~$ is in front of my file name. open it

Question

some of my word docs have a weird sign in front of the file name. It is a squiggley line followed by a dollar sign (~$). when i open the file a window comes up giving me three options one of which is "english - windows" I click on that and click ok and the document has a weird bunch of writing. thanks for any suggestions regarding this problem.

Answer 1

The files you are describing are so-called owner files (sometimes referred to as "lock" files). An owner file is created when you work with a document in Word, and it should be deleted when you save your document and exit Word. Sometimes these files are left behind, for example if Word crashes, and you can delete them manually. See http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm.

For more on temporary files in Word, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211632/en-us/.

Answer 2

Thanks. But what if it is the only version of the file I have left and I want to be able to see/read it? I have no other trace of this file, and would like to see it in its original form. Is there a way to convert it back or make it readable?

Thanks!

Answer 3

The owner file that Stefan described is not in any way a copy of the document file -- all it contains is the little bit of information needed to display a message when someone else tries to open a file that you already have open.

The owner file can be left behind when the file it refers to has been deleted or corrupted, but it's of no use whatever in recovering the original document.

Situations like this are the reason we constantly remind people to make frequent and thorough backups. Whether you make copies to an external hard drive, an online backup service, an optical disk, or anywhere else, it's critical that you just do it. These two pages can help you set up a good backup: http://www.gmayor.com/automatically_backup.htm and http://www.gmayor.com/SaveInTwoPlacesAddIn.htm.

Answer 4

Thank you

Answer 5

I have the same question