Can't Open .doc Word files in "MS Word for Mac 2011"

[SBUP4M]

I'm using "MS Word for Mac 2011" which uses the .docx file format. I have a number of older Word files in .doc format, but Word 2011 won't open them. What is the easiest/best way to open or convert these .doc files? Thanks.

 

[chscag]

I routinely open very old *.doc files with my copy of Mac Word 2011. As a matter of fact, I have *.doc files from Windows Office 97 archived and routinely open them and edit with Word 2011. I don't know why you can't open *.doc files since Mac Word 2011 certainly is able to do so without any extra add ons or filters. It's possible the *.doc files are protected or corrupt if they can't be opened.

 

[IWT]

Good evening SBUP4M

It may be a compatibility issue. Give this a shot:

Open Word > Preferences > Compatibility and look at "Recommended options for"...... Click the disclosure triangle. Choose from there.

It should look like this:



Hopefully, one of these will do the trick.

Ian

 

[SBUP4M]

That's why I was surprised I couldn't open these .doc files with Word 2011. I tried to open some different .doc files with Word 2011 and was able to do so. I think you are correct that they might be corrupt. Since these files are important, however, I decided to try one other possible solution, and I was able to open them with LibreOffice. I'll try LibreOffice with additional files before I conclude it's the answer. (BTW, the files in question were Word 97 files. These documents were formatted as forms in which most of the text was typed into fill-in text fields. So, you also might be correct that at least part of these documents are protected.) I check into that some more. Thanks for your reply.

 

[SBUP4M]

IWT, thanks for your reply. I think I might have found a solution, but I also check into the compatibility issue that you suggested.

 

[IWT]

Yes, you'll notice from my screenshot, that one of the many compatibility options is, indeed, Word 97-98.

Ian