WD: Converter Will Not Automatically Install in Word

In any of the versions of Microsoft Word listed above, if you have already opened a file during the current session, you cannot auto-install a file converter.

This behavior is by design. In Word version 2.0c and earlier, Word searches for file converters that have not yet been installed every time the File Open command runs. This slows the process of opening files. To avoid this problem, Word 6.x and later only search for and auto-install converters the first time you open a file in a Word session.

Auto-Installing the Converter

To auto-install the converter, follow these steps:

1. Copy the converter to the appropriate directory or folder.
   
   Windows 3.1 and Windows NT 3.5x:
   Under Windows 3.1 and Windows NT 3.5x, place the converter in the Winword program directory, or the \Msapps\Textconv directory.
   Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0:
   Under Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, place the converter in the same directory as the Winword.exe file or the \Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\TextConv directory.
   Macintosh:
   On the Macintosh, place the converter in the Word Extensions folder (version 6.x), or the Text Converters folder (Word 98 Macintosh Edition).
2. Save your work, quit Word, and restart Word.
3. Open any document that Word cannot recognize (for example, a document of the format supported by the converter, a program file, or a clipart graphics file).

Word will find and install the converter, and it will henceforth appear as a choice in the Open and Save As dialog boxes.

For more information about supported file formats, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: