This article describes the "Recover Text from Any File" converter in Microsoft Word and how to use it to recover damaged documents.

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What Is the "Recover Text from Any File" Converter?

The "Recover Text from Any File" converter allows you to extract the text from any file. The file does not have to be a Word document.

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What Will I Lose by Using the "Recover Text from Any File" Converter?

The "Recover Text from Any File" converter has its limitations. Document formatting is lost, along with anything that is not formatted as text. Graphics, fields, drawing objects, and so on are not converted. However, headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, and field text are retained as simple text.

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My Document Is Damaged: How Can I Recover the Information?

Note When you change the selection in the Files of type box to Recover Text from Any File, Word retains this setting and uses it the next time that you open a document. To avoid this behavior, reset the Files of type box to Word Document (*.doc) or Word Document (*.docx)after you have completed the recovery of your damaged document.

To Open a Word Document

To use the "Recover Text from Any File" converter with a Word document, follow these steps:

1.	In Microsoft Office Word 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Open.
2.
3.	In Microsoft Office Word 2003 or Microsoft Word 2002, click Open on the File menu.
4.	In the Files of type box, click Recover Text from Any File(*,*).
5.	Select the document that you want to recover the text from.
6.	Click Open.

To Open a Non-Word File

To use the "Recover Text from Any File" converter with a non-Word file, follow these steps:

1.	In Word 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Word Options.
2.	Click the Advanced tab, click to select the Confirm file format conversion on Open check box under General, and then click OK.
3.	Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Open.
4.	In the Files of type box, click Recover Text from Any File(*,*).
5.	Select the document from which you want to recover the text.
6.	Click Open.

1.	In Word 2003 or Word 2002, on the Tools menu, click Options.
2.	Click the General tab.
3.	Click to select the Confirm conversion at Open check box, and then click OK.
4.	On the File menu, click Open.
5.	In the Files of type box, click Recover Text from Any File.
6.	Select the document that you want to recover the text from.
7.	Click Open.

Word converts and recovers all text from the document.

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