How to Fix Word Cannot Open the Existing File Normal.dotm
What is a Normal.dotm file? It seems not difficult to understand: just a global template for Microsoft Word documents, which saves the default font, layout and other styles. If you make any changes to Normal, all will be saved and applied to the new documents.
However, when accessing the Normal.dotm file, you may encounter the “Word cannot open the existing file Normal.dotm” error that prevents you from making any customizations. To resolve the problem, there are five ways you can use.
- Contents:
- Way 1: Rename or Delete the Existing Global Template File
- Way 2: Disable Word Add-ins to Resolve File Cannot Open
- Way 3: Fix the Normal.dotm Error with File Repair Tuner
- Way 4: Troubleshoot All Bugs by Updating Microsoft Office
Way 1: Rename or Delete the Existing Global Template File
Maybe there are software bugs or system glitches on your Windows computer, so the first recommended method is to delete the corrupted Normal.dotm file. After you delete the current Word template version, the documents or data won’t be removed.
Step 1: Close Microsoft Word completely. Then press the Win + E keys together to open File Explorer.
Step 2: Click the Quick Access. Paste %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and press the Enter key.
Step 3: Choose and right-click the Normal.dotm file. Then delete or rename it.
Step 4: The next time you open the Word app, it will automatically create a new Normal.dotm file with original default settings.
Way 2: Disable Word Add-ins to Resolve File Cannot Open
With the help of Add-ins, you can add new functionality to Office or simplify multiple tasks. But sometimes Word Add-ins may cause conflicts with normal operations and lead to the “Normal.dotm” error, so try to disable problematic Add-ins.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Word and hold down the Ctrl key simultaneously. Click Yes to start Word in safe mode.
Step 2: After the Word file is opened, go to the File tab and select Options. In the new window, select Add-ins from the left pane.
Step 3: At the bottom, you’ll see a drop-down menu next to Manage. Choose COM Add-ins and click Go.
Step 4: Uncheck all the add-ins listed and click OK. Then restart Word and ensure whether the existing template file is repaired.
Way 3: Fix the Normal.dotm Error with File Repair Tuner
If the Word files are unreadable or damaged, you can use Cocosenor File Repair Tuner to fix the file errors. With the professional Word repair tool, you can get rid of “Word cannot open the existing file normal.dotm” in minutes.
Step 1: Download and install the software on the PC. Then open it and choose File Repair. Click Add File.
Step 2: Upload all the damaged files. After that, tap on Repair.
Step 3: When “Repair Completed” appears, click OK. And then hit the Save button to store the files.
Step 4: Check whether the Word file is repaired successfully.
Way 4: Troubleshoot All Bugs by Updating Microsoft Office
If none of the above methods work, it’s possible that your Microsoft Word has some glitches. Updating Office to the latest version can help fix known bugs and ensure that your software is running smoothly.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Word (or Excel, or PowerPoint). Then click on the File tab and choose Account.
Step 2: Under the Product Information section, click on Update Options.
Step 3: Choose Update Now to download and install any available updates.
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