Why my Word document is messed up on another PC and how to prevent it

You spend hours writing a text, formatting it, adding images, tables, diagrams, and other shapes. Everything is ready, but when you open the file on another computer, you find that The elements have moved around and even the text has lost its formatting.You're wondering, "Why does my Word document get messed up on another PC, and how can I fix it?" Let's get to it.

Why does my Word document get messed up on another PC?

If your Word document is out of order on another PC, you're not alone. In fact, this is one of the most common problems encountered by users of Microsoft's office suite. After working carefully on the document, you open it on another computer and you discover that all the elements have been disordered: margins, fonts, placement of tables, boxes and shapes, etc. It's so frustrating!

And the problem is even bigger if it's a large document with lots of images, text boxes, different fonts, formats, and other elements. Having everything get messed up unexpectedly is a waste of time and effort, along with the tedious task of rearranging it. Why does a Word document get messed up on another PC, but remain intact on ours? There are several reasons for this phenomenon.

Differences in Word versions

The first reason a Word document might get out of order on another PC has to do with the version of Word being used. As you probably already know, there are several versions of Microsoft Word (2010, 2016, 2019, 2021, etc.) and Each may interpret the formats in a slightly different way..

So a document created in Word 2010 might look different if opened using Word 2019 or Microsoft 365. The same can happen if you use the online version of Word or Word for Mac, especially if various formats have been applied or many elements have been added to the document.

Use of uncommon fonts

Another of the most frequent reasons is that The document uses custom fonts that are not available on the second PCWhen Word can't find the original font, it replaces it with a default font, which can cause alterations in the text.

So if you have used one or more uncommon fonts in the document, this may vary when you try to open it on another computer. If the new PC doesn't have those fonts installed, Word will replace them with a similar font or with the default fonts (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, etc.).

Different print settings and margins

If the Word document is misconfigured on another PC by moving the margins, it may be due to the print settings. Remember that each computer may have different printer settings, which can lead to altering the position of the marginsThis causes paragraphs of text to shift up or down, images and objects to change position, and page numbering to change.

Using custom templates

Microsoft Word has several styles of default templates to work from, but it also allows you to create your own custom templateIf you've done the latter, the document may change once you open it on another PC. This makes sense, since the custom template you used isn't available on the new computer, so it will use a default one.

Problems with images, tables, and embedded objects

Another reason why a Word document may become unconfigured on another PC is related to the presence of images, tables, and objects embedded in the text. If these elements are set to "In line with text"Any changes to the text formatting will affect its placement. In these cases, it's best to apply a "Fixed Layout" to the embedded elements so they retain their position.

How to prevent a Word document from being corrupted on another PC

Maybe you want to share a Word document for a collaborator to edit, or you simply need to open it on another computer to print it. The problem is that the elements that compose it and the formatting you assigned to it are altered as soon as you open it on another computer. If you want prevent this from happening, you can apply the following solutions:

Save the document in PDF format

Using PDF format is the best alternative when a Word document is corrupted on another PC. This format preserves the original layout and prevents the document from receiving changes or edits.. And it doesn't matter what version of Word was used to create it or what PDF reader that is used to open it.

To save a Word document in PDF format, you just have to Click on File – Save As, and choose the PDF option from the save options.This way, margins, fonts, images, shapes, and any other elements will remain intact within the text, no matter where you open the file. On the other hand, skip this option if you need others to edit the file.

Save the document in a compatible format

If saving the document in PDF format is not an option, then save it in a format compatible with older versions of WordTo do this, click Save As and choose the .doc format from the save options. Alternatively, The .docx format is more modern and optimized compared to .doc, so you can use it if the destination computer has a newer version of Word than yours.

Use standard fonts and styles

Remember that a Word document is deconfigured on another PC when we use custom fonts or styles. Therefore, if possible, try to use common fonts, such as Time New Roman or Arial, and default templates instead of manually adjusted templates. All of this reduces the possibility of unexpected changes occurring when opening the document on another computer.

Embed fonts in the document

Embedding fonts helps if the Word document is misconfigured on another PC, as makes the file keep the fonts even if the other computer doesn't have them installedTo embed fonts in a Word document, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to File – Options.
2. Select Save
3. Activate the Embed fonts in the file option.

Use OneDrive or Google Docs for collaboration

A final solution to the problem of a Word document getting out of configuration on another PC is to use cloud platforms, such as OneDrive or Google Docs. This ensures greater stability, and allows all users see the same version of the document without compatibility issues.