But what should those users do if their document was damaged due to certain circumstances? In this article I will look at what types of damage there are, as well as how to restore damaged Word file.
What types of damage are there?
Damaged Word documents behave unexpectedly. This may be caused by damage to the document itself or the template, which is taken as the basis for all other types of documents. Damage manifests itself in the following forms:
- The page numbering of the document is incorrect.
- Recovering page breaks in a document.
- The document displays unreadable characters when opened.
- Incorrect formatting and structure.
- PC freezes after launching a file.
- Application crashes when attempting to open content or other unexpected behavior.
Advice! Unexpected document behavior may be due to other factors, such as corruption of the Word program itself or the utility package Microsoft Office, opening a document with an earlier version of Word, infecting the operating system with a virus. To see otherwise, check how Word works with other documents.
Word file recovery
A damaged document may or may not open. We will build on this. As an example, I'll use trial version Word 2016, which is included with Office 365 Home.
Advice! If one of the methods does not help, proceed in order to the next one.
If the document opens
Work with the document and template settings. I will consider solving the problem step by step. If the error is not isolated and occurs in every created file, read this first.
Forced recovery
Try to force restore the damaged file:
If it doesn't work, restart your PC and proceed to the next step.
Double conversion
Let's convert the file to another format, and then return it to its previous state:
- Go to “Word” → Open → Browse → select the damaged file and click “Open”.
- Click "File" → Save As → Select the file type to save "Type in" RTF format"(.rtf).
- Close the file and open it again. Convert it back to a “Word Document” (.docx) using the same method.
Advice! If the problem persists, you can try converting to other formats. When converted to .txt text format, all pictures, diagrams and formatting are lost. Remember this.
Copy to new document
Select the contents of the file except the last paragraph and copy it to another document. If your document has section breaks, copy text between the breaks. To avoid inserting breaks when copying text, turn on the draft mode of the new document:
Removing corrupted content
For cropped documents that do not display all of the content, you can switch to another mode and remove the corrupted data. Determine the page on which the file is truncated and remember the contents of that page. Then:
- Switch to Draft or Web Document mode.
- Scroll the content to the point where it is cut off.
- Select and delete the next paragraph or object.
- Switch back to Markup mode and check if the document is displayed in full.
- Delete content in this way until it is completely displayed in Page Layout mode.
- After the manipulations have been completed, save the document.
Changing the template
Relevant if you switched to new version Microsoft Office, and all old documents are damaged. First, determine which template is being used:
- Open Word, and on the File menu, click Options.
- Select “Add-ins”, at the bottom in “Manage”, select “Word Add-ins” and click “Go”.
- If “Normal” is displayed in the “Document Template” field, follow the instructions further; if there is a different template, go to step 9.
- To rename the template, close Word.
- Go to Explorer and enter the command in the line: %userprofile%\appdata\roaming\microsoft\Templates
If the document does not open
When a document gives an error when opening directly, we will try to open it using the built-in capabilities of Word.
Opening using Draft mode
To get started, launch Word:
- Go to “File” - “Options”.
- Open “Advanced”, go down to the “Show document contents” section and check the box next to “Show placeholder frames for pictures”.
- Scroll down further to the “General” section. Check the box next to “Allow document to be opened in draft mode.”
- Apply the change and click OK.
- Restart Word, choose File → Open and run the corrupted file.
Using the converter
When using a converter:
- document formatting is not saved;
- Pictures, diagrams and other graphic elements are not saved.
Go to Word and open the damaged file using “Recover Text from Any File” as shown in the image below.
Recovery using third-party services
Eat online service online.officerecovery.com. You can use it to try to recover files:
- Upload a damaged file to the site.
- Wait for the file to be processed and downloaded to your PC.
- Check the functionality of the document.
Another program is called RecoveryToolboxforWord. The principle of use is similar.
If you have any questions while reading the article, ask them in the comments. Also use the feedback form to contact the administration.
Have you ever encountered a situation where a .doc or .docx file could not be opened due to an error? Or completely lose a document on which a lot of hard and painstaking work has been done? Probably, most PC users have encountered such a situation, and if not, then an article on this topic will still be interesting for them, since you need to be prepared for anything.
So, let's look at several ways to recover a lost or damaged file. Microsoft Word.
How to recover text from a damaged Word document
If the document is damaged, the user may encounter the following error:
If you have checked and ensured that you have permission to access the document and the disk, and are sure that there is enough space and memory on the disk, then next step will use the built-in Word functions restoration in order to return the text of the document.
For this:
- Open Word and select the File / Open / Browse tab
- Find the file you want to open and select Recover text from any file from the pop-up menu. Click Open.
Sometimes, despite the recovery process, the file may remain damaged even if the file is successfully restored and opened. Formatting will be lost.
Another way to recover
If the above method does not work, Microsoft has provided another way to recover the Word file. To do this, go to the File / Open tab.
In the window that opens, select your document.
Click the Open button and select the “Open and Repair” option.
If you see the message when opening a document, you should install latest version programs.
Restore a backup copy of your Word document
If it is not possible to even find the file, you can try to detect a backup copy of the file created by Microsoft Word. This can be done as follows.
Select File/Open/Browse.
Go to the folder where the lost file was located. In the file type selection window, select “All files (*.*).” Usually the backup file is called “Backup…” + file name. Select and open such a file.
If it was not possible to detect a backup copy of the file in this way, then enter in the box Windows search- *.wbk (backup file format - Word Backup files). But in this case, the names of the backup files will not necessarily match the name of the lost file. Try opening *.wbk files one by one until you find the one you need.
Find and restore an autosaved copy of a file
If your computer is not configured to back up Microsoft Word document files, try restoring the document from AutoSave files.
Autosave files can be checked in the following folder:
- C:\Users\ Name User \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word
The name of the autocopy file will begin with “Autocopy...” and will be in *.asd format. Just click on the autocopy of the file and it will open as a Microsoft Word document.
Programs for recovering Microsoft Office documents
If none of the proposed functions bring the desired result, then try to recover the lost file using any of the programs Microsoft package Office can be one of the many programs for recovering deleted documents.
Fortunately, the choice today is huge. The only advice is to choose a simpler program that specializes in recovering files in the Microsoft Office package format. Since different algorithms are often used to recover image files and documents, and accordingly, the quality of recovery can vary significantly.
As an example we can consider Hetman Office Recovery. Already from the name you can understand that the program specializes in file recovery Microsoft format Office. To recover your Word file, simply download and run the program, and use it to scan the disk on which the document was lost.
As a result of scanning, the program will display the found documents with original names. You can view their contents in the preview window. Recovery the desired file Just tick it and click the “Next” button.
Have a great day!
Recovering damaged Word 2007 files is a common problem that text editor users have to face. Sometimes it happens that documents cannot be opened, and suddenly error messages appear stating that the files cannot be read due to corruption. Word files may become corrupted different ways, but usually there are problems with headers. In most cases, data from a document deleted as a result of a software failure can be recovered.
A typical error message that a user might receive if a document does not open is: Word 2007 was unable to read this document. It may be corrupt. By default the program offers 2 possible ways opening damaged documents: Open and Repair the File or Open with Text Recovery Converter. Apart from these 2 options, there are other ways to open a damaged file that you can try in Word 2010. It is recommended that you use all of these options before moving on to third-party programs.
For testing purposes Word document 2007 was intentionally damaged, after which various tools and methods were tried to fix it. However, Word file recovery was not always successful. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of free methods for restoring office text files. Some of them are displayed when you enter the corresponding request in search engine Google. First of all, you need to consider all the free options, after which you can move on to third-party programs.
Built-in recovery options
Recover your document using built-in options available through the File Open dialog box. You need to click File and Open, then select the document to be restored. You don't need to click on it 2 times, otherwise Windows will try to open it normally and you will get an error message.
Now, instead of clicking the Open button, you need to select the black arrow located slightly to the right. You will see many additional options, among which will be Open and Repair. Word 2007 will try to repair the damaged document, and with luck, you will eventually be able to view the file. During the test, the program was able to completely recover a file that contained 2 pages of plain text. First of all, you should use this function, since it does its job well and does not require additional software.
Another built-in option is the recovery converter, which opens through the Open dialog box. In the All Word Documents drop-down list, select Recover Text from Any File. The application will try to recover all the characters from the file, even if the program recognizes it as broken. During the test, Word failed because a message appeared indicating that the file was damaged. Depending on the type of damage, restoring text from any Word file can sometimes be effective.
If the above methods do not work, you can try pasting the damaged document that does not want to open into another file. To do this you need to open new file and click on the Insert tab. Then select Object 2 times, go to the Create from File tab and click the Browse button. You need to select the damaged Word file and see if you can paste its contents into new document.
During the test, the program was unable to insert a document into the current file. Instead, an error message appeared stating that the application used to create the file was Word, but that program was not installed on the system. However, results may vary and this method is also worth trying.
Restore via link
This method may seem complicated, but in some cases it can be used to recover data. You need to create a document, enter characters into it, copy them, and paste the letters as a link in a new file. It needs to be configured so that it points to the damaged file, and not to the original one. First you need to open a new Word document, enter any characters and save the file. Then select the characters from the saved document you just typed and copy them to the clipboard. To do this, you can use the right mouse button to select Copy from the drop-down menu.
Now you need to create a new Word file by selecting File and New. In this case, you can create a blank document, click on the small arrow next to the Paste button and select Paste Special. Here you need to select Paste Link and Formatted Text (RTF) or Unformatted Text. Any of these options are fine. If you receive any error message when trying to paste a link, you will need to close the new document, copy the characters, and create a new file.
After this, there are a few more steps to complete. Must click right click mouse over the pasted link text, select Linked Document Object and Links. Click the Change Source button and go to the directory where the damaged file is located. Select a document and click Open. Once the link source has been updated, click OK. After this, the characters from the damaged document should appear instead of the letters you copied earlier. During the test, an error message appeared and the damaged file did not open. However, the test document was damaged in several ways, so that with minor integrity violations this method might work.
Draft mode and previous versions
Another method you can try is opening the text in Draft Mode, which ignores the title information. To do this, click File and Options, select Advanced, scroll down the page to the Show Document Content section. Check the boxes next to Show Picture Placeholders and Use Draft Font in the Draft and Outline Views window. Return to Word, click View and Draft in the Document Views section. Now you can try to open the damaged file.
Another option that will help you get your MS Office document back is to recover Word documents from previous version. On Windows 7 and newer operating systems, System Restore automatically creates backups every time a new restore point is created. This means that System Restore must be enabled (it is usually enabled by default). If you disable it manually, it will become impossible to restore the data. You can check for backup copies of the file. To do this, right-click on the file, select Properties and the Previous Versions tab. If there is no such tab, then System Restore is disabled. All previously saved versions will appear in the list.
Third party recovery software
To restore DOC files, you can only use those third party applications, which are able to provide a free demo version, because a situation may arise when the program has already been purchased, but it is not capable of coping with the task. Demo versions usually allow you to see some of the text and tell you whether you can recover the rest. Such applications usually support several formats (including RTF). If you feel that the program can solve the problem, then you can buy it. Otherwise, delete it.
Before starting to restore a Word file, the user must ensure that a backup copy has been created damaged file. It may happen that one program corrupts an RTF or DOCX document, and the second cannot recover the data simply because the first application has already made irreversible changes.
If you have a text file created with old version editor, you can use the Repair My Word application for free repair. This is one of the few programs in which you do not have to pay for restoration. Unfortunately, it only works with Word 2003, XP, 2000, 97, 95, 6.0. The application does not accept the new DOCX format, which can be opened in Word 2007 and more modern versions of the editor. If you have a damaged DOC file, it is recommended to use this old but effective software that is available for free. To recover DOCX files, the user will have to use paid programs.
There are services on the Internet that offer users text editors online data recovery. Sometimes it is possible to fix a damaged Word document online, so do not neglect such web resources. Such services can be found not only on foreign websites, but also in the Russian-language segment of the Internet. Online file recovery can save you from having to download paid programs.
Recovering deleted Office files will require special software that is used to find missing files on your hard drive. Documents that were manually deleted by the user should be tried to be returned as quickly as possible, before the corresponding sector is overwritten on the HDD. It is possible to recover lost content from unsaved text files only if the work Word applications was completed incorrectly (for example, as a result of the computer being turned off). The next time you turn on the program, it will prompt the user to restore content that was lost.
In some cases, Word crashes and the data is not saved. But there are cases when the text is saved, but the Word document does not open because the contents have been damaged. In any case, there is a high probability of restoring the document while preserving the contents.
What are the types of damage?
Damage may be caused various factors to rule out most of them, it's worth checking, how the program works with other intact documents.
This must be done to eliminate errors in the operation of the application itself and its packages. It is also recommended to check your PC for virus programs.
In addition, when opening it is worth considering the version of the application. So, for example, when opening a file created in a new version of Word, an earlier one will fail and the document will be displayed as damaged.
Damage may be accompanied by:
- wrong numbering pages;
- restored breaks pages;
- incorrect structure and formatting;
- unreadable signs in the text;
- freezing computer after attempting to open it;
- emergency closing programs when trying to open.
Any atypical behavior of the application or the document itself when opening is considered to be the cause of damage.
Ways to recover Word files
All damaged files are divided into two groups: those that can be opened and those that cannot. And for each case there are ways to solve the problem.
Forced recovery
To forcefully restore a damaged Word file, you must:
This will help restore a broken Word document. But this rarely works for large amounts of text with complex formatting.
Double conversion
Converting to and from another format may resolve the issue. To do this you should:
Comment! If translated into txt format, then all pictures, graphs and diagrams will not be saved.
Copy to new document
If the file opens, then you need copy all text except for the last paragraph. The text from page break to page break also needs to be copied.
Then you need to paste the copied element into a new document and save. 
Advice! To prevent breaks from being transferred, you need to switch to the Draft view.
Removing corrupted content
If the entire amount of information is not displayed, then it is necessary to delete damaged fragments in another mode. This is done as follows:
- open damaged element;
- switch view of the Draft or Web document;
- view the text and delete paragraph after the break;
- switch back mode and check the correctness of the displayed text;
- repeat deletion until the content is displayed correctly;
- save changes.
Changing the template
If after updating Word all files become damaged, you need to change the template. First of all, you need to determine the template to use:
Restore default settings
Microsoft has a special fix that will independently install the initial settings and fix all problems on the computer. You need to download it or run a new version, and then follow the instructions.
The program can solve many problems and errors on your computer. You only need to select the area where the failure occurred. 
Using the “Draft” mode
This the method will work, if Word does not open the document. To run a damaged file you need to:
We use a converter
Word has a built-in “Backup Converter” function. To use it you need:
Backup copy
Microsoft Word automatically creates backups. And if the source is lost or damaged, you can use it. To find a copy you need:
In some cases, the names of the source and copy may not match. Then it is recommended to focus on the date of change.
We use online services
There are many services on the Internet that can recover a Word document, for example, online.officerecovery.com and recoverytoolbox.com. They all work according to the same algorithm, to take advantage of their functions you need to:
- upload the required document to the service; »;
- wait until the restoration is completed;
- download and check.
Recovery programs
The most popular program is Recovery Software. Suitable for recovering any type of data. She has 11 tools that are aimed at different cases of information loss. 
She is able to restore broken images, lost data deleted from media, partitions hard drive and damaged documents.
On a PC, not paying attention to the warnings that at some point, for various reasons, a failure may occur, as a result of which the operating system or software. The file may also become damaged and you will not be able to open it again.
Surely many have encountered a situation where an important document was created using the Microsoft Word office application, but when the need arose to open it, a message appeared in front of the user, informing them that the file was damaged and could not be opened. If a lot of effort was put into creating it and it has any value, such a message can trigger a heart attack.
To protect your health and not worry again when such a notification occurs, it is better to familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to open a damaged Word file.
Microsoft Office software developers, anticipating such emergencies, took care of methods for recovering damaged files. In this regard, it is initially important to figure out how to restore a damaged Word file without resorting to the use of third-party tools or software.
Microsoft Word functionality
If a document typed in Microsoft Word has been slightly changed, as a result of which it no longer opens correctly, you can easily restore it and resume working with it using the capabilities of the office application itself.
To do this, you should first open a new document. Next, in the top menu bar, you need to hover the mouse cursor over the “File” group, it will immediately open context menu, in the list of which you need to find the line “Open”. Now a selection window appears in which you should specify the path where the damaged document is saved.
Typically, the user clicked on a button that led to opening a document. In this case, you should open the list additional features by clicking on the drop-down menu. This is where you can easily find the "Open and Restore" prompt. If, indeed, the document has not undergone catastrophic changes, the office application will be able to easily revive it.
Even if such attempts are unsuccessful, you should not fall into despair, since there are other possibilities for document recovery.
Recovery using third-party software
If it is impossible to open an important document using an office application, there are other ways to achieve the stated goal. Experienced users offer valuable recommendations on how to recover a damaged Word document using special software or service resources.
Potential of online services
On the wide expanses of the Internet, it is easy to find many services that offer effective assistance in case of serious damage to documents when the office application itself could not fix the problem.
One such service is online.officerecovery.com. The resource is absolutely clear, so even a beginner will find it easy to understand.
Upon entering the site, you should first select a document, indicating the path where it is saved on your PC. When opening, it is important to consider that if the document is accompanied set password, you must enter it into a special window, otherwise all attempts made will simply be unsuccessful.
After this, all you have to do is click on the “Safe” button. The process is short, takes about two minutes. Upon completion, the user will be shown a small piece of the recovered document. If it is unreadable, it means that it was so damaged that it is difficult to restore it even with powerful resources. If everything is fine, you can request full text document. Unfortunately, this resource is paid, so you will have to pay for the services. Many users agree, especially in cases where the file is of great value.
This online service is not the only one; there are many others, some of which are free.
Special software
You can also download special programs, which are equipped with functions for restoring damaged documents. Among them is Recovery Toolbox for Word. The program is easy to use, does not take up much space on your hard drive, so it can be used on “weak” machines.
After starting the program, the user must again indicate the location where the document that is important to be restored is saved. Next, the program conducts an analysis, after which it immediately starts the recovery process.
Recovery Toolbox for Word is a powerful tool with which you can revive even seriously damaged documents.
So, there are several ways to fix the problem associated with the inability to open any document created in Word. If the file is of value, it is important to try all methods, including paid resources.
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