How to Repair Corrupted Word Documents: Tips to Recover Text

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to repair a corrupted Word document and recover lost text
PDF download Download Article

Do you have a damaged Word document? Microsoft Word has a built-in document repair feature that can help you recover lost information and restore corrupted files. If this doesn't work, there are ways to troubleshoot missing text. Here's how to repair a Word document on your Windows or Mac computer.

Quick Steps

  1. Open Microsoft Word.
  2. Click File and select Open .
  3. Click Browse and select the corrupted document.
  4. Click the down-arrow next to Open .
  5. Click Open and Repair .
Section 1 of 2:

Repairing a Document

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Do not open the corrupted file.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a2\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-2-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-2-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a2\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-2-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-2-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    This is at the top-left corner of the screen.
    Advertisement
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/86\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-3-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-3-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/86\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-3-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-3-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You'll need to navigate to the corrupted Word document.
  4. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fb\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-4-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-4-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fb\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-4-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-4-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    The file name should be highlighted only—don't double-click to open it.
    • Make sure to go to the exact location or folder where the document is saved; you won't be able to proceed if you use the Recents section.
  5. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/44\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-5-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-5-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/44\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-5-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-5-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    A drop-down menu will open with more options.
  6. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-6-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-6-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-6-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-6-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    This is towards the bottom of the menu.
    • This will start the Open and Repair command. If it succeeds, the Word document will be recovered.
    • To prevent corrupted files, always safely eject external hard drives or USB flash drives and close programs completely before shutting off your computer.
    7. Advertisement
Section 2 of 2:

Recovering Text

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9d\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-7-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-7-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9d\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-7-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-7-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you have a backup file saved somewhere, you may be able to open it if it's not corrupted.
    • If you saved your file in OneDrive , you may be able to revert back to an old version of the file. [1]
      • Open the file in OneDrive.
      • Click the title of the file.
      • Click Version history .
      • Select a version to open it.
      • Click Restore to revert to that version.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ef\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ef\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-8-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-8-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you can open the document but the text is corrupted, select all of the text ( CTRL + A ). Then, copy and paste it into a new document. This may recover some of the corrupted text.
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b2\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-9-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-9-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b2\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-9-Version-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-9-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Your document may not be corrupt. If you have trouble opening other Word documents on the same computer, your version of Word may be at fault, not the document. In this case, re-downloading Microsoft Office may help.
  4. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-10-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-10-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-10-Version-4.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-10-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you have a copy of your document on another computer or sent it via email, you may still have a good copy to work with.
    • Look at the date/time stamp for the file if you have it on another computer. If it's the same as the "corrupt" file, but it still opens, you may have a problem with the operating system on the computer with the corrupt file or with the hard drive itself.
    • If you emailed the document recently, check the Sent Items folder. You can then download the file to see if Word will open it.
  5. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5b\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-11-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-11-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5b\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-11-Version-4.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-11-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you can open the document with your version of Word, saving it in a format such as .rtf (rich text format) or .txt (ASCII text format) may strip out whatever codes corrupted the file in .doc or .docx format. After opening the converted document, you can re-save a new version in .doc or .docx format to see if the problem returns.
    • Be aware that the .txt format does not support text formatting features such as bold, italics, and underlining. If your document has extensive formatting, save it in .rtf format to preserve the formatting before re-saving it in .doc or .docx format.
    • Some Word documents may be corrupted in such a way that a file saved in a different file format in Word may not be able to be opened again.
  6. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/44\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-12.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/44\/Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-12.jpg\/v4-728px-Repair-a-Word-Document-Step-12.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you can't open the document in Word, you may still be able to open it with a different word processing program or with a text editor program that reads the .doc or .docx format. Either of these may let you recover the text from your document.
    7. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I recover an unsaved document at work?
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Spike Baron is a Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Spike’s Computer Repair. With over 25 years of working experience in the tech industry, Spike specializes in PC and Mac computer repair, used computer sales, virus removal, data recovery, and hardware and software upgrades. He has worked as an IT Systems expert for numerous companies, including Huntington Health, Blackbox, Honda, and Manufacturers Bank. In his spare time, Spike also builds and restores computers. He has his CompTIA A+ certification for computer service technicians and is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert.
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Expert Answer
    Use the Exchange Server! If you're in a corporate environment with an Exchange server, there is a backup copy that is saved to the Exchange Server of recent files. So, in Word, there's an option where you can try to recover the file.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Save a Document in Rich Text Format
      How to
      Add Check Boxes to Word: 10 Simple Steps
      Easily Add Page Numbers to a Word Document on Any Platform
      How to
      Remove a Blank Page in Word
      3 Easy Ways to Delete a Horizontal Line in a Word Document
      3 Simple Ways to Insert a Hyperlink in Microsoft Word
      How to
      Add Backgrounds in Microsoft Word: Watermarks, Images, & Colors
      How to
      Remove the 'Read Only' Status on MS Word Documents
      How to
      Save a Microsoft Word Document: 8 Simple Ways
      How to
      Add a Horizontal Line in Microsoft Word
      How to
      Create and Edit the Table of Contents in Word
      How to
      Check a Word Count in Microsoft Word
      Easily Format Word Docs from Scratch or Using Templates
      How to
      Create an Index in Word
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/view-previous-versions-of-office-files-5c1e076f-a9c9-41b8-8ace-f77b9642e2c2

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 378,007 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • John Harris

        Jun 6, 2016

        "Following your instructions as a guide, I was able to locate on my computer, open and save in a newly created ..." more
      Share your story

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement