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Word can't open (parse) valid HTML anymore

Anonymous
2023-08-08T15:24:52+00:00

In my previous Word version it was possible to open (parse) this file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GY4PrCgbeZm6KeOXxhTrCVWPFT9sjEJb/view?usp=drive_link It would basically show as if opened by a browser.

I now use a newer Word version (see below) and can't open the file anymore. Word just won't stop loading, and basically freezes in some sort of endless loop.

My new Word version is

Microsoft® Word für Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2305 Build 16.0.16501.20074) 32 Bit

I don't know the old version (it was updated automatically before I checked).

Any suggestions if this is a known issue? (I did a search in the knowledge base, but could not find a proper match)
Is there a workaround (without editing the file)?

My customers need to see the file "as is" without changes to the underlying HTML, and they usually use Word to do so.

If I need to change the file, any suggestions what is wrong and how to fix this in the least intrusive way?

Thanks for helping me out, and for any suggestion.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2023-08-09T07:34:18+00:00

    Hi Jay,

    Here is an image of it opened in Word

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  2. Jay Freedman 207.7K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2023-08-08T23:51:22+00:00

    Doug, I'm using Microsoft 365 Family, at the same version and build as your Enterprise. I'm seeing the same behavior that Christian described -- Word tries to parse the HTML and just keeps looping until it goes Not Responding. That's strange, because I thought that the code in both versions of Word would be identical.

    The same file opens almost instantly in Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Brave browsers, and it doesn't show any errors when opened in an old copy of Microsoft Expression Web 4.

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  3. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2023-08-08T23:16:28+00:00

    I was able to open that file in a 64-bit installation of Word in Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Version 2307 (Build 16626.20134 Click-to-Run) Current Channel.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-08-09T07:47:17+00:00

    Thanks Jay & Doug for your replies so far.

    IMHO it shows that Word handles this file different, and sometimes (for unknown reasons) can't open it.
    We tested on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems (both with said Word version; see above).

    But we could not find the difference that allows (or prevents) Word to open and parse the file, yet.

    I think, any additional information is useful in determining the root cause of this.

    I will also open a support ticket with Microsoft directly, now that we know this problem is not restricted to my side.

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