runtime error '53' in word

Question

When I open a document in Word an Error message reads- runtime error '53' and I can't save/use it as needed. How can you help me fix this?

Answer 1

The most common cause of that message is an Adobe Acrobat macro template. If the error message includes information about Acrobat, here's how to remove that file:

1. Close Word.
2. In the Finder, hold down the Option key while clicking on the Go menu and choosing Library. Your hidden user library folder opens.
3. Navigate to ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Startup/Word.
4. Drag the linkCreation.dotm file to your desktop.
5. Restart Word and check that the error message no longer occurs.

If the error message does not mention Acrobat, please post the exact text as Bob has requested.

Answer 2

What happened is that at one time Adobe Acrobat was installed. It is no longer installed and therefore did not get updated. The old add-in was still there and needed to be either removed or updated. You removed it.

Answer 3

Thank you John.

I think it worked, but I don't understand what happened.

Answer 4

As Jay indicated there can be any number of causes for that type of error. It's a general notification but normally offers an explanation beyond what you've included. Nobody can provide reasonable guidance unless you give the complete & exact content of the error message.

Answer 5

Error 53 is a VBA error with the description "File not found". That implies that there's a macro -- probably in the Normal.dotm template, but possibly in an add-in -- that runs at startup, but it's looking for a file that doesn't exist, has been renamed, or has been moved to a different folder than expected.

I don't have a Mac, so one of the Mac volunteers will have to tell you how to find the culprit.