File Corruption & Recovery

How to Use Word's Text Recovery Converter to Open Damaged Files

Rana Garcia Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to recover readable text from a damaged or unsupported Microsoft Word document using the built-in Text Recovery Converter.

How to Use Word's Text Recovery Converter to Open a Damaged File

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to open a corrupted or unsupported file to salvage its text content.
Observed behavior: The document is damaged or in an unsupported format, preventing normal access, but text can still be extracted using the recovery tool.

Before you start

Before attempting to recover text from your damaged file, ensure you have created a backup copy of the corrupted document in a safe folder to prevent any accidental data loss during the recovery process.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the 'Recover Text from Any File' Feature in Word

Utilize Microsoft Word's built-in file format dropdown to force the program to extract raw text from the damaged document.

The Text Recovery Converter strips out document formatting, images, and embedded objects, leaving only the raw text. This is often the most effective way to salvage content from severely corrupted files that otherwise refuse to open.

Open Microsoft Word

Launch Microsoft Word, click on the 'File' tab located in the top-left corner of the application window, and select 'Open'.

Browse for the Damaged File

Click on the 'Browse' option to open the file explorer window. Navigate to the specific folder that contains your corrupted or damaged document.

Select the Text Recovery Converter

Click on the file type dropdown menu (which typically says 'All Word Documents') located right next to the File name input box. Scroll through the list and select 'Recover Text from Any File (*.*)'.

Open and Extract Text

Click on your damaged document to select it, then click the 'Open' button. Word will now process the file and extract all readable text into a new document.

Use the 'Recover Text from Any File' Feature in Word

Formatting and Media Loss: Using this method will only recover unformatted text. All original formatting, tables, graphics, charts, and embedded media will be permanently lost.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Prevent File Corruption and Data Loss with WPS Office

Tired of dealing with corrupted Word documents and losing your formatting? WPS Writer is a lightweight, highly stable alternative to Microsoft Word that includes robust Auto-Backup and File Repair features to keep your documents safe and accessible.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free suite and follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your computer.
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3. Open Word Documents Safely: Click 'Menu' then 'Open' to select your .docx files. WPS Writer natively opens and edits Word documents with exceptional format retention and stability.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.doc, .docx) to prevent compatibility corruptionBuilt-in intelligent Auto-Backup feature securely prevents accidental data lossIncludes a Document Rescue feature to easily recover unsaved or damaged filesFree, lightweight, and features a familiar user interface for seamless migration

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Word document get corrupted?

Documents can become corrupted due to a variety of reasons, including unexpected system shutdowns, power outages while saving, incomplete file transfers, or saving the file to a failing USB drive or hard disk.

Will I get my images back using the Text Recovery Converter?

No, the Text Recovery Converter is strictly designed to salvage only raw, readable text data. Any embedded images, charts, page layouts, and font formatting cannot be recovered using this specific tool.

Where exactly is the Text Recovery Converter located?

It is located within the 'Open' dialog box in Microsoft Word. After clicking 'File' > 'Open' > 'Browse', you can find it by clicking the file format dropdown menu next to the file name box. It is listed as 'Recover Text from Any File (*.*)'.

Does this recovery method work for files other than Word documents?

Yes, the 'Recover Text from Any File' option attempts to extract text strings from absolutely any file type you select, including non-document files. However, the output for non-text files will likely contain random system characters alongside any readable text.

Document & File Issues