Word and Excel will not open after transfer?

Question

Word and Excel will not open after transfer?

Anonymous

I recently transferred all data and files from a 2012 MacBook Pro to a new MacBook Air by the Mac recommendation “migration. I cannot open the Word or Excel files on the new Mac. They appear but I get a message that they are not available or were erased.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Jim G 134.1K MVP

Hi

It sounds like you are trying to open the files using File > Open > Recent.

The recent file feature uses shortcuts to where your documents were located on the old Mac. The file paths are different now, so the shortcuts are broken. Use File > Open and search for your files using the search field in File > Open dialog, or locate your files in Finder and double-click them to open them. As you open your files, the recent list will learn the new locations.

0 comments

1 additional answer

Answer 1

Thank you Jim,

While this dispels the Mac notion that migration is a seamless way to transfer data and get a fast startup, you saved the day! Thank you again—it’s works!

I am curious to know how files my wife created on a PC in our house, saving to OneDrive, automatically ended up on the new Macand opened directly from Recents?

Marc