Hello rich huff,
Sorry for the inconvenience you’re experiencing. From what you described, I understand that after installing the recent Windows 11 update, previously saved Word, Excel, PDF, and JPG files no longer open, although newly created files still work normally.
Please try the options below and check whether the issue continues:
- Open one affected file on another computer or upload a copy to Word/Excel for the web. If it opens there, keep the original files unchanged and do not run recovery tools on every file.
- Repair Office: Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Office/365 > three dots > Modify > Online Repair. Then repair Photos under Installed apps > Microsoft Photos > Advanced options > Repair.
- Open Terminal as administrator and run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth followed by: sfc /scannow
- KB5121767 is an out-of-band update aimed at a specific issue affecting some Intel-based Dell devices. Since this PC uses an AMD processor and the files opened normally before the update, you can consider removing it from Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. After restarting the PC, check whether the affected files open again.
If the issue continues, use System Restore and select a restore point created before KB5121767 was installed on July 19, 2026.
Note: System Restore does not require a previous file backup, but Windows must already have created a restore point from before the issue began. It rolls back system files, drivers, settings, and installed programs without normally affecting personal documents or photos. However, since some files are showing as corrupted, I still recommend copying all important files to another drive before proceeding.
Please let me know how it goes after trying these steps, and I'll be glad to continue looking into it with you.
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