Fixes / Word · Checked

Word [Compatibility Mode]: what it means and how to turn it off

Short answer

[Compatibility Mode] in the Word title bar means the document was saved by an older version of Word, such as a .doc file or a .docx from Word 2007 or 2010. Word turns off newer features so the file still looks and works the same in those versions. To remove it on Windows, go to File > Info > Convert and click OK. On a Mac, go to File > Convert Document.

What this message means

Compatibility Mode is a label, not an error. Word adds it to the title bar when the open file was created or last saved by an older version of Word. This covers Word 97-2003 .doc files and also .docx files made in Word 2007 or Word 2010. While the label shows, Word keeps the document's old layout rules and turns off features the older version cannot handle, so someone using that version can still edit the file fully. Your text and formatting are safe. You only need to leave the mode if you want the newer features, or if the layout or a missing option is causing trouble.

Common causes

CauseHow to tell
The file is in the old Word 97-2003 format (.doc)The file name ends in .doc instead of .docx. Check the File Explorer or Finder listing, or File > Info on Windows. Files from old email attachments, archives or older software are usually .doc.
The file is a .docx that was created in Word 2007 or Word 2010The name ends in .docx but the label still shows. On Windows, go to File > Info > Check for Issues > Check Compatibility and open Select versions to show. The version that is ticked is the one the document is set to match, for example Word 2010.
Your Normal.dotm template was made by an older version of WordEvery new blank document (File > New > Blank document) opens with [Compatibility Mode], even though you just created it in your current Word. This often happens after upgrading Office on top of an older installation.
Word saves in an older format by default, or the file was saved with the compatibility box tickedFiles you save yourself come back in Compatibility Mode the next time you open them. On Windows, File > Options > Save shows something other than Word Document (*.docx) in Save files in this format, or the Save As dialog shows Maintain compatibility with previous versions of Word as ticked.
Your organization sets the default compatibility mode through Group PolicyIt happens on a work or school computer, every new document is affected, and converting the template does not help. IT sets this with the policy called Set default compatibility mode on file creation.

How to fix it

1. Convert the document to the current format

Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows. On a Mac, use File > Convert Document instead of steps 2 and 3.

  1. Open the document that shows [Compatibility Mode].
  2. Click the File tab, then click Info.
  3. Click Convert (next to the Compatibility Mode heading).
  4. When Word says the document will be upgraded to the newest file format, click OK. You can tick Do not ask me again about converting documents first if you want.
  5. Press Ctrl+S (Cmd+S on Mac) to save. A .doc file is saved as a new .docx file, and the original .doc stays in the folder, so you can delete it once you have checked the new copy.
  6. Check the layout. Converting uses the current layout rules, so line breaks, table widths or page breaks may move slightly.

2. Save a converted copy with Save As (keeps the original untouched)

Windows and Mac. On Mac, the format list is called File Format.

  1. Open the document and go to File > Save As (on Windows, click Browse or More options to get the full dialog).
  2. Type a new file name so the original stays as a backup.
  3. In Save as type (Windows) or File Format (Mac), choose Word Document (.docx).
  4. On Windows, make sure Maintain compatibility with previous versions of Word is unticked.
  5. Click Save, then close and reopen the new file. The [Compatibility Mode] label should be gone.

3. Make Word save in .docx by default

Word on Windows

  1. Go to File > Options > Save.
  2. Under Save documents, set Save files in this format to Word Document (*.docx).
  3. Click OK.
  4. Convert any files that still show the label using the first fix. This setting only affects how files are saved from now on.

4. Fix Normal.dotm when every new document opens in Compatibility Mode

Windows (template in %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates). On Mac the template is in ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content.localized/Templates.localized.

  1. Close Word completely.
  2. On Windows, press Windows key + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and press Enter. On Mac, in Finder choose Go > Go to Folder and paste the Mac path above.
  3. Rename Normal.dotm to OldNormal.dotm. Do not delete it, because it holds your custom styles and macros.
  4. Start Word again. It creates a new Normal.dotm in the current format.
  5. Create a blank document and check that the title bar no longer shows [Compatibility Mode].
  6. If you need your old styles, open OldNormal.dotm, use File > Info > Convert, and save it back as Normal.dotm while Word is not using it.

5. Upgrade a file you are using in Word for the web

Word for the web (OneDrive, SharePoint). Needs the desktop Word app, 2010 or later.

  1. Open the document in Word for the web.
  2. Select Editing > Open in Desktop.
  3. In desktop Word, go to File > Info > Convert and click OK if asked.
  4. Press Ctrl+S to save it back to OneDrive or SharePoint.

6. Ask IT to change the Group Policy setting

Managed work or school computers on Windows

  1. Tell IT that new Word documents always open in Compatibility Mode.
  2. The setting is Set default compatibility mode on file creation, under User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Word 2016\Word Options\Save.
  3. Setting it to Full functionality mode (or Not Configured) makes new documents use the current format.
  4. Once the policy has applied (after gpupdate /force or a restart), create a new document to confirm.

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Still not fixed?

If the label keeps coming back after you convert, check that you are opening the new .docx and not the old .doc, which stays in the same folder. If new blank documents are still affected after replacing Normal.dotm, check for a second Office version installed on the same PC and remove the one you don't use. Then run a repair from Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft 365 > Modify > Quick Repair (use Online Repair if that doesn't help). On a work computer, ask IT to check the Group Policy setting above. If nothing works, contact Microsoft Support from Help > Contact Support in Word.

Questions people ask

Is it bad to leave a document in Compatibility Mode?

No. Your content is safe, and the document works normally. You just can't use some newer features, such as newer equation, layout and co-authoring options. Leave it as it is if the file has to go back to someone who uses Word 2010 or older.

Will converting change how my document looks?

It can, a little. Word switches to the current layout rules, so text spacing, table widths or page breaks may move. Save a copy with Save As first if the layout must stay exact, for example on forms or legal documents.

Why does a .docx file still open in Compatibility Mode?

The .docx was probably created in Word 2007 or 2010, which uses an older compatibility setting inside the same file type. File > Info > Convert updates it to the current mode without changing the file extension.

Why is the Convert button missing?

On Windows, Convert only appears under File > Info when the document is actually in Compatibility Mode, and it is grayed out for read-only or Protected View files until you click Enable Editing. On a Mac, the command is File > Convert Document, not File > Info.

Can people with older Word still open the converted file?

Word 2007 and 2010 can open converted .docx files, but features added later won't work in them. Word 2003 and older need Microsoft's Compatibility Pack to open .docx at all, so keep a .doc copy if you share with those users.

Sources

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