How to Repair Corrupted Word File/Document [Top 5 Methods]

Method 1. Open Corrupted Word File in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a troubleshooting feature in Microsoft Word that can help you open a corrupted Word document without loading certain features and add-ins that might be causing issues.

Here's how to open corrupted Word document in Safe Mode:

• Press the "WIN" + "R" keys to open the Run dialogue box.

• Type "winword /safe" (without quotes) and click "OK." This will start Word in Safe Mode.

  
• In Word's Safe Mode, click "File" in the top-left corner. Now select "Open", navigate to the location of your corrupted Word document and open it.
• If the word document can open without any issue, proceed to copy the content to a new document and save it as a new file. If the issue persists, move on to the next solution.

Method 2. Repair Corrupted Word Files with "Open and Repair" Feature

If you are unable to open the corrupted word document even in Word's safe mode, there is another thing you can try. Microsoft Word has a built-in “Open and Repair” feature designed to handle corrupted files and attempt recovery.

Here’s how to repair corrupted Word file using this feature.

• Open Microsoft Word and click on “File” in the top-left corner.
• Click File > Open > Browse, navigate to and select the corrupted file.

• Instead of directly opening the file, click the corrupted document, then click on the small arrow next to the "Open" button and choose “Open and Repair.”

  
• Word will attempt to open the repaired file if the repair process is successful.
• After that, save the repaired file with a new name to avoid overwriting the original corrupted file.

Method 3. Repair Corrupted Word File Online for Free

When the above common methods fall short in fixing your corrupted Word document, or if you’re seeking a cost-free solution to repair corrupted Word files online, turn your attention to the 4DDiG Online Document Repair Tool. This web-based marvel offers an immediate way to mend your corrupted or damaged files with ease.

Let's discuss how this amazing tool can repair your corrupted word file online.

• Access the 4DDiG Free Online Document Repair tool via your web browser.

• Now hit the Upload Document button and upload the corrupted Word file you want to repair.

  
• Once the file is uploaded, the automatic repair process will begin. Wait until the process to be completed, then you can download the repaired Word file to your computer.

Method 4. Fix Corrupted Word File with 4DDiG File Repair

Online tools like the 4DDiG Online Document Repair Tool are handy for quick fixes on minor Word document issues. However, when you’re dealing with severely corrupted Word files or handling multiple documents, you may need a more robust solution. That's where the 4DDiG File Repair Desktop version comes in. It provides a complete software solution that can tackle a wide range of file corruption issues. Here’s why you should opt for the desktop version:

• It is a versatile program that can not only repair corrupted Word files but also various file types including videos, photos, audio files, and Excel, PDF, PPTX, and more.
• It's capable of handling file corruption at all levels.
• You can repair up to 3,000 files simultaneously, regardless of their size.
• With its user-friendly interface, high success rate, and wide compatibility, it offers a reliable solution.

Now let's discuss how to fix a corrupted Word document by using 4DDiG File Repair.

• First of all, download and install the 4DDiG File Repair tool on your Windows computer and launch it.

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• On the main page, click on File Repair and then hit the Add File(s) button to upload the corrupted Word documents.

  

• Once the documents are uploaded successfully, you can start the repair process by hitting the Start Repair button.

  

• Now wait for the process to be completed. Once done, you can preview the repaired files and hit the Export Selected button to save them to your computer.

  

Also Read:

How to Recover Corrupted Word Files Mac?

Method 5. Restore Word Documents from Previous Versions or Backups

If you have enabled file versioning or create backups of your Word documents, you can try restoring Word documents from previous versions or backups. this method can be effective in recovering a corrupted file.

Here is how you can recover corrupt Word documents.

• Right-click on the folder where the corrupted Word file was saved.

• Choose "Restore previous versions" from the context menu.

  
• A list of previous versions of the folder will be displayed. Select the version closest to when the file was last known to be intact.

• Once you've chosen a previous version, click "Restore" to recover the corrupted Word file.

  

Also Read:

How to Recover Deleted Word Documents Free in 2024?

Video Tutorial on How to Repair Corrupted Word File

Pro Tips: How to Prevent Word Files from Corruption?

While knowing how to repair corrupted Word files is essential, it's equally important to adopt preventive measures to protect your documents from potential corruption in the future.

Here are some expert tips to help you keep your Word files safe and intact:

• Back up Regularly: Regularly back up your important Word documents to an external storage device or a cloud service. This ensures that you can access recent, uncorrupted versions even if the original files get corrupted.
• Enable AutoSave and AutoRecover: Enabling AutoSave and AutoRecover features in Word is a smart move. These built-in functions can save your work and recover it in case of unexpected issues.
• Use Reliable Storage Devices: Opt for reliable and error-free storage devices when saving or transferring your Word files. Low-quality USB drives or external hard drives may be more prone to data corruption.
• Keep Software Updated: Keep your Microsoft Word and operating system up to date. Software updates often include fixes and security patches that reduce the risk of file corruption.
• Avoid Abrupt Shutdowns: Always close Word and shut down your computer properly. Abrupt power outages or forceful shutdowns can lead to data corruption, so save your work and exit Word correctly before turning off your device.

Final Words

So that's how you can repair corrupted Word files using the different methods mentioned above. If you don't want to waste time trying different methods and looking for the most reliable way to repair corrupted files, you can try using 4DDiG File Repair. It is the ultimate tool to repair almost all corrupted office files within a few minutes. Whether you're dealing with Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or other office files, it's a dependable option to get your corrupted files back to working order.