I have a problem when I receive a Word document as an attachment in an email. When I open it I don't get the normal tabs (see attached example).

If I open Word normally to create a new document, or open a saved document it looks normal.



Any suggestions appreciated.

Attached Images

Word Problem.jpg (96.8 KB, 20 views)

It looks like the ribbon has been customised so all the usual ribbon tabs are hidden and a new one called Home is the only one included. This customisation could be contained in the document itself or in the attached template.

Is this for all Word documents opened from your email package or just the one document? If you detach the document and then open it from a folder do you get the same issue?

It may be a 64bit version issue or your screen capture tool is dodgy but there are other oddities on your screenshot that may be somewhat related to the issue. There is an odd dropdown arrow under the paste button and above the tab type indicator - what does that do? The QAT is also hidden. Of other interest: The image for the paste button seems very pixelly. The dialog launchers have borders around them that I haven't seen before.

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

The problem is with all Word documents I receive as attachments to emails. I've sent an email to myself with two Word attachment, one I created and one someone else created, both open with the problem.

If I save an incoming Word attachment, then open it it's ok?

"There is an odd dropdown arrow under the paste button and above the tab type indicator - what does that do?" It brings up three paste options.

I'm going to run an Office repair, I'll let you know what happens.

It looks like it is opening in Outlook rather than in Word.

In any case it is a bad idea to open Word attachments directly from email. It is far better to save the document to your hard drive in a known location and open it from there. Many people have lost work by opening directly from the email and then saving.

Just ran a repair on the MS Office Home & Student 2010 program, and also the Windows Essentials 2012 for the email program (WLM), no difference.

Would I be right in thinking this looks more like a Windows Essential problem as emails open ok once saved?

This may not work but I would go into the User Templates folder and either delete or rename the NormalEmail.dotm template to check whether that is the cause of the problem.

The unusual dropdown arrow I was talking about is further down on the screen capture (below and to the left of the word 'Clipboard')

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Customize Quick Access Toolbar is the dropdown.

I've looked for the User Templates folder in C/Program Files(x64)/Microsoft Office/Templates/1033 but there's no NormalEmail.dotm

Am I looking in the right place?

It should be in your user profile. Copy the following string into the address bar and press enter to get to that directory

%appdata%\Microsoft\Templates

Another thing you could try is holding down the Shift Key as you open the attachment. The hope is that this stops any templates or add-ins from loading into Word.

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Just found Excel is equally corrupted, I guess I'm looking at a re-install?

I don't know anything about Windows Essentials. Have you tried a different email package? Do you not have Outlook with your office version?

I've just worked out that the dropdown arrow I mentioned must be your QAT customisation arrow and you've positioned it under the ribbon. Can you add a few buttons there to visit the document template dialog so you can find out what templates and addins are running?

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

I've now removed Office from the PC and re-installed it, still the same.

I found the NormalEmail.dotm file, renamed it and with the new file the problem is just the same.

Outlook is not in the Office 2010 Student & Home package.

I've been getting some other weird problems recently, like I can't open web address links I receive in WLM in Chrome, but Firefox is ok.

I think it's begining to look more like a WLM issue or even a Windows issue.

The fact that opening a document as an attachment points to a couple of possibilities, but none of them matches your screen shot...

For example, there is a setting in Word 2013 causing uneditable files (such as e-mail attachments) to open in Read Mode, but then you should see the ribbon (menus) for Read Mode, but what you are seeing is the usual Home tab, but no other tabs.

Also, the document could be opening in Protected view, but then you should see the yellow bar with an option to activate editing.

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Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional