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word could not create the work file check the temp environment variable

Anonymous
2024-04-01T22:45:31+00:00

When I click on a word file in windows 10 explorer to try to preview it I get the pop up error (several times in a row) "word could not create the work file check the temp environment variable".

I already tried the troubleshooting in the community forums like repairing it, turning off the preview pane (but I need that), adding environment variable, creating a temp internet files folder and deleting temp files. Nothing has worked.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2024-04-03T17:10:59+00:00

Since the steps you've tried so far, including adjusting the registry settings as per Doug Robbins' advice, have not resolved the "Word could not create the work file" error, we should consider other potential solutions. Here's what you can try next:

  1. **Run Office Repair**:
    • Open Control Panel and go to "Programs and Features".
    • Find your Office installation in the list, select it, and click on "Change".
    • Choose "Quick Repair" first. If that doesn’t work, try "Online Repair".
  2. **Check Antivirus Software**:
    • Sometimes, antivirus software can interfere with Office applications. Temporarily disable your antivirus and see if the problem persists.
  3. **Disable Add-ins in Word**:
    • Open Word in Safe Mode (hold down the Ctrl key while opening Word).
    • Go to "File" > "Options" > "Add-Ins".
    • At the bottom of the window, where it says "Manage", select "COM Add-ins" and click "Go".
    • Uncheck all the add-ins and click "OK".
  4. **Update or Reinstall Office**:
    • Ensure your Office suite is up to date. If updates are available, install them.
    • If updating doesn’t work, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling Office.
  5. **Check Disk Space**:
    • Ensure there is enough disk space on your system drive. Lack of space can cause issues with temporary files.
  6. **Run Disk Check**:
    • Open Command Prompt as administrator.
    • Type chkdsk /f /r and press Enter. (Note: this will likely require a system restart and can take some time to complete.)
  7. **Check for Windows System File Corruption**:
    • Run the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool.
    • Open Command Prompt as administrator and type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
    • After it completes, run sfc /scannow again.

If none of these solutions work, the issue might be more deeply rooted in your system's configuration or in a hardware problem. In such cases, seeking professional technical support or considering a system restore might be advisable.

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-04-02T10:06:49+00:00

    For the error message "Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable". See:

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/office-suite-issues/no-file-previews-file-explorer-switching-to-32-bit

    It can be caused by incorrect registry values in the key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders.

    Click Start and in the start search field, type

    Regedit

    and press enter.

    In the registry editor, browse to:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders

    On the right hand pane, check the value data for Cache.

    It has to be %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files.

    If it is different, double click on Cache and type:

    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files

    under value data and click ok. Close the registry and  restart the computer and check if it works.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-04-01T23:19:52+00:00

    Hello,

    The error message you're encountering is often related to issues with the Windows Temporary Files settings or permissions. Since you've tried several troubleshooting steps from the community forums without success, here are a few more actions you can take to try to resolve the issue:

    Reset the Temp Environment Variable:

    Right-click on 'This PC' or 'Computer' on the desktop or in File Explorer, and select 'Properties'. Click on 'Advanced system settings'. In the System Properties window, go to the 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Environment Variables'. Under 'User variables' for your account, check for the variable named 'TEMP'. If it's not there, you can create it by clicking 'New' and set the variable name to 'TEMP' and the variable value to %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp. Do the same for the 'TMP' variable. Under 'System variables', also ensure that 'TEMP' and 'TMP' are set to %SystemRoot%\TEMP. Permissions for the Temp Folder:

    Navigate to the Temp folder (you can type %TEMP% in the File Explorer address bar to get there quickly). Right-click on the folder, select 'Properties', go to the 'Security' tab, and ensure that your user account has full control. If not, edit the permissions to grant full control. Clear Temporary Files:

    Use the Disk Cleanup utility to clear out temporary files that may be causing issues. You can also manually delete the contents of the Temp folder, but you should close all running applications before doing so. Check the Registry Setting:

    Open the Registry Editor (type regedit in the Start menu and press Enter). Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders. Find the entries for Cache and ensure they point to a valid path, such as %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache. If you make any changes, restart your computer. Create a New Windows User Profile:

    Sometimes, the user profile can become corrupted. Creating a new user profile can help if none of the above solutions work. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC. Run System File Checker:

    Run the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and enter sfc /scannow. Check for Windows Updates:

    Make sure your system is fully updated, as some errors can be resolved by installing the latest Windows updates. Use Microsoft’s Support and Recovery Assistant:

    Download and run the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool, which can help fix problems with Office applications. If none of these steps work, the issue might be more complex and could be related to other system issues or conflicts with other software. In such cases, you might want to consult with a professional or consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance

    Best Regards, Saurabh

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-04-04T18:00:13+00:00

    Quick repair seems to have worked. Thank you!

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-04-03T16:25:40+00:00

    For the error message "Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable". See:

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/office-suite-issues/no-file-previews-file-explorer-switching-to-32-bit

    It can be caused by incorrect registry values in the key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders.

    Click Start and in the start search field, type

    Regedit

    and press enter.

    In the registry editor, browse to:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders

    On the right hand pane, check the value data for Cache.

    It has to be %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files.

    If it is different, double click on Cache and type:

    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files

    under value data and click ok. Close the registry and  restart the computer and check if it works.

    This did not work.

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