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Word 2013 Preview Pane

I understand (but not really) that Microsoft's team can't seem to fix this issue that used to work perfectly once upon a time.  No longer a working feature, we are offered a totally ridiculous "Work-Around" (which for those of you who don't know, is to open Excel to preview a Word file - and vice versa!).

Does anyone - a user or MS tech - have a solution to this mess up?  Something a user like myself can implement w/ directions - such as maybe taking the instructions that allow Excel to preview the Word file and somehow moving those instructions to Word (and vice versa so as to actually preview Excel files in Excel)? Or maybe a registry tweak or two might do the trick?

I'm really trying to work with this program that falls far short of the last version I had the pleasure of using, Word 2003.  I've avoided updating since the Ribbon reared its ugly (and in my humble opinion, incredibly inefficient) head.  Now, add insult to injury, this file-preview reversal mess.

All MS Users should rise up and protest Microsoft's take-no-action-to-fix stance!  This failure to correct a known problem gives perfect meaning to my often-asked question, "When is an upgrade really a downgrade?"

MICROSOFT, ARE YOU LISTENING!?!?!

Hi Louise,

 

As you already know that it is known issue, you may send feedback for feature request.
Our product team will review your suggestion(s) and consider them for future versions of our products. Please take some time and post your feedback by clicking on the link below:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-US/suggestions.aspx?origin=ES079000000&CTT=114

 

However, if you would like to discuss this matter with other community members, you may post in the discussion forum mentioned below:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-word-os_device_win8_1?sort=lastreplydate&dir=desc&tab=Threads&status=&mod=&modAge=&advFil=&postedAfter=&postedBefore=&threadType=Discussions&tm=1394606012256

 

Hope these suggestions are helpful to you.

Thank you.


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Hi Aravinda,

Please forgive me, but your reply sounds much like a "canned" reply, in other words, did you really read what I wrote?  Because your reply not only wasn't a solution, but said nothing to make me think there is any hope with this issue.

Addressing your phrase "consider . . . for future versions,"  let me say, to have a feature not work properly that should work properly is an issue that should be addressed for all current versions, not just future versions.  I'm sure I speak for the many who do not want to have to purchase a future version for the privilege of a working feature (with apparently no assurance that it will work), when we have already paid for the current version in which the feature exists, but might as well not.

Can you (or any tech) answer this: There are "instructions" currently existing in the Excel programming that allow a Word doc to be previewed (and vice versa). Why can't those instructions be transferred from Excel to the Word programming instructions?  Or is that just too simple?

Further, can you (or any tech) answer this question:  Why isn't this issue being fixed when your huge customer base are so unhappy with this unacceptable and inexcusable mess?

Can you supply me with the contact information for the CEO of Microsoft, please.  Perhaps he or she will care enough to get it done.

Also if there is a Microsoft team out there that actually cares about the user experience and would like to hear real-world user feedback to that end, feel free to contact me.  I have some great ideas, and most of them flash back to the once-great product that Word used to be. 

  I’m sure there are plenty of other power users who would be happy to provide feedback as well.

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This problem is known by Microsoft as noted for example at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-word/previewing-word-and-ppt-in-preview-pane-of-file/f338c9f6-4fa8-4ce5-bae1-81663141ead1.

Please note that this is a user-to-user forum; that is, no one here can tell when we can expect a fix.
Stefan Blom
MS 365 Word MVP since 2005
Volunteer Moderator
MS 365, Win 11 Pro
~~~
Note that I do not work for Microsoft
https://mvp.microsoft.com/
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Please specify Word version & OS in your question

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Last updated April 14, 2025 Views 1,141 Applies to: