Fix Word Alt+Left Arrow Opening a Read-Only Document Instead of Going Back
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where navigating back from a hyperlink in Microsoft Word opens a read-only duplicate file.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Navigating back to the original text location after clicking a hyperlink inside a Word document using keyboard shortcuts or ribbon commands.
- Observed behavior
- Pressing the Alt+Left Arrow shortcut or using the GoBackWeb command opens a read-only copy of the active document instead of returning to the previous hyperlink location.
Before troubleshooting, verify your current Microsoft Word version by navigating to File > Account > About Word to determine if you are using an Insider beta release, which often contains experimental bugs.
Roll Back Microsoft 365 to a Previous Version
Revert Office to a known stable version using the Office Deployment Tool if the navigation issue is caused by a recent update bug.
Sometimes, specific Microsoft 365 updates or Insider releases introduce bugs that affect internal commands like GoBackWeb. Rolling back to a previous build often resolves these shortcut anomalies.
Open Notepad and create a config.xml file specifying your target stable version (e.g., TargetVersion="16.0.16227.20354"). Ensure updates are enabled in the XML tags.
Open an elevated Command Prompt as an administrator, navigate to the folder containing your config.xml file, and execute the command: setup.exe /configure config.xml
Open Microsoft Word, navigate to File > Account > Update Options, and click Update Now. This will force Office to fetch and apply the specified older version.
Once the rollback is complete, go back to File > Account > Update Options and choose Disable Updates so the buggy version is not automatically reinstalled.
Run Word in Safe Mode to Rule Out Add-ins
Start Word in Safe Mode to determine if third-party add-ins or background applications are hijacking the keyboard shortcut.
Perform an Online Repair of Office
Run an Online Repair to fix potential corruptions in your Office installation that might cause command execution failures.
Try WPS Office for a Stable Document Editing Experience
If Microsoft Word update bugs are disrupting your workflow, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and reliable alternative. It handles hyperlinks and navigation shortcuts flawlessly without version-breaking errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Alt+Left Arrow open a read-only file in Word?
This is typically caused by a bug in a specific Microsoft 365 update or Insider release where the internal GoBackWeb command incorrectly triggers a document duplication instead of standard hyperlink navigation.
Does the GoBackWeb command do the same thing as Alt+Left Arrow?
Yes, GoBackWeb is the internal Word command executed when you press Alt+Left Arrow. If one fails or acts buggy due to an update glitch, the other usually exhibits the exact same behavior.
How do I stop Office from automatically updating after a version rollback?
In Microsoft Word, navigate to File > Account, click on Update Options, and select 'Disable Updates'. This prevents the system from automatically reinstalling the buggy version you just rolled back from.
