Word document not opening

Question

I have a word document that was shared with 2 other people through sharepoint. When I click on the link to the document, it says "error, something went wrong." What do I need to do to gain access to it again?

Answer 1

Hi @Taylor Martin,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand how inconvenient it can be when a SharePoint link suddenly displays an “Error, something went wrong” message and prevents you from accessing the content. I’m happy to share the most common steps that usually help resolve this issue and restore access.

1/ Make sure you’re signed in with the correct account:

This error often occurs when the file was shared with one email address, but you’re currently signed in using a different account (for example, a personal Microsoft account instead of your school or work account). To avoid this, please sign out of all Microsoft accounts, then open the link again and sign in using the exact email address that received the sharing invitation.

2/ Try an InPrivate/Incognito window and clear browser data:

First, open the link in an InPrivate (Edge) or Incognito (Chrome) window to rule out cached session issues.

If the problem persists, clear your browser’s cookies and cache (in Edge: Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data, or by opening edge://settings/clearbrowserdata).

Additionally, make sure cookies, including third‑party cookies if they are restricted, are allowed for Microsoft Office and SharePoint, as blocked cookies can trigger this type of error

3/ Recheck sharing permissions:

Access problems can also happen if permissions were changed or removed, or if there’s a mismatch in the user record. In this case, the file or site owner should confirm that you still have access to the site, library, or file and re-share it if necessary.

If your school or tenant administrator is assisting, Microsoft also provides documentation with admin-side diagnostics for SharePoint and OneDrive access issues.

4/ Confirm the file hasn’t been moved or renamed:

If the document was moved or renamed, the original link may no longer be valid. Please ask the owner to confirm that the file still exists in the library, then try opening it directly from the SharePoint document library instead of using the old link.

5/ Collect details if the issue continues:

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, you can gather additional information for troubleshooting. In Edge or Chrome, press F12 to open Developer Tools, reproduce the error, and save the Console output. You can then share this with your IT administrator so they can help identify the root cause.

For more information, you can review this Microsoft's official article: Access Denied or You need permission errors in SharePoint Online and OneDrive.

I hope this helps clarify what’s happening and how to proceed. Please feel free to follow up if you have additional questions or need further guidance.

I look forward to your reply.

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Answer 2

If you are encountering an error when trying to access a Word document shared through SharePoint, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check if the document is checked out: If the document is in a library where the option "Require documents to be checked out before they can be edited?" is set to "Yes," ensure that the document has been checked in. If it has not been checked in, you will need to do so before sharing it.
2. Verify permissions: Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to access the document. If the document was shared with you, confirm that the sharing settings are correct.
3. Try accessing the document in a different way: Instead of clicking the link directly, you can try navigating to the document library in SharePoint and accessing it from there.
4. Check for browser issues: Sometimes, browser settings or cache can cause issues. Try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser to see if that resolves the problem.
5. Consult with the document owner: If the issue persists, reach out to the person who shared the document to ensure that it is still available and that there are no restrictions on access.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may want to check for more specific troubleshooting steps related to SharePoint or Office documents.

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References:

• An external user receives an error message when they click the link to a shared resource in SharePoint Online
• Can't open Office files from SharePoint Online