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Microsoft documents don't open when using Apple "Recent" function. I don't know what you mean by "Tag."

JEFFREY BELMONT 0 Reputation points
2026-04-23T14:50:34.7866667+00:00

Microsoft documents don't open when using Apple "Recent" function. I don't know what you mean by "Tag."

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | MacOS

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  1. Kal-D 7,365 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-23T19:37:44.0066667+00:00

    Hi JEFFREY BELMONT,

    On Mac, the Recent list only keeps a reference to the file location. If that reference becomes outdated or corrupted, the file may not open from Recent even though it still opens normally from Finder.

    You can try the steps below:

    • Open the file directly from Finder. If it opens, then file itself is fine
    • Rebuild the Recent entry: Open it from Finder, make a small change, save, then try again.

    If the issue continues

    1. Quit Word entirely
    2. Go to ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences
    3. Remove com.microsoft.Word.securebookmarks.plist
    4. Reopen Word and try again

    This method resets the stored references and allows them to rebuild.

    If your files are in OneDrive or iCloud, also make sure they are fully synced, as location changes can break Recent links.

    Hope this helps a bit. If anything is unclear, feel free to share more details and I can take a closer look with you.

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