In the process of working with Microsoft Word as a software, there are going to be times that you will find certain functions and features not working well for you. There will also be times where the whole program itself experience vulnerabilities, bugs, errors and issues. But do not worry- while the dedicated team in Microsoft work tirelessly to make sure these problems are resolved quickly, there are actually some measures you can do to troubleshoot and fix your program. These are 5 common Microsoft Word problems and how you can troubleshoot them:
- Picture Formatting Controls
When trying to edit certain images in different Microsoft Word documents, some users may experience difficulty in accessing certain controls, especially when it comes to picture formatting. The likeliest possibility that this is happening, would be that the documents were created with different versions of Microsoft Word. Earlier versions of Microsoft Word are still accessible when opened by newer versions, but it’s likely that the newer versions contain features and formatting options that have been amended and so, won’t be applicable to earlier versions.
Simply save a .docx file format of your document and make sure the maintain compatibility option is clear when you do. This would allow you to open documents with images that were created in earlier options and apply the formatting options once more. However do keep in mind that this will change the file format of your documents entirely so if there are others who are still using earlier versions, it would be ideal to work in compatibility mode instead.
- Add ins
While Microsoft Word allows users to introduce and work with Add ins in the software program, there are times when too many add ins will cause the software to crash or become slow responding. Certain add ins may also no longer be compatible, especially if they experience bugs and vulnerabilities. The feasible option would be to trace the add in that is causing you problems and remove it. To uninstall your add ins, choose the start menu of your windows and choose your control panel. You can then pick the add/remove programs- go through your list of installed programs and remove. You will then be taken to dialog boxes with instructions on how to remove certain add in programs. Make sure to try updating your Microsoft Word version before trying this out.
- File Type Opening Error
A good method for troubleshooting this error is to first confirm that you have the latest updates of your software version already installed. If you can’t open it by double clicking on the file, you can choose to open up a blank Microsoft Word document and manually access it by using the file menu and choosing the file you want to open. If it doesn’t work, you may have to use earlier versions of Microsoft Word or Apple TextEdit ( for Mac users) to open the file. You may have to convert your documents into .docx or other editable microsoft file formats in order for them to be opened. If you can open the document, chose the drop down menu and select recover text so that you can get back the details. The formatting may differ but if it retains your information, save it as a .docx file. If you still can’t open it, your files may have been corrupted and you will need previous backups to restore.
- Server File
If you are collaborating with multiple users on the same Microsoft file, it is likely that you will encounter this problem when trying to edit the file. Make sure that no other author has checked the Word document file out and check to see if your software version supports co-authoring. Look for recent changes to the server file and ensure that the co-authoring function is enabled, also make sure you have permission to edit the file.
- Blank Pages
If blank pages aren’t deleted, it’s usually caused by empty paragraphs, page breaks and section breaks still existing within the Microsoft Word document. Turn on your paragraph marks to understand the cause of the blank page by pressing and holding the CTRL, SHIFT and 8 keys. If it’s extra paragraphs, simply delete them so that the blank spaces are removed. For page breaks, place your cursor before the page break and delete. If it’s section breaks, double check by going to the view tab and switching to draft mode instead. Understand that section breaks can cause formatting problems upon removal so switch the section break to a continuous section break to preserve the formatting without inserting the blank page. Use the layout tab and choose page setup dialog launcher. Choose the layout tab again and select section start drop down- this will enable the continuous option.
At the end of the day, the best option you can resort to would be to make sure that your software programs are fully updated. Microsoft Word produces updates that fix bugs and most vulnerabilities so by going the extra mile in ensuring that your software versions are updated, you could be eliminating a lot of potential problems for yourself.