a Word document and suddenly receive an error message that says Word on Mac found unreadable content.

When you click “Yes,” it will show you this:

If you're encountering the issue of "Word found unreadable content on Mac", don't worry! In this guide, we'll walk you through effective methods to resolve it.

Possible Reasons Why Word Cannot Read Content on Mac

The "Word found unreadable content on Mac" error typically appears when your Word file is corrupted or has been infected by malware. However, there are several other reasons that might cause this issue, preventing you from accessing your Word document.

Possible reasons for unreadable content in a Word document:

• Your Mac has been hit by a virus: A corrupted Word document might result in lost content and unreadability.
• ⚠️Unexpected Word crash: An unexpected crash of the Word application, or an improper exit while editing a document, can lead to file corruption.
• ❌Bad sectors on your Mac's hard drive: These bad sectors can damage data on the disk, making your Word documents inaccessible.

After getting an idea about the possible causes, we will introduce you to 4 effective methods to fix corrupted files on your Mac and repair unreadable content in Word documents. But before we show you these four handy solutions, it is recommended that you first recover the Word document with unreadable content. Read on!

Recover Unreadable Word Document on Mac

Imagine spending weeks working on a Word document, only to have it pop up with, “Word found unreadable content.” Panic!

Is it possible to recover unreadable content from Word? The answer is yes. Once the Word application detects unreadable content, it's recommended that you stop editing the Word document and opt for a powerful file recovery software like the Mac Pro Data Recovery Wizard tool to restore your Word document. Additionally, it can also help you recover unsaved Word documents on Mac without AutoRecovery.

This professional file recovery tool can recover unsaved Word document on Mac and fix the Word document with unreadable content. With this text recovery converter, you can get your Word document back in 3 steps!

Please see:

Note: You can first click “Disk Backup” on the left to create one. The software will recover your documents from the backup image, which prevents further damage to your disk and data, making it safer and more reliable.

Step 1: Scan for Lost Files

Select the location where your lost Word/Excel/PPT/Numbers/Pages file was saved, then click “Search Lost Files”.

Step 2: Search for the Lost File on Your Mac

After running the “Data Recovery Wizard for Mac,” the program will immediately scan the disk volume you've chosen. The scan results will be displayed in the left panel. Select “Documents” and quickly filter out the previously lost DOC/PDF/PPT/XLS files.

Step 3: Recover Lost/Deleted Documents

Double-click to select the target files and preview them. Then, click “Recover” to get your lost documents back immediately.

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How to Fix 'Word Found Unreadable Content' on a Mac

In this part, we will show you four verified methods to fix the issue of Word not opening on Mac; let's check them out!

Solution 1: Check Word Document Permissions

Sometimes, a Word document might display a message indicating that it found unreadable content due to read-only permissions. To check if the issue is related to permissions, follow these steps: 1. Open your Word document. 2. Click on "File" in the menu bar. 3. Select "Info" from the drop-down menu. 4. On the right side, look for and click on "Check for Issues." 5. From the sub-menu, choose "Check Document." 6. In the "Check Document" dialog box, make sure the "Permissions" option is checked. 7. Click "Check" to initiate the inspection. 8. If Word detects a permission issue, it will display relevant information and may offer a solution. If there is indeed a permission problem, you can try removing the editing restrictions or changing the document's permission settings. If the issue persists, it could be due to other reasons, such as file corruption. In this case, you might need to use Word's "Recover Unreadable Content" feature or attempt to restore the document from a backup or a recent AutoSave version.

Step 1: Right-click on the Word document and select “Properties.”

Step 2: Click the “General” tab, uncheck the “Read-only” option, and then click “Apply” and “OK” to save your changes.

If your Word document is stored on an external hard drive, you should check the permissions for the drive. Read this article to fix permission issues.

Of course, more can and should be done.

3 Valid Fixes for Mac External Hard Drive Read-Only Error

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Solution 2: Use the Recover feature in the Word app

When you encounter the "Word found unreadable content" issue and need to open and repair a DOCX file on your Mac, follow these steps to resolve the error:

Step 1: Open the Word app on your Mac.

Step 2: Click “File” then “Open,” and look for the dropdown labeled “Enable.”

Click “Recover Text from Any File” to restore your Word document.

Did you know about the AutoRecover feature of Word for Mac? You can still recover a Word document even if you accidentally clicked “Don't Save” when exiting the file.

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Recover Deleted Files from Mac Before or After Emptying Trash

This article shows you how to retrieve a Word file on Mac after accidentally clicking "Don't Save" with reliable Mac file recovery software. Read More >>

Solution 3: Reinstall the Word app on your Mac

If you're not dealing with just one unreadable file but multiple corrupted Word documents, then you might be facing an issue with your Word application itself, such as Word keeps crashing on Mac. First, uninstall the Word app, making sure to save your editable documents. After that, open the App Store on your Mac and reinstall the Word app.

Solution 4: Restore Word Document from Time Machine Backup

Aside from the three methods above, you can also restore previous versions of a Word document on your Mac from a Time Machine backup. Follow these steps:

Step one: click on “Applications” on your Mac, and open “Time Machine.”

Step 2: Scroll down to Time & Date, and find Backups.

Step 3: Choose the Word document and click “Restore” to revert to the older version.

This article guides you through fixing an invisible Time Machine backup.

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Recover Deleted Files on Mac Before or After Emptying Trash

There are several ways to fix the issue of Time Machine backups not showing up on your Mac, such as by restarting in Safe Mode. Read More >>

Conclusions

This article outlines four methods to address unreadable content issues in Word on your Mac, including checking permissions, utilizing the recovery feature, reinstalling the Word application, and restoring files from Time Machine. To safeguard your files, it is recommended to install the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac Pro tool to recover your Word documents.