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Word cannot open this document template error

Everytime I open word I get the error message "word cannot open this document template"  c:\users\myname\appdata\...\~$Wiz12s.dotm  I have searched the forums but am unable to figure out how to get rid of this.  I am not a tech person -- simplicity please  Thank you.

The ~$ at the beginning of the filename indicates that this is the "owner" or "lock" file for a template that has probably been deleted (see http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211632 for more about this type of temporary file).

The likelihood is that the original file was some sort of add-in that has been incompletely removed, leaving only the owner file. It is probably in Word's Startup folder, but since you're using the Word Web App, it may work differently. In any case, you need to find ~$Wiz12s.dotm (search for it in Windows Explorer if necessary) and delete it.

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I had the same error but am using Word13 on the platform. Windows Explorer would not find the ~$Wiz14s.dotm despite complete and repeated searches. Apparently, while I thought I had turned off all hidden files in my app folder, I hadn't, so it must have been hidden. Your suggestion about it being an add-in leftover led me to Word/options/add-ins where I found the original AVWiz14s and that led me to the lock file. The Avery add-in is still installed, and works, even after the lock file was deleted, but now Word opens without error and I've learned something. Thank-you.

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I found it here for Windows 8:

C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

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Last updated March 10, 2024 Views 8,775 Applies to: