I can't open some files.

https://appuals.com/office-2016-grant-access-error-on-macos/

Hi SusanHatch1,

Thank you for your message in this forum.

According to your description, it seems that you cannot open some files in your Word for Mac, and you have checked the file permissions for the document or drive, made sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space and opened the file with the Text Recovery converter. However, it didn’t work. And it seems that the other people can open the file without problem.

May I know if my understanding is right? If so, since the other people don’t have the same problem, this issue may be relate to your Word client, give this situation, we’d give you some suggestions below and hope that will help you:

1. Since the latest version of Word is 16.37, we’d suggest you check if you have the latest version, if not, you can update your Word to the latest version to check if the same problem will occur.
2. You can set up Mac in safe mode according to this article: Start up in safe mode. This can help you troubleshoot whether it is caused by third-party software.
3. You can right-click the document > check if Locked option has been selected, if so, you can unselect Locked option to check if the same problem will occur.
4. You can upload the files to your OneDrive, then you can open them in Word Online to check if the same problem will occur, if not, you can click Open in App to open the documents in Word application to check if the same problem will occur.

If the problem still persists after trying the suggestions above, could you provide the information below?

1. Could you provide the version of your Word? You can go to Word > About Word and provide the screenshot of it.
2. Could you provide the version of your Mac OS?
3. May I know if those files are from Outlook attachments? Do all documents have the same problem? You can create a new document to check if the same problem will occur.
4. Could you provide the screenshot of error message?

Best Regards,

Sukie

Thank you, but that was not the popup I got. Access privileges was part of it, but it also mentioned space/size, and corruption and so proposed using a text converter. I eventually found the text converter, but it didn't work. I was able to view the document in Dropbox. When this happened the first time, I somehow changed the document from .docx to .doc, and then I could work with it, but the table formatting didn't look good. Other team members could use the original file (.docx), so I presumed it was just something to do with my software. I have a subscription to 365 too.

I also initially contacted the client who sent the document thinking it was a grant access issue, but the client didn't really know what I was talking about. Since other team members could open it, again, I figured that that was NOT the problem.

The most recent time, the second team member couldn't open it, so perhaps the file was actually corrupted. It did have two sets of review comments (which can corrupt a file) and a lot of programming code in it -- part of the content, that is. The author was writing a paper on computer programming.

I'd also wondered if it had to do with gmail or Safari. I think the first time, when I opened it as a .doc file, I'd switched browsers (to Firefox), went through Dropbox, and then it ended up as a .doc file.

The first time I had the issue, the document had a lot of tables and graphics. But again, others had no problem with it.

Hi Sukie, 

Thank you for this information. I'll take a look a bit later, after I finish some work.

Best,

Susan

Hello, 

Thank you for your reply.

No, I am not attempting to edit the document in Dropbox.

In both instances, I merely downloaded Word attachments the author sent me. I open the file just to look at it, and then I send it to an editor to edit it. In the first instance, the two editors could open a file that I could not. I had played with it: had client send to me via Dropbox, and then I switched browsers and ended up getting a .doc version that I could open and see (and could have edited if I'd wanted to). 

When this happened a second time, the editor (different editor, different software and hardware than I have as well as different editor from the editors for the first two documents, and also different author, who was also in a different country), that editor could not open the file. In this second instance, the document, which the editor and I had opened previously, before the author added review comments, could not be opened. I think this was because it now had two sets of comments. I've found that that multiple reviewers can destabilize a file. That is the author added review comments and left in the editor's comments.

The first document had a lot of tables, which might have made it hard for me to open as a .docx file (which was how it was sent and I can't easily change if I can't open it).

The common denominator seems to be the .docx file for me, but it was not a problem for the first two sets of editors.

In the second case, I asked the author to send a .doc version. After they did that, I I could open it.

Thanks,

Susan

Dear Suki, 

Regarding your first paragraph:

According to your description, it seems that you cannot open some files in your Word for Mac, and you have checked the file permissions for the document or drive, made sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space and opened the file with the Text Recovery converter. However, it didn’t work. And it seems that the other people can open the file without problem.

No, I did check the file permissions for the document or drive. I don't know how to do that.

I did not check if there was sufficient disk space, but I deleted some files in downloads.

The first time, I didn't try to use the Text Recovery converter. I think I found it for the second time, but I wasn't sure that I had found it. After a long search for it, and searching for info online, I gave up, then I saw a little something at the bottom of a file open and tried each of the three choices. If that was the text recovery converter, I guess I tried it.

In that first case, the author and two editors could open it, so I let it go. I don't need to edit it or see it, but it would be much better if I could do so.

Version 16.27. I have a subscription to 360. I see that that is not the latest. I thought the subscription service would mean it's up-to-date. I'll look into updating it.

All for now.

Thanks,

Susan

Hi Susan,

Thanks for the updates.

I would like to suggest you update the Word client first as the version is too old.

Reference: Release notes for Office for Mac

If you cannot get the latest 16.37 updates after clicking Help -> Check for Updates, you may click here to Download Microsoft Auto Update 4.23 Package, install it and check for updates again.

Per your description, you should have tried the method of Recover Text and Repair the Word document.

Reference: Recover files in Office for Mac (The "Recover text from a damaged file in Word" section)

Feel free to update Word and post back to tell us the outcomes.

Stay safe and have a nice day. :)

Best Regards,

Hugo

Hi Hugo, 

Thank you for your reply. It is what I need to do -- update. And I was at a loss for how to do this as I've not given much thought on updating as I'm accustomed to getting alerts telling me an update is ready and then it happens automatically. I searched on it and saw something about opening an Office file and doing something or other, but I got distracted and didn't finish. So I appreciate your sending the procedure.

I would have thought in a subscription, that would be done automatically.

I'm now following the link and procedure you sent to update.

Have a great day, and thanks again for your help.

Susan

Hi Susan,

Make sure your update is correct. Go to the Word menu and choose About Word. The version should be 16.37 - is it?