Word could not read this document - what to do?

If you receive the error message "Word could not read this document" in Word, this can be due to various reasons. Read in this practical tip what you can do about it.

Word could not read this document - you can

• Try opening the file with another text program such as the editor or Adobe Reader.
• In many cases, damaged Word files can be opened and repaired with the freeware OpenOffice.
• Alternatively, Word itself offers a way to repair damaged files.
• In some cases it can also help if you rename the extension from "docx" to "doc".
• Also check the name of the folder in which the document is located. You can move the document around on the desktop and try to open it there.
• This also applies to the entire document. Unknown characters often cause the program to crash or the document to become unreadable.