How Open Microsoft Word On Apple Mac

  • Jan 25, 2019  Unlock the full Microsoft Office experience with a qualifying Office 365 subscription for your phone, tablet, PC, and Mac. Office 365 annual subscriptions purchased from the app will be charged to your App Store account and will automatically renew within 24 hours prior to the end of the current subscription period.
  • Open Microsoft Office documents on your Mac. Use Pages to open Microsoft Word documents. Open Pages for me (if installed) Use Numbers to open Microsoft Excel documents. Open Numbers for me (if installed) Use Keynote to open Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Open Keynote for me (if installed).

You can convert and open documents in Pages on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. If you don't have an Apple device, you can use Pages online at iCloud.com.

Convert and open documents in Pages on iPhone or iPad

Download Microsoft Word for macOS 10.13 or later and enjoy it on your Mac. ‎A qualifying Office 365 subscription is required for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. The trusted Word app lets you create, edit, view, and share your files with others quickly and easily. If you've created a document on Microsoft Word but want to edit it on a Mac computer, you'll find that your Mac does not come with Microsoft Word. Instead, Apple's built-in word processing.

You can work with a variety of file formats in Pages on your iPhone or iPad. Check which formats are compatible with Pages on iPhone and iPad.

Mac

Convert a Pages document in Pages on iPhone or iPad

If you want to open a Pages document in another app like Microsoft Word, use Pages to convert the document to an appropriate format.

  1. Open the document that you want to convert, then tap the More button .
  2. Tap Export.
  3. Choose a format for your document.
  4. If you chose EPUB, set any additional options.
  5. Choose how you want to send your document, like with Mail or Messages.

Open a file in Pages on iPhone or iPad

To open a file like a Microsoft Word document in Pages on iPhone or iPad, tap the file in the document manager. If you don’t see the document manager, tap Documents (on iPad) or the back button (on iPhone), then tap the file that you want to open. If a file is dimmed, it’s not in a compatible format.

Open Microsoft Word Document

You can also open a file in Pages from a different app like the Files app, or from an email:

  1. Open the other app, then select the document or attachment.
  2. Tap the Share button .
  3. Tap Copy to Pages. The original file remains intact.

When the file opens, you might get a message that the document will look different. For example, Pages notifies you when fonts are missing. Tap Done to open the document in Pages.

Convert and open documents in Pages for Mac

You can work with a variety of file formats in Pages for Mac. Check which formats are compatible.

Convert a Pages document in Pages for Mac

If you want to open a Pages document in another app like Microsoft Word, use Pages to convert the document to an appropriate format.

  1. Open the Pages document that you want to convert.
  2. Choose File > Export To, then select the format.
  3. In the window that appears, you can choose a different format or set up any additional options. For example, you can require a password to open an exported PDF, choose to use the table of contents in an exported EPUB book, or choose the format for the exported Word document.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Enter a name for your file, then choose a location for the file.
  6. Click Export.

To send a file in a specific format through Mail, Messages, AirDrop, or Notes, choose Share > Send a Copy, choose how you want to send the document, then choose a format.

Open a file in Pages for Mac

You can open a file from the Finder or from the Pages app:

  • From the Finder, Control-click the file, then choose Open With > Pages. If Pages is the only word processor on your Mac, you can just double-click the file.
  • From the Pages for Mac app, choose File > Open, select the file, then click Open. If a file is dimmed, it’s not a compatible format.

When the file opens, you might get a message that the document will look different. For example, Pages notifies you when fonts are missing. You might see also see warnings when you open documents created in older versions of Pages.

Open and convert documents in Pages for iCloud

Pages for iCloud lets you open, edit, and share your files from a supported browser on a Mac or PC. Check which file formats are compatible with Pages for iCloud. If you don't have an Apple device, learn how to create an Apple ID.

Convert a Pages document in Pages for iCloud

  1. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
  2. Click Pages.
  3. In the document manager, click the More button on the file you want to convert, then choose Download a Copy. If you have the document open, click the Tools button in the toolbar, then choose Download a Copy.*
  4. Choose a format for the document. The file starts begins to download to your browser’s download location.

* To convert your document to an EPUB book, open the document, click the Tools button in the toolbar, then choose Download a Copy.

Open a file in Pages for iCloud

  1. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
  2. Click Pages.
  3. Drag the file you want to upload into the Pages document manager in your browser. Or click the Upload button , select the file, then click Choose.
  4. Double-click the file in the document manager.

Check file format compatibility

Formats you can open in Pages

You can open these file formats in Pages on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and online at iCloud.com:

  • All Pages versions
  • Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx) and Office 97 or later (.doc)
  • Rich Text Format (.rtf/.rtfd)
  • Plain Text files (.txt)

Formats you can convert Pages documents into

Pages on iPhone or iPad:

  • Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx)
  • Rich Text Format (.rtf/.rtfd)
  • PDF
  • EPUB

Pages for Mac:

  • Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx) and Office 97 or later (.doc)
  • Rich Text Format (.rtf/.rtfd)
  • Plain Text files (.txt)
  • PDF
  • EPUB
  • Pages ‘09

Pages for iCloud:

  • Microsoft Word: Office Open XML (.docx)
  • PDF
  • EPUB

Learn more

  • Pages on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and online at iCloud.com use the same file format. If you create or edit a document in Pages on one platform, you can open it in Pages on any of the other platforms.
  • You can update to current versions of Pages on your iPhone or iPad from the App Store. To update Pages on your Mac, use the App Store app on your Mac.
  • If you convert a Pages document into Pages ’09-compatible document, learn more about changes that happen when you export to iWork ’09.

Mar 31,2020 • Filed to: Mac Recovery • Proven solutions

“How to open Word on Mac? I have some important Word documents saved on my Mac, but every time I try to open them, the application crashes!”

This is a recent query posted on a forum by a concerned user about MS Word on Mac. Since MS Office is a third-party application on Mac, a lot of users struggle with it. For instance, some people say that Microsoft Word won’t open on Mac, even after numerous efforts. Chances are that there could be a problem with the software itself or your Mac as well. The good news is that you can learn how to open Word on Mac and fix this issue by following some simple steps. In this guide, we will help you resolve the Word won’t open on Mac query like a pro.

Part 1: How to Open Microsoft Word on Mac?

There are times when users are not able to understand how to open Microsoft Word on Mac. Needless to say, before you proceed, make sure that MS Word is already installed on your Mac and is running smoothly. You can just look for the Word application on your Mac and launch it without any trouble. Exchange login. Here’s how to open Word on Mac seamlessly.

How Open Microsoft Word On Apple Mac Free

Step 1 The easiest way to open Word on Mac is by using the Spotlight search. Simply click on the search icon on the top-right corner of the screen.

Step 2 You can either look for the MS Word application or type the name of the document that you wish to open. Click on the searched results to launch it.

Step 3 Subsequently, you can also view the installed Applications by visiting Mac’s System Preferences. Also, you can just press Command + Shift + A to open the Applications tab.

Step 4 Scroll down to view all the MS Office applications installed on your Mac. Look for MS Word and double-click it to launch the application.

Part 2: Why Microsoft Word Won't Open on Mac?

Before we learn ways to fix Word won’t open on Mac, it is important to know what could have caused the issue in the first place. Here are some of the common reasons why Word won’t open on Mac:

  • There might be some issue with MS Word or the Office application.

  • The installer could have been corrupt, leading to a malfunction application installation.

  • If you are running an outdated version of MS Word on a new macOS, then you can encounter this issue.

  • The storage unit where MS Word was installed could have been corrupt as well.

  • A system setting could be blocking the Word application in the background.

  • The MS Word document that you are trying to open could have been corrupt.

  • A change in Word Preferences or app settings can also lead to the malfunction of the utility tool.

Part 3: What to Do When Word Files Won't Open on Mac?

As you can see, there could be different reasons for Word files not opening on Mac. Thankfully, you can easily fix this issue by following some thoughtful troubleshooting tips. Here’s how you can also resolve the Microsoft Word not opening on Mac problem.

Solution 1: Run 'Disk Utility' to Repair

Disk Utility is the native feature of macOS that can help us repair a disk (system storage or external devices). You can access it via Mac’s Applications or by booting your system in the recovery mode. Therefore, if your Mac is functioning seamlessly, then you can take the assistance of Disk Utility in no time. This will scan your Mac’s storage and make sure that it won’t lead to any MS Word issue.

Step 1 Firstly, go to your Mac’s Finder and visit Applications > Utilities. From the list of the available Utility tools, select “Disk Utility” and open it.

Step 2 This will launch the Disk Utility application on Mac. On the left panel, you can see the available drives and partitions. Simply select the drive where MS Word is installed.

Step 3 You will get its details on the right and numerous other options. From its toolbar, click on the “First Aid” button.

Step 4 A pop-up window will ask you to confirm your choice. Click on the “Run” button and wait for a while as Mac would repair its storage.

Solution 2: Remove Word Preferences

Chances are that there could be a problem with the MS Word application installed on your Mac as well. For instance, the default template or Word preferences could clash with its functioning. In this case, you can just remove the Word Preferences and try to fix the Word won’t open on Mac issue instantly.

Step 1 To start with, select the Word icon on the desktop or open the application. Go to the Finder menu and click on Word > Preferences.

Step 2 This will launch the Word Preferences window on the screen. Click on the “File Locations” option to continue.

Step 3 Now, you can see different file types with their location. Click on the “User Templates” option and choose to reset it.

Step 4 If you want to delete it entirely, then click on the “Modify” button instead. Look for the “Normal” file, cut it, and paste it somewhere else (or just delete it from the location).

Solution 3: Try 'Open and Repair'

The above-listed solutions would work if there is an issue with Mac’s storage or the Word application itself. Though, the reason why won’t Word open on Mac could be something else as well. For instance, the Word document that you are trying to open could have been corrupt. To repair a corrupted Word document, you can take the assistance of the application’s native feature. Here’s how to open Word on Mac and repair a faulty document.

Step 1 If the MS Word application is already not opened, then do the same by clicking on its icon.

Step 2 After the application is launched, go to its main menu and click on File > Open to proceed.

Step 3 As a browser window will launch, simply go to the location where the faulty Word document is stored and select it.

Step 4 Instead of clicking on the “Open” button, click on the dropdown icon and choose to “Open and Repair” the file.

Wait for a while as Word will try to automatically repair the document and would extract its saved content.

Part 4: How to Recover Lost Word Documents on Mac?

By following the discussed solutions, you would be able to fix issues like Word won’t open on Mac. Though, if you have lost some of your documents or have deleted them accidentally, then consider using Recoverit (IS) for Mac. It is a dedicated data recovery tool that can get back all kinds of lost or deleted documents on your Mac. This includes all sorts of Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint, and numerous other file types.

Recoverit (IS) for Mac

A Life Saver to Solve Your Data Loss Problems!

  • The tool is extremely easy to use and features one of the highest data recovery rates in the market.
  • It can recover data lost under different scenarios like accidentally deleted documents, corrupt Word files, lost partition, corrupt storage, etc.
  • You can also recover data from an external source like SD card, USB drive, hard drive, and so on.
  • The application can perform different kinds of scans on any source – quick or deep. You can perform the needed scan as per your requirements.
  • Apart from Word documents, it can also recover your photos, videos, audios, compressed files, and all kinds of data.
3,015,629 people have downloaded it

Even with no prior technical knowledge, you can take the assistance of Recoverit (IS) and get back your lost files on your Mac. To do it, follow these basic steps:

Step 1 Download and install

Open Word Document On Mac

Download and install the Recoverit (IS) program on your Mac computer.

Step 2 Pick a location to scan

In order to proceed, you can just choose a location to scan for lost Word documents. It can be the internal Mac storage or any other external device.

Step 3 Restore your data

This will make the application look for any lost or deleted Word file on the selected location. You can just wait for a while for the process to be completed.

In the end, users can just preview the recovered data on the application and select the Word documents to save. Click on the “Recover” button and save them to any location of your choice.

Bonus Tips: How to Avoid Word File Corruption on Mac

A lot of times, a Word file becomes inaccessible or corrupt on Mac as well. If you don’t want to go through unwanted issues like Word won’t open on Mac, then consider following these preventive measures:

How Open Microsoft Word On Apple Mac Pro

  • Always keep a backup of your important Word files so that you won’t lose them unexpectedly.

  • Keep the Word application updated to make sure it won’t suffer from any compatibility issue.

  • Avoid changing the extension of the documents forcefully.

  • Don’t open Word documents with other third-party tools that can corrupt them.

  • Keep the Mac storage clean and not cluttered to ensure its safety.

  • Only use an authentic copy of MS Word from its official website. If you are using a pirated version, then it might corrupt your documents.

  • Don’t close your Mac unexpectedly when the Word document is still being processed in the background.

Microsoft Word Won't Open Mac


There you go! After reading this guide, you would be able to fix issues like Microsoft Word won’t open on Mac for sure. We have come up with three working solutions on Word won’t open on Mac problems and have provided a stepwise solution on how to open Word on Mac. Apart from that, you can take the assistance of Recoverit (IS) to get back lost Word documents in no time. It is a highly secure and reliable application that can help you in more ways than you can imagine. Give it a try and never lose your important Word documents on Mac again.