Word Experienced an Error Trying to Open the File [5 Proven Solutions]

Is the Word document not opening but keeping showing the error message 'Word experienced an error trying to open the file'? Don't worry and you are not losing the file. Follow this guide, you'll learn what the error is, causes, and solutions to fix the 'Word experienced an error' issue on your own. For a quick Word file recovery and repair, Stellar file repair software is here to help.

✅Applies to:

• Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Word 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, Office 365, etc.
• OS: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, macOS, etc.

Error: Word Experienced An Error Trying to Open the File

The problem "Word experienced an error trying to open" mostly occurs to Microsoft Word and Excel users when they try to open an MS Word or Excel document file. 

What caused this error, and how can the issue be resolved? This post introduces five effective solutions to fix the "Word experienced an error trying to open the file" issue:

🔔Prerequisite - Here are some tips that you should first follow to get your device ready:

• Stop using the Microsoft Office applications.
• Exit and close all virus-cleaning programs.
• Back up all the Word document files to another location immediately.

Fix 1. Open Word the File with Recover and Repair Tool

The most efficient way that you can try is to turn to a Word recovery and repair tool for help. A Word Recover and Repair Tool is a function or piece of software that helps users recover their data from corrupted or damaged Microsoft Word documents.

EaseUS Fixo Document Repair software can quickly scan and repair corrupted or unopenable Word files in Windows 10/8/7.

This file repair tool can fix corrupted Word, Excel, PPT, and PDF files in various file formats. You can watch this tutorial video to familiarize yourself with the detailed steps:

To make the Word repair process more easy to understand, here are the steps you can refer to:

✨Step 1.  Download, install, and launch EaseUS Fixo Document Repair

You can download this repair tool with the download button we gave you or other official ways. After the installation, you can double-click the Fixo icon to launch it. Click "File Repair" > "Add Files" to select and repair damaged Word, Excel, PDF, and other documents.

✨Step 2. Repair corrupted documents now

After adding the documents, you can click "Repair" to fix a document specifically or select "Repair All" to repair the whole files in the list altogether.

✨Step 3. Preview and save repaired documents

Now, the files are ready to be saved. You can also click the eye icon to preview the documents. After clicking "Save All", select "View Repaired" in the pop-up window to locate these repaired files.

Install this powerful and free Word file repair tool on your computer to repair corrupted documents quickly!

Fix 2. Unblock Word to Fix the Error Trying to Open the File

To "unblock" a Word document, you need to remove any restrictions or passwords that are preventing you from editing it. This is usually done by going to the Review tab, finding the Protect or Restrict Editing section, and then stopping the protection, potentially with a password. 

Step 1. Right-click the problematic Word file that won't open, and select "Property".

Step 2. On the General tab, click "Unblock" and select "OK".

Source from https://support.microsoft.com/

After this, try to reopen your Word file and see if the problem still exists. If this post is informative, share it on social media to help others learn how to fix the Word can't open error.

Fix 3. Check the File Permissions for the Document or Disable Protected View

You can either disable Protected View in your Office application settings or change the file permissions to permit editing. A security feature called Protected View opens potentially dangerous documents in read-only mode.

Step 1. Open the Word application on your computer.

Step 2. Go to "File" > "Options" > "Trusted Center" > "Trust Center Settings...".

Step 3. Click "Protected View", uncheck the next three options, and click "OK".

• Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet.
• Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations.
• Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments.

Step 4. Save the changes and close the Word application.

Then, you can reopen the Word document when it has a "Word experienced an error trying to open the file" error. It should be open by then. If this method doesn't work in your situation, consider installing EaseUS Fixo on your computer, and repair your corrupted documents in clicks!

Fix 4. Add Trusted Location to the Word experienced an Error

If you're encountering an "Word experienced an error trying to open the file" message, adding a trusted location in Word can often resolve the issue, especially if the file is in a location that Word perceives as potentially unsafe.

Step 1. Open the Word application on your computer.

Step 2. Go to "File" > "Options" > "Trusted Center" > "Trust Center Settings...".

Step 3. Click "Trusted Locations" > "Add new location".

Step 4. Click "Browse" to navigate the path where you saved your Word files and check "Subfolders of this location are also trusted". Click "OK" to save changes.

Source from: https://support.microsoft.com/

After this, close Word and open the file that contains the "Word experienced an error trying to open the file" error. You may now access the content inside the document.

Fix 5. Open the File With the Text Recovery Converter

When a Word file becomes unopenable, you can try to use Text Recovery Converter to fix a corrupted Word file that won't open with an error message.

Step 1. Open the Word application, go to "File" > "Open" > "Browse".

Step 2. Select the Word file that won't open.

Click "Recover Text from Any File (*.*) from the drop menu next to the File name column. Click "Open".

Step 3. Wait patiently. When the Word application displays and shows the content of the unopenable Word file, save it as a new file.

⚠️Word Won't Open: Possible Causes

As the error message addressed, the reason why the Word document won't open could be:

• File permission issue
• Insufficient memory or disk space
• Not opening the file in a proper application
• File altered during the transmission by third-party software

Pick a proper solution as listed in the article and follow to make your Word file openable and accessible again in Windows 10/8/7.

Editor's Review

If you are trying to open a .docx or .doc file but continuously get denied with the error message 'Word experienced an error trying to open the file', don't worry. It is possible to resolve the problem.

All you need is to stop using the Word file and disable background programs, especially some cleaning tools. Then follow the above-recommended methods for help. If you need to fix damaged Word documents, EaseUS file repair software is here to help.

Also, the best way to protect essential files and data is to create a backup in advance. When the file goes wrong, you can always restore it immediately from the backup.

Word Experienced an Error Trying to Open the File FAQs

If you still have some questions about Word file recovery, check the quick answers below to help yourself out:

1. What causes this Error in Microsoft Word?

Common triggers include:

• File corruption: Damaged file headers/content.
• Format conflicts: Incompatible fonts, templates, or add-ins.
• Permission issues: Restricted access or file ownership problems.
• Storage errors: Network drives/USB disconnections during saving.
• Outdated Word: Bugs in older Word versions.

2. How to prevent the Word experienced an error trying to open the file?

• Update Office: Install latest Word/Office updates.
• Avoid abrupt shutdowns: Save files before closing Word/ejecting drives.
• Disable add-ins: File > Options > Add-ins > Manage COM Add-ins > Disable suspicious ones.

3. How to check the file permissions for the document or drive?

To check file permissions for a document or drive in Windows, locate the file or folder, right-click it, and select "Properties". Then, navigate to the "Security" tab to view and manage permissions for different users and groups.