older word files are no longer accessible in word.

Question

All of my slightly older word files are suddenly no longer accessible in word and while there are not able to be opened. I have to try and open them in my hotmail instead.

It is also trying to force me to save to onedrive by default and will not let me change it to my pc in the settings. I think they want to make me upgrade outlook to have more onedrive gb but I don't want that.

any advice appreciated

[Moved to a Word tag]

Answer 1

It sounds like you are experiencing issues with accessing older Word files and are being prompted to save files to OneDrive by default. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot these issues:

1. Check for Corrupted Files: If older Word files are not accessible, they might be corrupted. You can try opening them in a different program or using the Text Recovery converter in Word.
2. Reset Word Settings: Sometimes, resetting Word to its default settings can resolve issues. You can do this by modifying the registry settings or using the /a switch to start Word with default settings.
3. Change Default Save Location: To change the default save location from OneDrive to your PC, go to the Word Options. Under the Save tab, you should be able to change the default local file location. If this option is not available, it might be due to your organization's settings if you are using a work account.
4. Disk Space: Ensure that you have enough disk space on your local drive, as insufficient space can prevent files from opening or saving correctly. You can use the Disk Cleanup tool to free up space.
5. Check for Updates: Make sure your Office applications are up to date, as updates can fix bugs and improve functionality.

If these steps do not resolve your issues, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

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References:

• Cannot open Word documents or Excel spreadsheets from an external source in Outlook
• How to troubleshoot damaged documents in Word