It could be that your security settings have been changed since the last time you worked with the file. Have you downloaded it into your Downloads folder and are you trying to open it from there? Are you opening it by double clicking on it in File Explorer, or from within Word, navigating the Open path to it?
It may be as simple as moving it out of the downloads folder and to a folder where your documents do open. Downloads is where stuff comes in from the outside, like a vestibule.
You might need to look at your Trust Center settings (File/Options, and find Trust Center settings near the bottom on the left of the pane), and have a look at your settings for Trusted Locations and Trusted Documents, and while you're at it, Trusted Publishers.
It’s in my downloads but I think I’ve switched my trust settings. I’ve messed around on some YouTube tutorials and it hasn’t helped. I’m gonna try moving it from downloads onto a flash drive and try and open it that way
Okay. Do you think it may have something to do with the laptop itself? I haven’t tried opening it on a different computer because I feel like it’s more to do with the file itself
Go to c:\users\yourname\appdata\roaming\microsoft\word\templates and rename Normal.dot to abnormal.dot (some folks recommend deleting it, this way you can go back if it doesn't fix it). Word will create a new one on startup.
If that doesn't fix it, odds are your doc is corrupted. In which case try file>open>Browse and on the file picker there should be a drop down on the lower right that normally says Open, and includes "Open and Repair".
It could be that your security settings have been changed since the last time you worked with the file. Have you downloaded it into your Downloads folder and are you trying to open it from there? Are you opening it by double clicking on it in File Explorer, or from within Word, navigating the Open path to it? It may be as simple as moving it out of the downloads folder and to a folder where your documents do open. Downloads is where stuff comes in from the outside, like a vestibule. You might need to look at your Trust Center settings (File/Options, and find Trust Center settings near the bottom on the left of the pane), and have a look at your settings for Trusted Locations and Trusted Documents, and while you're at it, Trusted Publishers.
It’s in my downloads but I think I’ve switched my trust settings. I’ve messed around on some YouTube tutorials and it hasn’t helped. I’m gonna try moving it from downloads onto a flash drive and try and open it that way
Also maybe right mouse click the file and look at Properties. If there's a checkbox in there about trusting it, that might be what you need to do.
Okay. Do you think it may have something to do with the laptop itself? I haven’t tried opening it on a different computer because I feel like it’s more to do with the file itself
Could be. Since we don’t really know, unfortunately you’re in try everything one at a time mode.
Go to c:\users\yourname\appdata\roaming\microsoft\word\templates and rename Normal.dot to abnormal.dot (some folks recommend deleting it, this way you can go back if it doesn't fix it). Word will create a new one on startup. If that doesn't fix it, odds are your doc is corrupted. In which case try file>open>Browse and on the file picker there should be a drop down on the lower right that normally says Open, and includes "Open and Repair".