I cannot open any files on my computer including from Microsoft products

Question

I cannot open any files on my computer including from Microsoft products

Peter Leffler 0

All of a sudden I cannot open ANY files on my computer, including Word or even the viewer. Please call me at <PII removed>. This is a serious concern.

Best,

Peter Leffler

****@gmail.com

John Jefferson Doyon 89,445 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-30T21:36:56.26+00:00
Hi, @Peter Leffler

To help narrow down the issue:

What exactly happens when you double-click a file? Do you get an error message? If so, please provide the exact message or a screenshot.

Can you open Word, Notepad, or Photos directly from the Start menu without opening a file first?

Press Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter. What Windows version and OS build does it show?

Any additional info about the issue you can provide will be helpful in diagnosing and resolving the issue.

Thanks!

1 answer

Your answer

John Jefferson Doyon 89,445 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-30T21:36:56.26+00:00

Hi, @Peter Leffler

To help narrow down the issue:

What exactly happens when you double-click a file? Do you get an error message? If so, please provide the exact message or a screenshot.

Can you open Word, Notepad, or Photos directly from the Start menu without opening a file first?

Press Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter. What Windows version and OS build does it show?

Any additional info about the issue you can provide will be helpful in diagnosing and resolving the issue.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Repair Windows system files first.

Open Command Prompt as administrator.

Run these commands one at a time:

     DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Checkhealth
     DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
     DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
     sfc /scannow

Restart the PC after the scans finish.

Reset default apps and file associations.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Scroll down and select Reset all default apps.
- Then verify common file types are mapped correctly.
If Office files open in the wrong app or do not open correctly, repair Office.
- Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
- Select the Office product.
- Choose Change > Quick Repair.
- If that does not help, manually associate the file type to the correct Office app in Control Panel > Programs > Default Programs.
If Outlook attachments or downloaded Office files show memory, disk space, or Protected View errors, check these specific causes:
- On some Outlook/Windows 8, 8.1, or Server 2012 systems, start the Windows Firewall service from services.msc.
- If Outlook Desktop shows files stuck in Protected View, update Intel graphics drivers to 31.0.101.4887 or newer, or roll back to a version older than 31.0.101.4824.
If the issue affects downloaded ZIP files or many file types and still persists after the steps above, consider an in-place upgrade of Windows to reinstall system files while keeping personal files and installed apps.