MS Word Files Won't Open When Double Clicked

By default, a computer with Microsoft Word installed will open certain document types in Word when they're double-clicked. Those document types are "associated" with MS Word, and sometimes associations can change or be removed. Fortunately, you can manually tinker with your file associations without too much trouble.

Instructions

Change File Associations in Windows

1. Navigate to the location of a Word file.

2. Right-click the file, and click "Open With." If another menu appears (rather than the "Open With" dialog box) click, "Choose Program."

3. Search the list of programs for Microsoft Word. If it isn't there, click "Browse," and try to find the Word executable. This file is called "winword.exe" and will appear in a directory like "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10." The number on the final directory name will vary depending on your version. If you can't find any such file, it's likely that you do not have Word installed on your system.

4. Check the box labeled "Always use this program to open this kind of file" after selecting Microsoft Word via either method, and click "OK."

Change File Associations in Mac OS

1. Navigate to the location of the Word file.

2. Control-click or right-click on the file, and select "Get Info."

3. Select Microsoft Word from the "Open With" drop-down menu. Click "Change All," then "Continue" in the dialog box that appears. Close the "Info" dialog.

References

• Microsoft: How to Change or Select Which Program Starts When You Double-Click a File
• Microsoft: How to Use Startup Command Line Switches to Start Word
• FileInfo: How Can I Change What Program Opens a Certain File on a Mac?