If I am using an older version of Microsoft Word, why can't I open some Word documents?

New versions of Microsoft Office save to a default format that older Microsoft Word versions may not be able to read. To view newer Word documents in an older version of Word, you have two options:

• Use conversion software, provided by Microsoft and available via IUware to Indiana University students, faculty, and staff.
  
  
• Use a newer version of Word to save it in the older format, by using the Save As... feature and saving the document in the .doc format (the default format is most likely the .docx format).

Student Technology Centers (STCs) at IU have the latest version of Office, which you may use to make the appropriate conversions.

For more, see In Microsoft Word, how can I convert documents between older and newer versions?

Also see:

• In Microsoft Word, how do I return my document to Word format after it has been formatted as HTML?
• In Microsoft Word, how can I work with documents created in different versions?
• In Microsoft Word, how can I alter the appearance of formatted text?
• If I don't have Office 2007, how can I open Office 2007 documents?