How to fix unreadable content in Word Document

Accept Word’s recovery once, save the recovered document as a new .docx, and then use that repaired file instead of reopening the damaged original.

Replace the damaged document

Since clicking Yes already produces a usable copy:

1. Open the original and click Yes when Word offers to recover its contents.
2. In the recovered document, select File > Save As.
3. Choose Word Document (.docx) as the format.
4. Give it a distinct name, such as Lysozyme Lab Report - Repaired.docx.
5. Save it to OneDrive or your school’s SharePoint location.
6. Close Word completely.
7. Reopen the repaired file, not the original, using Word > File > Open.
8. Confirm that:
   • No unreadable-content warning appears.
   • The document contains the expected text, images, and formatting.
   • The AutoSave switch is on.

AutoSave requires a Microsoft 365 subscription and a file stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. If necessary, switching AutoSave on prompts you to choose a supported cloud location.^1^

After verifying the repaired file, move the damaged original into a separate backup folder or rename it Lysozyme Lab Report - Damaged.docx. Do not keep opening the original, because Word will perform recovery and create another replacement each time.

If the recovered copy still will not reopen

Use Word’s text-recovery converter:

1. In Word, select Word > Preferences > General.
2. Enable Confirm file format conversion at Open.
3. Select File > Open.
4. Select the damaged document once.
5. From the Open menu near the lower-right corner, choose Recover Text, then open it.
6. Save the result as a new Word Document (.docx).

This method is intended to extract readable text from a damaged file, but some formatting, images, tables, or other document elements may not survive.^2^ Microsoft also documents saving the recovered output as a new .docx file.^3^

If a clean cloud version exists

Before using text recovery, check File > Browse Version History if the original was previously stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. Open a version from before the warning began and restore it if its contents are complete. This may preserve more formatting than text recovery.

If neither the repaired copy nor an earlier cloud version opens normally, restore an earlier copy from Time Machine or another backup; the available information does not establish that permissions, disk space, or Word itself is the problem when only this one document is affected.

References

1. Turn on AutoSave | Microsoft Support
2. Recover files in Office for Mac | Microsoft Support
3. Error: [Filename] uses a file type that is blocked from opening in this version | Microsoft Support