2016-8-31 Unable to open hyperlinks to Word files on a server. The user agent for all these requests is 'Microsoft Office Word/15.24.709 (Mac OS/10.11.6; Desktop; en-GB; NonAppStore; Apple/MacBookPro11,5)'. The server is using a valid SSL certificate verified by 'COMODO CA Limited'. Apr 16, 2018 Describes an issue that occurs when you double-click or drag a file from an earlier version of Word for Mac onto a Word 2008 for Mac program icon. In this scenario, the file doesn't open. Occurs after you install Office 2008 SP1.
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Unable To Open Archive File
Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.
Symptoms
When you save a Word for Mac document, the application crashes or quits unexpectedly.
Resolution
Step 1: Download and install all Office updates
To obtain updates with Office for Mac applications, follow these steps:
Microsoft AutoUpdate for Mac, which comes with Office, can keep your Microsoft software up to date. When AutoUpdate is set to check for updates automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, there's no need to search for critical updates and information; AutoUpdate delivers them directly to your computer. To do this:
- Start any Office for Mac application on your computer.
- Click Help menu, click Check for Updates.
For additional information about Office for Mac updates, seeWhere and how to obtain Office for Mac software updates.
If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Check the hard disc name
Make sure that your hard disc has a name. The name cannot be all numbers but can contain numbers. The name must start with a letter. It must not contain any special characters, such as periods, commas, semi-colons, quotation marks, and so on.
Step 3: Save to a different location
If you are saving a file in your Documents folder, instead try saving the file to the desktop or to a different location.
Remember that there is a 255-character limit to the file name, and the path of the saved file is included in the name. For example, a file that is saved to the desktop has the path 'HDusersyour user nameDesktop.' These characters are counted toward the 255-character limit.
If you want to save to a network share or to an external device (such as a flash drive), first save the file to your local hard disc. If you can save the file to the hard disc (your Documents folder), there is nothing wrong with the Excel installation or with the file. If you cannot save to your local hard disc, go to step 3.
If you cannot save the file to an external device, contact Apple or the manufacturer of the external device. If you cannot save to a network share, contact the network administrator (your IT department) or the owner of the share. If you do not have an IT department and you want to save to a network, contact Microsoft Professional Support.
Step 4: Empty the AutoRecovery folder
Important
The location of certain files are different if you have Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed. To check if it is installed, open Word, and then click About Word from the Word menu. If the version number is 14.2.0 or above, you have Service Pack 2 and you should follow the Service Pack 2 steps when provided in this article.
If there are too many items in the AutoRecovery folder (userDocumentsMicrosoft User DataOffice 2008 AutoRecovery or Office 2010 AutoRecovery), this can cause memory problems and save problems because these files are loaded into memory when Word is started.
Move AutoRecovery files to the desktop or to another folder to see whether they are causing the problem. To do this, follow these steps:
To empty the AutoRecovery folder, follow these steps if have version 14.2.0 (also known as Service Pack 2) installed:
- Quit all applications.
- On the File menu, click New Folder.A new folder is created on the desktop. The folder will be called 'New Folder.'
- On the Go menu, click Home.
- Open Library.NoteThe Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
- Open Application Support, and then open Microsoft.
- Open Office 2011 AutoRecovery.
- On the Edit menu, click Select All.
- Drag all files into 'New Folder' on the desktop.The AutoRecovery folder should be empty.
- Open Excel for Mac 2011 and try to save a file.If you can save a file, review the contents of 'New Folder' to decide which files that you want to keep.If the problem continues to occur, go to the next method.
To empty the AutoRecovery folder, follow these steps if you do not have Service Pack 2 installed:
- Quit all applications.
- On the File menu, click New Folder.A new folder is created on the desktop. The folder will be called 'New Folder.'
- On the Go menu, click Documents.
- Open Microsoft User Data, and then open Office 2011 AutoRecovery.
- On the Edit menu, click Select All.
- Install microsoft office on apple mac. Drag all files into 'New Folder' on the desktop.The AutoRecovery folder should be empty.
- Open Excel for Mac 2011 and try to save a file.If you can save a file, review the contents of 'New Folder' to decide which files that you want to keep.If the problem continues to occur, go to the next method.
Step 5: Remove Word preferences
Note
Removing the preferences will remove any customizations that you made. These customizations include changes to toolbars and custom dictionaries and keyboard shortcuts that you created.
- Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac applications.
- On the Go menu, click Home.
- Open Library.NoteThe Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
- Open Preferences.
- Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.plist.
- If you locate the file, move it to the desktop. If you cannot locate the file, the application is using the default preferences.
- If you locate the file and move it to the desktop, start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and then restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.plist file to the trash.
- Quit all Office for Mac applications.
- On the Go menu, click Home.
- Open Library.NoteThe Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
- Open Preferences, and then open Microsoft.
- Locate the file that is named com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist.
- Move the file to the desktop.
- Start Word, and then check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist file to the trash.
- On the Go menu, click Home.
- Open Library.NoteThe Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
- Open Application Support, and then open Microsoft.
- Open Office, and then open User Templates.
- Locate the file that is named Normal, and then move the file to the desktop.
- Start Word, and then check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the Normal file to the Trash. If the issue continues to occur, go to the next step.
Step 6: Create a new user account
Sometimes, user-specific information can become corrupted. This can interfere with installing or using the application. To determine whether this is the case, you can log on as a different user or create a new user account, and then test the application.
If the issue occurs even when you use the alternative account, go to the next step.
Step 7: Test saving the file in safe mode
Try to save when the computer is operating in safe mode. If you can save while in safe mode, the problem probably concerns software that is running in the background.
For information about how to enter safe mode in Mac OS, seeClean startup to see if background programs are interfering with Office for Mac.
More information
If the steps in this article did not resolve the issue, visit the Mac forums for possible resolutions/workarounds.
Summary
When you try to open a Word document on Mac document, Word stops opening. If you are faced with this issue and are willing to solve it, then follow the 3 solutions. If you have data loss problem after fixing the Word not opening issue, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can do you a favor.
On this page, we have collected three practical solutions that can help fix the 'Word Not Opening' error on Mac. And if you mistakenly removed a Word file on Mac, let reliable Mac file recovery software as recommended here for help. Check out how to fix the not opening Word file to accessible again:
Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
---|---|
Fix 1. Repair Disk | Open Disk Utility > Select the primary hard disk on Mac and select 'First Aid' > Click 'Run'..Full steps |
Fix 2. Remove Word Preference | Open 'Library' > Open 'Preferences' > Copy com.microsoft.Word.plist file to desktop..Full steps |
Fix 3. Open and Repair Word | Start Word > Click 'Open' on the File menu > Click 'Repair' on the Open button..Full steps |
Fix 4. Recover Lost Word | Run EaseUS Mac file recovery software > Scan mac drive > Restore lost Mac word file..Full steps |
Unable To Open Microsoft Word On Macbook Air
'Word 2016 on my Mac won't open. It flashes immediately by double-clicking and then closes unexpectedly. I didn't do anything or any change. How to fix it if Microsoft Word won't open at all?'
In addition to this situation, most users are also faced with these errors:
- The application Microsoft Word quit unexpectedly
- Microsoft Word cannot be opened because of a problem. Check with the developer to make sure Microsoft Word works with this version of Mac OS X
As Microsoft Word is widely used among people, owning some basic Word troubleshooting is recognized as an essential skill. Today you're going to learn three tricks in solving Word not opening on Mac. The given workarounds are applicable to all Word editions such as 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 2016.
1. Run Repair Disk Permissions
Step 1: On the 'Go' menu, click 'Utilities'. Start the Disk Utility program.
Step 2: Choose the primary hard disk drive for your computer. Then, click the 'First Aid' tab.
Step 3: Click 'Run' to repair the disk volume errors and permissions. When it finishes, click 'Done'.
2. Remove Word Preferences
Step 1: Open 'Library'. Usually, click 'GO' > 'Go to the folder', then type ~/Library
Step 2: Locate a file named as 'Preferences'.
Step 3: Find a file named as com.microsoft.Word.plist. Move the file to the desktop.
Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs.
If the problem still occurs, exit Microsoft Word, and then restore the 'com.microsoft.word.prefs.plist' file to its original location. Then, go to Step 4.
If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the file to the trash.
Note: If you do not locate the file, the program is using the default preferences.
Step 4: Exit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs. Then, Click the Word icon. On the left, click 'Preferences'.
Step 5: Click 'File Locations'.
Step 6: Select 'User templates'.
Step 7: Locate the file that is named Normal, and move the file to the desktop.
You can also find the file named as Normal through this way: 'Library' > 'Application Support' > 'Microsoft' > 'Office' > 'User Templates' > 'Normal'
Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the 'Normal' file to the trash.
3. Try to Open and Repair Word
Step 1: Start Word. On the File menu, click 'Open'.
Step 2: In the Open dialog box, select the file that you want to open. Click the down arrow on the Open button, click 'Open' > 'Repair'.
Recover Deleted and Missing Word on Mac
Do not worry if the 'Word not opening' issue causes data loss disaster, you can recover unsaved Word document on Mac from its Temporary folder and AutoRecovery save. While for a deleted Word document on Mac, the easiest way of recovery is using a third-party Mac data recovery software.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac also recovers Word document that is missing, deleted or lost due to formatting, virus infection and other misoperation, and the best part of using the software to recover Word is being able to preview the file entirety.
Step 1. Select the location where your important Word documents were lost and click Scan button.
Step 2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will start immediately a quick scan as well as a deep scan on your selected disk volume. Meanwhile, the scanning results will be presented in the left pane.
Step 3. By Path and Type, you can quickly filter the Word files you've lost earlier. Select the target files and click Recover Now button to get them back at once.