Fix – Word Experienced an Error Trying to Open The File

If the file was changed by third-party software during the transmission process, this issue will most likely occur, and the file will not open as a result of the alteration.

There are a number proven solutions for this problem, and we will go through them all in this tutorial.

Unblock the File

Right-click the document file in which the issue occurs and choose Properties from the menu.

If you are able to see the Unblock button on the General page, click on it.

Close the window by clicking OK.

Disable the Protected View options

Open the any document and go to the File tab.

Clock on Options found at the bottom-left of the file tab.

Select Trust Center tab and press the Trust Center Settings button.

Click on Protected View to access the options shown in the image below.

Place the files in a trusted folder

Create an alternative folder and move all documents with the error.

Open the Word application and click on the File Tab then Options.

Go to Trust Center tab and click on Trust Center Settings.

Select the Trusted Locations tab and click on Add New Location.

Press the Browse button and select the alternative folder where you moved your documents to.

Select the checkbox that says “Subfolders of this location are also trusted”.

Click OK to close the Trusted Location tab.

Fix the MS Word file

Open MS Word application.

Click Open on the left side of the File Tab and select Browse.

Select the Word document that has the error.

Click the dropdown menu from Open and select the Open and Repair option.

Open the document with another application

This is a workaround, not a remedy. Many word processors accept MS Word files. So, try opening the file with another program.