If you work with colleagues that use different versions of Microsoft Word, its compatibility mode ensures that all of you are virtually on the same page. The feature ensures that documents created with the newer versions of Microsoft Office Word are compatible with old releases. However, if you have little use for this mode, it makes sense to disable it completely. See how to disable the Compatibility Mode in Word!
How to disable the Compatibility Mode in Microsoft Word
Without the Compatibility Mode, some Word documents may fail to open correctly or not open at all. This is because the features that were present in earlier versions of Word might not be compatible with the latest formatting styles in modern versions. Still, if you wish to disable it, here’s how you can proceed!
- Open a Word file.
- Click File.
- Choose Options.
- Select the Save option from the side panel.
- Find the Save files in this format option heading.
- Hit the drop-down menu next to it and select Word Document.docx.
- Click OK.
This mode is primarily designed to make sure that users having old copies of Office can continue to work together and their documents remain compatible with the newer formats.
Open a Word file, go to the File menu in the upper-left corner of your Word file.
Choose the Options entry at the bottom of the screen.
When the Word Options screen is displayed, choose the Save option from the side panel on the left.
Under the Save documents section on the right, look for the Save files in this format heading. Hit the drop-down button next to it and from the list of options displayed select .docx option.
Hit the Ok button at the bottom of the window to save all your Word files in .docx file format by default. This will also turn off the Compatibility Mode in Word.
Turn off Compatibility Mode in Word of Office 365
There’s also an alternative way to disable the Compatibility mode in Word. Here’s how!
Go to File Menu > Info. Then, hit the Check for issues drop-down button under Inspect Document heading.
Select the Check compatibility option from the list.
When the Compatibility Checker window opens, uncheck the box next to check compatibility when saving documents heading as shown in the image above.
Related: How to remove Compatibility Mode in Excel.
Where is the Word Options screen?
The options screen in Word can be opened by selecting File > Options. It’s a place where you can view and update settings for Word, your documents, your personal information, and your preferences. You can also change the user interface, personalization, and startup settings for your copy of Word and documents from here.
Why are my options grayed out in Word?
It’s a common sight to witness the Options screen grayed out when your Office package isn’t activated. So, to fix it, you’ll need to check if your account is activated or not. Open any Office product say Word, go to File, select Account and verify if your account is activated or not. If it’s not activated, you need to activate it.
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