How to effectively resolve the "Word cannot open the document, it may be corrupted" error message

Applies to: Word 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016

On Microsoft's official forums, one user asked about a Word error message he had received. He wrote:

I have one message: Word cannot read this document. It might be corrupted. Try one or more of the following: * Open and repair the file. * Open the file with a text recovery converter.

Under his post, 92 other people have clicked that they also have this problem. Since so many people are running into this, what can be done about it? In the sections below, we'll explain why you might be seeing this error and what you can try to fix it.

Reasons for Corruption in Word Files

As the error message suggests, your Word document might be corrupted. While the cause of the corruption can vary, here are some common reasons:

• Program crash: This often happens when you're editing a Word document. If the program crashes or freezes while saving a file, it can result in a partial write and damage the document. • Download error: If you download a Word document from the internet and the connection is lost or you close your web browser before the file has finished saving, your Word document may become corrupted. • File extension change: Sometimes we need to change a Word document's file extension from .doc to .docx, or vice versa. This operation can also trigger an error message. • Virus attack: Although less common nowadays, once a computer or USB flash drive is infected with a virus, the Word documents on it will be at risk too.

Though a corrupted Word file might sound hopeless, there are several ways you can address this issue. Here are some methods to try resolving the "Word cannot open the document. It may be damaged" problem.

Method 1: Use a Reliable Word Repair Tool

There are several tools designed to help users fix corrupted MS files. Fixo Document Repair is one of these tools.

The Fixo Document Repair tool is designed to make file repair and recovery effortless. Not only can it fix corrupted Word documents, but it's also highly effective in repairing Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.

This simple scan-preview-recover routine is one of the reasons why the tool is so user-friendly. Download it below and follow the step-by-step instructions to see how to use Fixo to repair your Word document.

Before we delve into the steps, you can watch this video to see how to use the tool to repair a corrupted Word file:

1. 00:14 Method 1: Insert into a New Word Document
2. 00:38 Method 2: Use the "Open and Repair" Feature
3. 00:55 Method 3: Restore Default Settings
4. 01:30 Method 4: Utilize the Fixo Document Repair Tool

If you're still having issues, let's take a look at the steps with screenshots:

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

Step 2: Click “Repair All” to fix multiple files at once. If you only want to repair one document, hover over the target file and click “Repair.” You can also preview the document by clicking 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 repaired files.

Method 2: Open Word in Safe Mode

Starting Microsoft Office for Windows in Safe Mode allows you to use it safely when dealing with specific issues. This is particularly useful when you can't open a file in Normal mode due to an application crash, or need assistance identifying add-ins or extensions that might be causing startup problems. Here's how to do it in detail.

Step 1: Find the shortcut icon for your Word application.

Step 2: Hold down "CTRL" and double-click the Word shortcut.

Step 3: When prompted, click “Yes” to run the program in Safe Mode.

This should work for most versions of Windows. If you want to exit Safe Mode, simply close all open Word documents and restart your computer. If the application opens correctly, it will do so in Normal mode.

Method 3: Use the “Open and Repair” tool in Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office also has a built-in repair feature that can help open corrupted files. It's called “Open and Repair.” If you encounter an error message that says, “Word cannot read the document. It may be damaged,” you can try using this feature to open the corrupted document.

Step 1: Open the Word application and click on "File" then "Open" and "Browse."

Click "Open" and then "Browse" in the drop-down menu.

Step 2. Navigate to the location or folder of the problematic Word document, then select it to open.

Step 3: Click the downward-pointing arrow next to Open, and select Open and Repair.

Wait for the program to open and repair the file, then you should be able to view the contents of your Word document. Copy and save the content to a new file.

Method 4: Use the “Text Recovery Converter” in MS Word

This is another built-in Windows feature that helps users fix corrupted files, known as the Text Recovery Converter. Follow the steps below to learn how to open your Word document normally using this method.

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Word application on your computer.

Step 2: Click on “File” in the top-left corner of the screen.

Click “File”

Step 3: On the main menu bar, click “Open” then “Browse” to locate and load your Word document.

Step 4: Click the drop-down icon next to “All Files.” From there, select “Recover Text from Any File.”

Step 5: Select the file you want to recover, and then click the Open button. Microsoft Word will open and attempt to recover the text from the file.

However, this method has its limitations. As you can see, the tool is called “Text Recovery Converter,” which means it can only extract text from your file. If your Word document contains images, charts, or any other elements, this method might not work.

Summary

In summary, if you receive the error message "Word cannot read the document. It may be damaged" when attempting to open a Word file, it suggests that your document might be corrupted. Within the Microsoft Word application, you can try using various features to repair the file, such as "Open and Repair" and the "Text Recovery Converter."

Using a third-party recovery tool is another option. File repair software like Fixo Repair can also help users fix a corrupted Word document.