How to Fix Word Found Unreadable Content Error in Microsoft Word

What Does Word Found Unreadable Content Mean?

When Microsoft Word shows the message Word found unreadable content, it means Word has detected damaged, unreadable, or unsupported data inside the document. In many cases, the file itself is not completely lost. Instead, certain parts of the DOCX or DOC file, such as formatting, embedded objects, tables, images, XML structure, or document properties, may be corrupted.

The Word found unreadable content error usually appears when you try to open a Word document after a sudden system crash, failed file transfer, interrupted download, improper shutdown, virus attack, or compatibility issue between different Microsoft Word versions. Sometimes, clicking “Yes” allows Word to recover the readable parts of the document. Other times, the file may still fail to open or only display part of the original content.

If you are seeing word document unreadable content warnings repeatedly, avoid editing or saving over the original file. The safest approach is to make a copy first, then try built-in repair methods or a dedicated Word repair solution if manual fixes do not work.

Notes

Do not overwrite the original Word document before repairing it. Saving changes directly to a corrupted file may make unreadable content in Word harder to recover.

Common Word Found Unreadable Content Error Messages

The wording of the error may vary depending on your Microsoft Word version, file type, and corruption level. Below are the most common Word found unreadable content related error messages users may encounter:

• Microsoft Word found unreadable content in [filename]. Do you want to recover the contents of this document? If you trust the source of this document, click Yes. This version appears in some Microsoft Word builds and usually points to damaged formatting, broken XML, or unsupported document elements.

Quick Checklist Before You Try Any Word Found Unreadable Content Fix

Before trying any word found unreadable content fix, take a few precautions to avoid making the damaged Word file worse. These steps help protect the original document and increase the chance of successful recovery.

• Make a copy of the corrupted Word file. Always work on a duplicate file instead of the original document. This gives you a backup if one repair method fails.
• Do not save over the original document. If Word opens the file after showing the Word found unreadable content error, use “Save As” to create a new DOCX file.
• Move the file to a local drive. If the document is stored on a USB drive, external hard drive, email attachment, cloud folder, or network drive, copy it to your desktop first.
• Check whether the file size looks normal. A Word file showing 0 KB or an unusually small file size may be incomplete or severely damaged.
• Try opening the file on another computer. This helps confirm whether the issue is caused by the document itself or by your current Word installation.
• Scan the file if it came from an unknown source. If the document was downloaded from the internet or received by email, scan it before clicking “Yes” in Word’s recovery prompt.
• Check OneDrive, SharePoint, or File History versions. If the document was synced or backed up, an earlier version may open without the word unreadable content error.
• Avoid renaming the file extension randomly. Changing DOCX to DOC or other formats without a proper repair step may make the file harder to open.

Warning

If Word asks whether you want to recover the contents of the document, only click “Yes” when you trust the file source. If the file opens successfully, immediately save it as a new file to prevent further corruption.

After completing this checklist, you can safely try manual repair methods such as Open and Repair, Recover Text from Any File, opening the document in Word Online, or using a professional repair tool when you need to recover unreadable Word document content.

What Causes Unreadable Content in Word?

The "Word found unreadable content" error typically occurs in Microsoft Word when the program detects an issue with the document that makes it difficult or impossible to read and display the content properly. Several common causes for this error include:

• The document file may become corrupted due to unexpected computer crashes or power failures.
• Malicious software can infect Word files and render them unreadable or alter the content.
• Problems with the storage device, such as bad sectors, can corrupt Word files.
• Using older versions of Word or non-Microsoft word processing software to open documents created in newer versions can cause compatibility issues and render content unreadable.
• Converting documents between different file formats can sometimes introduce formatting errors, leading to unreadable content.

How to Fix Word Found Unreadable Content

When you come across the "Word found unreadable content" error in Microsoft Word, there are several methods to try to repair the file and resolve the issue. Here are three effective methods:

Method 1. Click “Yes” and Save the Recovered Document as a New File

If Microsoft Word shows the Word found unreadable content message and asks whether you want to recover the contents of the document, the quickest first step is to click “Yes” — but only if you trust the file source. In many cases, Word can automatically remove the damaged parts and open the readable content.

This method is useful when the Word found unreadable content error appears, but the document is not completely corrupted. However, you should never save changes directly over the original file, because doing so may make the damage permanent.

Important

Before clicking “Yes,” make a copy of the original Word document. Always recover and edit the copied file instead of the original one.

• Open the copied Word document that shows the Word found unreadable content warning.

• When Word asks, “Do you want to recover the contents of this document?”, click Yes.

• If the document opens successfully, check whether the text, images, tables, and formatting are still available.

• Go to File > Save As, then save the recovered document with a new file name.

• Close Word and reopen the newly saved file to check whether the word document unreadable content warning appears again.

If the recovered file opens normally after saving, the issue may have been caused by minor formatting or structure corruption. If Word still shows unreadable content in Word after reopening the new file, continue with the next word found unreadable content fix.

Notes

This method may recover the main text, but some formatting, images, comments, or embedded objects may be removed during the recovery process.

Method 2. Use a Dedicated Word Document Repair Tool (Editor's Choice)

In some cases, this Word unreadable content error occurs due to document corruption, which can result from various factors, including software glitches or hardware issues. To tackle such situations, you can turn to dedicated Word document repair tools like 4DDiG File Repair. This specialized software is tailored to address issues related to corrupted or unreadable Word documents efficiently. Whether the document has been affected by software glitches, hardware problems, or other unforeseen issues, 4DDiG File Repair offers a dependable solution. Below are its key features:

• Repairs a variety of corrupted or damaged file types, including Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations, etc.
• Supports repair for various Word document formats, including DOCX, DOCM and DOTM.
• Offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface for easy operation.
• Enables the repair of multiple documents in a single batch.
• Allows users to preview repaired documents before saving.
• Works with various versions of Microsoft Word.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use this tool to resolve the "Word found unreadable content" issue:

• Install and launch the 4DDiG File Repair tool on your PC or Mac. Then look for the File Repair tab and hit the "Add Files" button to import the Word document that is displaying the "Word found unreadable content" error.

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• Start the repair process by clicking on the Repair All button at the top right corner to start repairing unreadable content in Word.

  

• After the repair is complete, preview the document to ensure that it's readable and error-free.

  

• Finally, click the Save All button to save the repaired document to a safe location on your computer.

Note:

If you are also seeing the "The file cannot be opened because there are problems with the contents" error message, you can also ultilize 4DDiG File Repair to get rid of it.

Method 3. Use "Open and Repair" Function

Microsoft Word offers a built-in "Open and Repair" function that can help resolve issues with corrupted or unreadable documents. Here's how to use it:

• Launch the MS Word application and navigate to "File>Open>Browse".

• In the "File Explorer" window, select the document that you want to repair. Then, tap the arrow key present alongside the "Open" button and select "Open and Repair."

  

MS Word will automatically start repairing the corrupt document. Be patient as this might take a while to complete. Once the Word file has successfully been repaired, you’ll be able to access its content without any hassle.

Also Read:

Fixed: The File is Corrupted and Cannot be Opened in Word/Excel

Method 4. Use Recover Text from Any File Converter

When you encounter a Word document with readability issues or errors, using the "Recover Text from Any File" converter in Microsoft Word can be a useful method to extract and salvage text from the problematic document. Here's a detailed explanation of how to use this approach:

• Launch the MS Word application on your computer. Click on the "File" tab, then tap the "Open" button, and click "Browse".

  

• The file explorer window will pop up on your screen. Here, selects the unreadable Word file that you want to fix. Then, use the drop-down menu to select "Recover Text from Any File" and click "Open".

  
• Wait for a few seconds and let MS Word automatically convert the selected document. Once the process completes, you’ll be able to read its content without any hassle.

How to Recover Unreadable Word Files

When encountering the "Word found unreadable content in" error in your Word documents, it's important to know that besides attempting to repair the file, you have another effective option—utilizing data recovery software like Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery. This software provides an efficient way to retrieve and access your crucial Word documents from a Windows OS or a Mac computer, even when they have become inaccessible due to various issues. Here's a guide on how to recover a corrupt Word document using Tenorshare 4DDiG:

• Download and install Tenorshare 4DDiG on your computer. Launch the tool and on its home screen, select the location that contains the corrupt Word document. Then, press the "Scan" button to proceed further. Before the scanning, you can choose document from the the upper-right corner.

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• 4DDiG will now initiate the scanning process and start scanning the selected drive for corrupt Word documents. Be patient as this may take a while.

  

• After the scanning process completes, select the Word documents that you want to get back. On the right-side panel, click on "Preview" to check its preview. Then, click the "Recover" button and select the location where you want to save the recovered Word document.

  

Also Read:

How to Recover Unsaved Word Document on Windows 10 Easily

The Bottom Line

In summary, this guide has shown you how to fix the "Word found unreadable content in" error on your own. We hope it has been helpful in resolving this issue and saving your important work. Before we wrap up, remember to use 4DDiG File Repair as the top choice for addressing the document with unreadable content error effectively. It ensures your Word files remain accessible and your work remains intact. Also, consider Tenorshare 4DDiG for hassle-free recovery of unreadable Word documents.