Word opens no blank document

Seeing a blank document when accessing files on Microsoft Word?

Over the years, Microsoft Word has cemented its place as the best word processing tool. Despite the competition with Google Docs and others, MS Word remains to be the go-to software by individuals and businesses. 

Although Microsoft Word is the leading word processing software, this doesn’t keep it safe from issues and errors. 

One of the most common issues users encounter with Microsoft Word is blank documents. When this occurs, users won’t be able to view the contents of a document and will be welcomed by a blank page. 

This has caused panic among many users, thinking that their hours of work have gone missing in a glimpse. 

If you are experiencing this problem on Microsoft Word, you’ve come to the right place. 

Today, we will show you how you can address blank documents when accessing files on Microsoft Word. 

1. Restart Your Computer. 

Whenever you encounter issues with Microsoft Word or any software, the first thing you should do is restart your computer. This should reload your resources and eliminate temporary problems. 

See the steps below to restart your PC: 

1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start Menu. 
2. After that, access the Power Options tab. 
3. Lastly, choose Restart and wait for your system to reboot.

2. Run Microsoft Word As Admin. 

Running Microsoft Word as an administrator can also help address various issues within the software. This gives the software full access to your system, which might be needed to open your document. 

Here’s how you can run Microsoft Word as admin: 

1. On your desktop, locate Microsoft Word and right-click on it. 
2. Next, choose the Properties option. 
3. After that, go to the Compatibility tab and enable the ‘Run this Program as an Administrator’ option. 
4. Lastly, click OK to save the changes. 

3. Repair Your Document. 

The document you are trying to access might be corrupted, explaining why its content is not loading correctly. To fix this, use the built-in repair tool in MS Word to repair your corrupted documents. 

Follow the guide below to repair your document: 

1. First, launch Microsoft Word on your computer. 
2. After that, click on File > Open > Browse. 
3. Select the file you want to open and click the drop-down arrow next to the Open button. 
4. Lastly, click on Open and Repair. 

4. Turn Off Add-Ins. 

Microsoft Word add-ins are great tools that provide extra functionality to your documents. However, they are also known to cause issues with your software, especially if you use multiple add-ins. 

To avoid problems, disable your add-ins before accessing your documents. See the steps below to guide you through the process: 

1. On MS Word, go to the File tab and click on Options. 
2. Now, access the Add-Ins tab. 
3. Finally, turn off all your add-ins or the ones you are not using. 

5. Update Microsoft Word. 

The version of Microsoft Word you are using might have an underlying issue that causes the blank document problem. To rule this out, we recommend updating your software to the latest version possible. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, go to File > Accounts. 
2. After that, click on Update Options. 
3. Lastly, choose Update Now and follow the prompts. 

6. Update Your System. 

If none of the solutions above worked, we suggest updating your system to the latest version to patch possible issues. This way, you can ensure that your computer is compatible with the version of MS Word you are running. 

Check out the guide below to update Windows: 

1. Access Windows Settings by pressing the Windows + I keys on your keyboard. 
2. Next, go to Update & Security. 
3. Finally, click on Windows Update and choose the Check for Updates option. 

Restart your computer to save the changes and see if Microsoft Word is now working correctly. 

That brings us to the end of our guide on how to fix blank documents when accessing files on Microsoft Word. If you have other concerns, please drop a comment below, and we’ll do our best to help. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

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Sometimes, corrupt Word documents may prompt this problem

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Updated on February 20, 2023

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Microsoft Word allows users to create documents containing numerous data. It lets you save files on your computer for offline access. However, many users complain about Word documents being blank when opened even though not empty. Hence, it makes it impossible to access the content in the document.

Also, we have a detailed guide on fixing Word experiencing an error when opening the file error on Windows 11.

Why is the Word document blank when opened?

Microsoft Word documents not showing content when opened can occur for many reasons. Some factors that may be responsible for the issue are:

• Corrupt Word documents – The Word document you’re trying to access might be corrupt, causing it not to be intact. It can affect its appearance and sometimes result in the document not opening.
• Text format or color – You may run into the document being blank and all white due to text formatting errors. For instance, setting the text color to white can cause texts to appear blank because it has matched the white background. Also, hidden text can cause the Word document to appear blank.
• Issues with the Word app – Running an outdated Word app on your PC can cause it to malfunction and cause the document to appear blank. Also, faulty or missing installation files can impede the app’s functionality.

Other factors not highlighted above may also be responsible for the Word document being blank when opened. Nonetheless, we’ll discuss how to easily fix the issue.

How can I fix a Word document if it’s blank when opened?

Before trying any advanced troubleshooting steps, go through the following:

• Turn off background apps running on your PC.
• Temporarily disable antivirus software on your computer.
• Restart Windows in Safe Mode and check if the issue persists.

If you can’t fix the issue, proceed with the troubleshooting steps below:

1. Turn Off Add-Ins

1. Left-click the Start button, type Microsoft Word into the search box and click on it to launch it.
2. Click on File and click on Options.
3. Navigate to the Add-Ins tab and select the Go button.
4. Uncheck all the add-ins on Word and check if the black document issue persists.

Disabling the ads-ins on the Word app can resolve any interference they’re causing the app.

2. Run an SFC scan

1. Left-click the Start button, type Command Prompt, and click the Run as administrator option.
2. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
3. Type the following and press Enter:  sfc /scannow
4. Restart your PC and check if the blank Word document issue persists.

Running an SFC scan will detect and repair corrupt system files causing the Word document not to show content. Check how to fix the run as administrator option if it’s not working on your PC.

You can as well try specialized programs like Restoro that automatically replace your system’s corrupt or missing files after thoroughly scanning your device, which instantly ensures a better PC performance.

⇒ Get Restoro

3. Repair corrupt Word files

1. Left-click the Start button, type Microsoft Word into the search box and click on it to launch it.
2. Click on File and select Open on the left side of the screen.
3. Scroll down and select Browse.
4. Select the file you want to open and click the drop-down arrow next to the Open button.
5. Select the Open and Repair option to allow Microsoft Word to repair the corrupt file impeding its performance.

Repairing the corrupt Word file will resolve errors impeding the file. You can read about the best tool for fixing corrupt documents in Microsoft Word.

4. Update Windows OS

1. Press the Windows + I to open the Windows Settings.
2. Click on the Windows Update and click on Check for Updates. Wait for the Windows update result and click on Install Update if a Windows update is available.

Updating the Windows OS will install necessary patches for fixing bugs causing issues with the Word app.

5. Repair or reinstall Microsoft Office

1. Left-click the Start button, type Control Panel, then select it from the result.
2. Click on Programs and navigate to the Programs and Features tab.
3. Then find Microsoft Office from the list and click on Change.
4. Select Quick Repair from the options, then Repair.
5. Click on Repair in the new prompt for confirmation.
6. Repeat steps 1-4, click three dots at the front of Microsoft Office, and select Uninstall from the options, then OK.
7. Restart your computer and install the latest Microsoft Office version available for Windows.

Uninstalling Microsoft Office will fix issues affecting the Word app. Also, it’ll help update Microsoft Office to the latest build.

Alternatively, you can check how to fix Most of the features have been disabled because this product needs an update error.

Let us know which solution worked in the comments area below.

Quick navigation to the methods for Word document is blank when opened problem:

Issue — Saved Word Document Now Blank

«I was working on a Word document (about 5 pages of a report) for a long time yesterday and saved it several times. But this morning, when I tried to open the document, it just showed up empty with no text. I am in huge trouble. Why is my saved Word document blank when I open it? How can I recover the blank Word documents? Any solutions?»

Why Is My Word Document Blank

The causes of Microsoft saved Word document opens but no text are uncertain. There are two reasons for this problem. 

• The document has been corrupted in some way. In this case, the content of your Word document is gone, and the file shows up as empty.
• Malware, virus, or other external threats attack the Word and lead to empty Word document.  

When you encounter the saved Word document is blank when opened, how to troubleshoot? The next part covers the answers. If your Word document opens blank because that you forgot to save it, the solution is different. Read the article on how to recover unsaved Word document in Windows 10. 

How to Fix Word Document Is Blank When Opened

On this page, we offer you a few possible solutions to solve the saved Word document now blank issue. Try each one in turn until the problem is fixed. 

Fix 1. Open Blank Word Document Using Open and Repair Tool

1. Start Word.

2. On the File menu or the Microsoft Office button, click «Open».

3. In the Open dialog box, click to select the blank Word file.

4. Click the down arrow on the Open button, and then click «Open and Repair».

This Microsoft Word built-in feature will then fix the problem of corruption that is detected within these documents.

Fix 2. Recover Word Document with File Repair Software 

If the saved Word document is corrupted, you may not open it or it may be blank when opened. Under this circumstance, you need a Word document repair tool. EaseUS file repair software, integrated file recovery and repair software, allows you to repair any corrupted photos, videos, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or other files with ease.

EaseUS toolkit for file repair key features:

• Repair corrupted Word in .doc and .docx formats from any kind of corruption
• Fix severely corrupted XLS and XLSX files without modifying their original format
• Repair corrupt PDF documents, including extracting the text, comments, labels, graphics, etc. from the PDF file
• Repair corrupted files from PC, laptop, external hard drive, SD card, USB flash drive, etc.

Download and install this file repair program on your PC and follow the steps below to fix blank Word documents. 

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, and then scan disk with corrupted documents. This software enables you to fix damaged Word, Excel, PPT, and PDF files in same steps. 

Step 2. EaseUS data recovery and repair tool will scan for all lost and corrupted files. You can find the target files by file type or type the file name in the search box. 

Step 3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can repair your damaged documents automatically. After file preview, you can click «Recover» to save the repaired Word, Excel, and PDF document files to a safe location.

Fix 3. Start Blank Word by Using the /a Switch

Another way you can take to fix Word document blank when opened problem is using the /a switch. The /a switch is a troubleshooting tool that can determine where the problem may be in Word.

When you open Word with /a switch, all the add-ins, global templates, and settings won’t load, so you can determine if the Work blank issue is caused by these factors.

Follow these steps:

1. Type Run in the Search box and then press Enter.

2. Type winword /a in the Run dialog box, and press Enter.

If the Word document opens with text, the problem is found. And you need to disable the add-ins. While if your Word document is still blank, try the next option.

Fix 4. Fix Blank Word Document by Deleting Word Data Registry Subkey

One of the common solutions to fix the Word problem is deleting the Word Data registry subkey, which stores most of the options and default settings in Word.

When you restart Word, the program will rebuild the Word Data registry subkey by using the default settings. Hope this method helps you.

1. Exit Word, right-click the Start button, then choose Run.

2. Type regedit, then press Enter to start the Registry Editor.

3. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordData. Right-click «Data» and delete it.

4. Exit the Registry Editor and restart Word.

Fix 5. Restore a Blank Word Document from Previous Versions

Some users have reported that this workaround is effective in bringing back blank Word files. It is worth giving it a try. But note that, to restore a file from the previous versions, you need to enable the File History or restore points in advance; otherwise, this won’t be available. 

1. Right-click the blank Word document, choose to «Restore previous versions». 

2. In the list of previous recovery points, choose the latest one.

3. Click the «Restore» button to recover it back. 

To Sum Up

We believe that after trying the above approaches, you can fix the Word document is blank when opened problem. To repair damaged Word documents, try EaseUS file repair software, which can fix your corrupted files efficiently. 

When Steven opens Word, he sees a number of choices for either creating a blank document or using various templates as a basis for a new document. He always chooses to create a blank document. He wonders of there is a way to skip this opening palette of choices and simply go to a blank document from the get-go.

The behavior that Steven describes is specific to both Word 2013 and Word 2016. Microsoft calls this new «feature» the Start screen, and you can fortunately control whether it is displayed or not.

1. Display the File tab of the ribbon.
2. Click the Options button. Word displays the Word Options dialog box.
3. At the left side of the dialog box, make sure General is selected. (It should be selected by default.)
4. Scroll down, if necessary, until you see the Start Up Options section. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The General options of the Word Options dialog box.

5. Clear the Show Start Screen when this Application Starts check box.
6. Click on OK.

Now, the next time you start Word, you won’t be shown the Start screen. Instead, you’ll see a blank document, the same as in earlier versions of Word.

Author Bio

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen…