How to Fix Microsoft Word Cannot Open or Edit a File

Instead of double-clicking the file in File Explorer, launch Microsoft Word first. Go to File > Open, and browse your computer to select the document.

If the file is located on OneDrive or SharePoint, verify your internet connection. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of Word to ensure your cloud account is properly signed in.

For cloud-stored files, try downloading a copy directly to your local desktop via your web browser. Open the local copy to rule out cloud synchronization errors.

Right-click the problematic Word file in File Explorer and select Properties from the context menu.

On the General tab, look for a Security section at the bottom. If you see a message saying the file came from another computer, check the 'Unblock' box and click Apply, then OK.

Open the file again. If a yellow Protected View banner appears at the top of the window, click the 'Enable Editing' button to start making changes.

Open Microsoft Word, click on the File tab in the top-left corner, and select Open.

Click Browse and navigate to the folder where the problematic document is saved. Click once on the file to select it, but do not double-click.

Click the small arrow next to the Open button at the bottom of the dialog box, and select 'Open and Repair' from the dropdown menu to attempt recovery.