Confirm Word Is Properly Installed

If Word doesn't open when you double-click a Word document, it may be improperly installed or have become corrupted. Try to open Word from the "All Programs" section of the Start menu. If Word opens correctly, your problem is likely due to an incorrect file association. If Word fails to open, or if you cannot find Word on your computer, reinstall the program on your machine. After installation, your Word documents should automatically open inside Word.

Confirm File Extensions

Microsoft Word files end in .DOC or .DOCX. If you accidentally add a second file extension to a document, the operating system only pays attention to the last one. Confirm that your file has the right extension by right-clicking on the file name or icon and choosing "Properties." The full file name, including all the extensions, appears in the text box at the top. If necessary, add or change the extension to "DOC" or "DOCX." The file must actually be a DOC or DOCX for this to work; arbitrarily adding an extension to a file does not convert it.

"Open With..."

Force Windows to open a file in Microsoft Word by right-clicking the file and choosing "Open with." Select Microsoft Word from the list. If Word does not appear in the list, select "Choose Program," then select Microsoft Word from the extended list. This technique works for individual files, but will not change your computer's default behavior.

Change File Associations

Set your computer to automatically open DOC and DOCX files in Microsoft Word, rather than Notepad, by changing the default file association. From the Start menu, choose "Default Programs." Click "Associate a file type or protocol with a program." Click on ".doc" and click "Change Program." Select Microsoft Word from the list and click "OK."