Microsoft Word troubleshooting and how-to guides
When you start Word, you may see an error message that says “Word cannot open the existing global template.” This error prevents Word from loading correctly and may block access to custom settings, macros, or add-ins stored in the Normal.dotm file. The root cause is often a corrupted, read-only, or incorrectly located Normal.dotm template file. … Read more
When you try to open a document in Word, you may see the error message: “This file is not available” or “Word cannot open this file because it is not available.” This error usually appears when Word loses track of the file location or when the file is stored in a location that Word cannot … Read more
When you try to co-author a document in Word, you might see the error message “The server is not available.” This error stops you from saving changes or seeing edits from others. The problem usually happens because Word cannot reach the SharePoint or OneDrive server due to network issues, cached credentials, or a corrupted Office … Read more
When you preview a mail merge in Word, the application may freeze or crash entirely. This problem often occurs because of a corrupted data source, damaged Word templates, or conflicts with printer drivers. This article explains why the crash happens and provides step-by-step repair steps to fix it. Key Takeaways: Fixing Word Crashes During Mail … Read more
When opening a Word document that contains macros, you may see a message that says “Compile error in hidden module.” This error prevents the document from loading properly or stops macros from running. It occurs because Word cannot compile the Visual Basic for Applications code stored in a hidden module within the document or template. … Read more
When you try to save a document in Word, you may see the error “Word cannot save in the selected format because it is not compatible with this version.” This happens because the document contains features or formatting that the chosen file format does not support. The error typically appears when you attempt to save … Read more
When you right-click a table of contents in Word and select Update Field, the operation may fail with the error message “Update Field Failed.” This error typically occurs because the field codes in the TOC have become corrupted or are referencing broken bookmarks, headings, or cross-references. The TOC is generated by Word using specific field … Read more
You double-click a Word document attached to an email, and Word crashes immediately or freezes before showing the document content. This failure typically occurs because Protected View, a security feature in Word, cannot properly verify the file’s origin or because the file was downloaded from an internet source and stored in a temporary folder that … Read more
You see a dialog box in Word that states an add-in cannot be loaded. This error stops the add-in from working and may cause Word to show repeated warnings or crash during startup. The cause is a corrupted, incompatible, or incorrectly installed add-in that Word cannot initialize. This article explains why this error occurs and … Read more
You are working on a document in Word when a message appears: “There is insufficient memory or disk space. Word cannot display the requested font.” This error stops you from editing, saving, or even opening certain files. The problem is not always about your computer’s actual memory or disk space — it often stems from … Read more