[Fixed] A File Error Has Occurred in MS Word

“A file error has occurred” is an error message that appears while using the MS Word application. Normally this error occurs when trying to save certain Word files. If you have ever come across such error you know how difficult it is to save your word file. All your efforts to create a document can be wasted if the file cannot be saved properly.

Fortunately, we found a solution to the problem. Here is complete information on how to fix this error message in MS Word and successfully save the Word file.

Table Of Contents:

• Possible Reasons Behind Word File Error
• 5 Effective Methods to Fix the Word File Error
  • Method 1: Quick Fixes to Solve the Word File Error
  • Method 2: By Deleting the ~$Normal.dot file
  • Method 3: Open the Word Document in Safe Mode
  • Method 4: Copy-paste the Changes to a New Document
  • Method 5: Repair the Word File Using Yodot Doc Repair
• Conclusion

Possible Reasons Behind Word File Error

It’s always good to know the cause of the problem in the Word file which can later be used to solve the problem more efficiently. Some of the most commonly reported causes of Word file errors are listed below.

• No permissions to file or file location.
• The file is in a location that is currently inaccessible. A network location or external drive that is not currently connected to your PC.
• File moved or deleted.
• The file may be blocked by Windows.
• Antivirus software may be blocking the file.
• Word file is on a shared network and two or more users are trying to access it simultaneously.
• The file you are trying to access is password protected.
• The “Always create a backup copy” option is enabled.
• The Word file is corrupted.

5 Effective Methods to Fix the Word File Error

Method 1: Quick Fixes to Solve the Word File Error

Solution 1: As mentioned above, this error often occurs when saving Word documents. This is basically a permissions issue. The best way to solve this problem is to create a new Word file and later copy all the data from the old Word file to this new file. When saving the new file, make sure there are no spaces in the file name.

Solution 2: Whenever you edit or modify a Word file, you must turn off the Always make a backup copy option. You can re-enable it after editing is complete.

Follow the below steps to enable or disable the Always create a backup copy option:

Step 1: Open the Word document

Step 2: Go to File > Options

Step 3: Now, Click on the Advanced option from the left-hand side below Language and Ease of Access

Step 4: After clicking on the Advanced option, scroll down to the Save section.

Step 5: There you will see the Always create backup copy option, tick the checkbox to enable and untick it to disable.

Solution 3: If the Word document is shared over a network, you should keep a copy of the file on your hard drive before making any changes to the original over the network.

Method 2: By Deleting the ~$Normal.dot file

The ~$Normal.dot file is the Microsoft Word template that is used to store the default settings such as font, font size, the content of a file, etc. It is used with each of the Microsoft Word files you open. 

Follow the below steps to delete the ~$Normal.dot file:

Note: Before performing the below steps make sure you unhide the files and folders to replace theYou need to expand the files and folders before finding the ~$Normal.dot file. Here are the steps:

• Go to File Explorer and click the Options button on the View tab.

• Opens Folder Options. Under Folder Options, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives.

• Then click Apply and OK.

• Open File Explorer and browse to the following path

C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

Note: Make sure you replace [username] with your actual username.

• In the templates folder, look for files with normal in the file name for example ~$Normal.dot. Delete such files, but do not delete the entire Templates folder.

Method 3: Open the Word Document in Safe Mode

Sometimes interfering plugin issues can lead to “file error has occurred while saving word documents” issues. So, try booting in safe mode while using Word.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R button simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.

Note:  Make sure all Word files and applications are closed before starting the procedure.

Step 2: In the Run dialog box, enter WINWORD /SAFE and hit the OK button to open Word in Safe Mode.

Step 3: Microsoft Word will start in safe mode.

“Microsoft Word (Safe Mode)” appears in the window title. In the new pop-up window, click on accept.

Step 4: Copy the contents of the previous corrupted Doc File into this new Doc File and save it.

Method 4: Copy-paste the Changes to a New Document

• Create a New Doc file in Word using the same outlet as the older document.
• Now turn off the Track Changes in both the Doc documents.
• Copy all the content from the old Doc file and paste it into the new Doc file.
• Now, turn on the track changes in the new Doc document.
• In the end, Save the new document with a new name.

Method 5: Repair the Word File Using Yodot Doc Repair

In most cases, Word file errors are known to be caused by file corruption. If you are looking for an effective tool to avoid Word file errors, Yodot for Word Repair might be the right option for you. It can quickly repair Word files regardless of version. Yodot comes with a preview feature that allows users to view the first three pages of repaired Word file for free before saving it. Download this tool for free now.

Follow the below steps to perform a hassle-free repair of your corrupted word file using Yodot:

• First, install Yodot Doc Repair software on your Windows laptop or desktop

• After installation, run the program to start the repair process
• Choose an inaccessible Word file that you would like to fix by clicking on the “Browse” button

• Next, click on the “Repair” button to execute the Word file repair process
• You can view the scanning process by observing the progress bar

• Once the scanning completes, a notification stating “File repaired successfully” will be displayed allowing you to preview the fixed file
• You can preview the first three pages of the Word file before saving them using the Preview feature.

• At last, Save the repaired Word file to the desired destination location.

Conclusion

The article summarizes the major causes of Word file errors and how to fix the error. There are several ways to repair MS Word documents. If you are looking for a quick and safe way to repair your Word file, Yodot Doc Repair Tool is recommended. Moreover, If you have any further queries regarding the article, please make use of the comment section below.