Help! I'm getting the following message every time I exit a Word document:

Changes have been made that affect the global
template, Normal.dotm. Do you want to save
those changes?

I had this happen once before about a year ago. Forget what I did to solve it. I'm using Office 2015. I've also gotten message saying that my Normal template is corrupted. I'm using Malwarebytes Premium as my antivirus.

I've looked online and can only find directions for Word 2007 and 2010. I need something more up-to-date. Please help!

There is no Word 2015.
Malwarebytes interferes with the latest release of Office. Check with them for a patch or update.
Otherwise, the directions for this problem for Word 2010, 2013, 2007, or, for that matter 2003 will likely work.

Add-Ins in Microsoft Word

Doug Robbins, MVP:

Are you using Malwarebytes? It has been the cause of a number of issues with the Creators Update of Windows.
If you are using it, see:
https://support.office.com/en-us/art...ad=US&fromAR=1

Found in this thread: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...8d9e2ea?page=4

Thank you for those tips. I was getting the error message mentioned at
https://support.office.com/en-us/art...ad=US&fromAR=1, but not anymore. I am installing the Malwarebytes update. I'll let you know if I still have global template problems tomorrow!

I'm still having that message. Can anyone other suggestions because MalwareBytes doesn't seem to be the problem.

Look at the first link I gave you. Try starting word with the \a switch to start without any Add-Ins.

Thanks, Charles. Running "winword.exe /a" got rid of the message, but I can't find any add-ins that are running. I go to File/Options/Add-Ins... Wait a second. I'm getting somewhere. I have to see what type of add-ins I have, and then choose to manage that type of add-in at the bottom.

I removed two .COM add-ins related to OneNote. Rather than going for other types of add-ins that I have (Action, XML Schema, and XML Expansion Pack) I was intrigued by "Disabled Options". I took a look at that and it showed me three documents that recently made Word crash. Two were full of graphics, so I wasn't surprised.

Since I've learned this warning message is related to an add-in and not a virus, I decided just for the heck of it to say, "Yes, please go ahead and make changes to the global template." No more message. I opened three different docs with no warning window. Problem solved I think.

Thanks for the help!

That message tells me the Add-In is poorly written. I would not accept changes generated by it.

You may be right, Charles. I may learn this the hard way. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my faster internet (thanks to the MalwareBytes fix) and the lack of the warning message. I'm happy for now. Will wait and see.

I had the same issue as you, and couldn't find up-to-date help. For anyone who has the same issue, here's what I did. I figured out 2 solutions to the problem: the 1st solution is by going into the Word preferences, and searching "template". Click on the option that says "prompt to save normal template", and then clear the box where it has that option. When I did that, it was already unchecked, so I used this second solution instead. Solution 2: Click on "file locations" in the word preferences. Then, there should be a list of things, starting with "clipart" and ending with startup". Click ONCE on the first option, and then click reset. Do this for every row, and then you are done.

I'm glad this made you feel better. Thank you for contributing. I would not recommend either procedure you mention to anyone else, though.

This question was originally about the Windows version of Word and potential interference by the program MalwareBytes, neither of which seem to be involved in your situation. The information contained in Add-Ins in Microsoft Word is up to date as far as Word 2016 AFAIK. Some modification of steps would be required on a Mac system.

Turning off the prompt to save the normal template is the equivalent to taking the batteries out of your smoke detector because it keeps making an annoying noise. You want to know when changes are made, just as you want to know if there is smoke in your house.

Clearing or resetting your file locations should have no effect other than if you clear your startup location so that it no longer loads template add-ins. Starting without any Add-Ins is a recommended diagnostic for this problem, to see if one is causing the problem; it is not the solution. The solution, if it is an Add-In, is to find and disable the particular Add-In.