How to Fix Word File is Corrupted And Cannot Be Opened Error?

The file is corrupted and cannot be opened” error message in word file comes with a lot of uncertainties. It creates a stressful situation along with the interruption of your workflow

You will assume that the document is permanently damaged, but that’s rarely the case. With the right approach, you will be able to fix the issue and get access to your files again.

Let’s know more about the Word document issue in detail.

Why “Word File Corrupted and Cannot Be Opened” Issue Appears?

We have listed some of the most common reasons behind the inaccessibility or corruption of Word files. Explore them now:

Trust center restrictions.
Malware or virus infection.
Damaged storage devices.
Office or Windows-related issues.
Improper and unexpected shutdowns.
Incomplete and interrupted file transfer.

Quick Troubleshooting Tips: Common Issues & Applicable Solutions

Use the given table to know the different issues and their best applicable solutions at a glance. Here they are:

If Your Issue Is	Try This First
Downloaded document won’t open	Unblock file or try another app
Recently edited document	Open and Repair option
Blank document opens	Recover text from any file
Security warnings appears	Check Trust Center settings
Multiple Office files won’t open	Repair the Microsoft Office Program
Windows storage-related issues	Run the CHKDSK command
File remains inaccessible	Use a professional Word repair tool

Manual Ways to Repair Word File Is Corrupted And Cannot Be Opened [Top 7]

The section below will provide the best methods to recover corrupt Word Documents. Try each one to find the most applicable solution for yourself.

Method 1. Use the Word Auto Repair Utility

Follow the steps below to repair the damaged or corrupted Word file with the built-in utility.

Step 1. Open Word and go toFile menu.

Step 2. Under the Open tab, click on Browse. Under the Open tab click on Browse

Step 3. Select the file and continue with the arrow beside Open.

Step 4. Choose Open and Repair to proceed. Then choose open and repair

Step 5. It will repair minor structure or corruption issues.

Method 2: Change the Protected View Settings

Here are the complete steps to change the Trust Center settings that may prevent you from opening a legitimate Word file.

Step 1. Navigate to File > Options. Go to file and then options

Step 2. Click on Trust Center> Trust Center Settings. Click on Trust Center

Step 3:Step 3. Disable all the Protected View settings.

Step 4. Then, click OK to proceed. Disable all the protected view settings

Step 5. Restart the Word application to apply the changes made.

Method 3. Recover Text From Any File

You can recover the readable text through the Word application if the formatting is not the primary concern. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Click on File and proceed to Open tab.

Step 2. Browse to select the document to extract text.

Step 3. Change the file type to Recover Text from Any File.

Step 4. Open the selected file to begin the textual content recovery process.

Method 4. Unblock the Word File

Use the steps below to unblock the downloaded Word files if downloaded from different sources.

Step 1. Right-click on the document.

Step 2. Choose Properties and go to General tab.

Step 3. Check the Unblock option if available.

Step 4. Click on Apply and proceed to OK.

Step 5. Try to open the document again.

Method 5. Restore the Previous Version

File History or cloud backups help you get back the earlier document version. So, try the given steps to fix the “Microsoft Word: the file is corrupted and cannot be opened” error.

Step 1. Right-click on the Word document & click on Properties.

Step 2. Navigate to the Previous Versions tab.

Step 3. Select the recent healthy version to Restore it. Restore the recent version

Method 6. Restore Auto-Recovered Word Files

Word automatically saves temporary copies of your document. Here’s how to restore these unsaved documents:

Step 1. Access Word and go to File..

Step 2. Navigate to Info section and proceed to Manage Document.

Step 3. Tap on Recover Unsaved Documents option.

Step 4. Open the available file and Save it.

Method 7: Modify the Default Properties (Component Services)

Component Services gives you administrative access to manage software applications. By changing the default settings, the “Word file is corrupted and cannot be opened” issue may be resolved. Here’s how:

Step 1: Access the Run and type dcomcnfg. Then, proceed to OK.

Step 2: Expand Component Services and go to Computers.

Step 3. Right-click on My Computer and select Properties.

Step 3: Choose the Default Properties tab and make the following changes:

Default Authentication Level: Connect
Default Impersonation Level: Identify

Once done, click OK to save the changes. Once done, click OK to save changes

What To Do When Manual Methods Fail?- Know The Most Effective Approach

Native solutions can help you fix “the file is corrupt and cannot be opened in Word” issue. But they become ineffective when you are facing these:

The document size is 0KB.
The file header is heavily damaged.
Don’t want to lose crucial information.
Word documents are severely corrupted.
Word crashes every time you open a document.

To overcome the above-mentioned challenges, choosing solutions like Kernel for Word Repair Software will be effective. The tool can repair multiple documents in a single run.

Final Thoughts

Here, we have covered detailed steps to fix the “Word file is corrupted and cannot be opened” error. You can use the manual methods to resolve the error when the backup is available or minor corruption levels. For severely damaged Word files, go with the recommended Word Repair software. The software easily repairs corrupt .doc files and saves them to the pre-defined location.