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Applies To: Windows | Windows Vista | Files, Folders, and Online storage

Question
Stoulton asked on October 28, 2010

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Right click menu in Explorer (& desktop) missing new "Microsoft Office Word document".
I am running MS Office Home & Student 2007 with Vista Business (32 bit). When using my right click menu in Explorer or on the desktop, it allows me to open most all MS Office apps (Excel, PPoint, Notepad, Contact) but not the most commonly required: Word. Is there a fix for this problem? What can I do to rectify it? Thanks Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse || Subscribe to Updates |

Answer
Tony4554 replied on February 6, 2011 In reply to post on November 8, 2010

15

Found this helpful Me Too

After many hours of research, installs, uninstalls, reinstalls, repairs, reregistering word etc. etc. I was able to add the Word 97 and 2003 right click menu option by just adding a NullFile string to the Word.Document.8 key under the .doc key in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc but it would not do anything under the .docx key. I wanted the 2010 docx of office 2010 functionality. I have found out what I had to do to get back the Right-click New Microsoft Word Document function of Office 2010 in Windows Explorer and on the Desktop. I found that four keys were missing in the registry in comparison with my other computers installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010. Remember to back up the .docx key by exporting it to a safe folder so that you could have it if necessary. I opened the registry to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx Steps creating keys are done on the left window pane in the registry. 1) Below the .docx key I create the first key that was missing by right clicking on the .docx key then go down to New, then left click on Key and name it OpenWithList without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) 2) Inside of the OpenWithList create the second key. Right click on the OpenWithList key then go down to New, then left click on Key and name this new key WordPad.exe without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) 3) Right click on the .docx key then go down to New, then left click on Key to create the third key and name it Word.Document.12 without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) 4) Right click on the Word.Document.12 key then go down to New, then left click on Key to create the fourth key and name it ShellNew without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set)

The next thing to do is to create a string value newly created ShellNew key but this is done in the window on the right side. 5) Left click on ShellNew in the left window to select the key. Now in the window on the right side; Right click in the empty space go to New then select String Value. Name the new string NullFile without the quotes, Type is REG_SZ Leave the data empty. 6) Lastly, in the left window left click on key .docx, In the right side window make sure that the data of the (Default) string is Word.Document.12 To change it, doubleclick on the string named (Default) , a window will open up and you change the data value to Word.Document.12 (My data value was docx_auto_file) You are done. Close the registry. Test the right click context menu now. I hope that this will help some people. Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

All Replies (27)

A. User replied on October 28, 2010

Found this helpful Me Too

I am running MS Office Home & Student 2007 with Vista Business (32 bit). When using my right click menu in Explorer or on the desktop, it allows me to open most all MS Office apps (Excel, PPoint, Notepad, Contact) but not the most commonly required: Word. Is there a fix for this problem? What can I do to rectify it? Thanks Is this tutorial relevant ? http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/microsoft-office/add-wordexcel-97-2003-documents-back-to-the-newcontext-menu-after-installing-office-2007/ For the benefits of others looking for answers, please mark the suggestion as Answered if it solves your problem. Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

Stoulton replied on November 7, 2010 In reply to post on October 28, 2010

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Hi and thanks for the suggestion. The article relates primarily to getting Word 97-03 back onto the right click menu after Office 2007 installation. I followed the instructions and it worked for 97-03, so this is 66% of a resolution :o) Before I launch into the rest, please excuse me if the language I use is not very clear. I am not a SW developer and I really couldnt tell a registry key from marshmallow! What I really wanted was to get Word 2007 onto the right click menu. I have looked at the registry entries for .docx in the same way as is in the tutorial you suggested, but found the entries were already the same (structure) as I had used to correct the Word 97-03 problem. I also compared the .docx registry entries with .xlsx and .pptx and found these latter two had keys which differed from that for .docx .xlxs was in the form computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xlsx\Excel.Sheet.12\ShellNew with a key entry FileName REG_SZ excel12.xlsx .pptx was in the form computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pptx\PowerPoint.Show.12\ShellNew with a key entry FileName REG_SZ pwrpnt12.xlsx However .docx was in the form computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx\Word.Document.12\ShellNew with a key entry NullFile REG_SZ I tried changing the .docx registry entries to be in a similar form to .xlsx and .pptx (changed the key to FileName REG_SZ winword12.docx) but it didnt help. Based on my research this seems to be a fairly common bug and I am surprised there is not a standard fix. Any further suggestions please? Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

A. User replied on November 7, 2010 In reply to Stoulton post on November 7, 2010

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Please read the following tutoial carefully. It gives you a zip file for registry fix. Inside the zip-file there is a .Reg file for Add Word 2007 (.docx) entry to New menu. http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/add-word-97-2003-entry-to-the-new-menu-after-installing-word-2007/ Reg Files Inside the Zip file, there are three other .REG files. Here is a description of each file. Filename Description doc-add-shellnew.reg Add Word 97 2003 entry to New menu doc-remove-shellnew.reg Remove Word 97 2003 entry from New menu docx-add-shellnew.reg Add Word 2007 (.docx) entry to New menu docx-remove-shellnew.reg Remove Word 2007 (.docx) entry from New menu For the benefits of others looking for answers, please mark the suggestion as Answered if it solves your problem. Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

Stoulton replied on November 8, 2010 In reply to post on November 7, 2010

Found this helpful Me Too

Hi again, Tried the suggestion and although all went without problem, there still was no change :o( I have since downloaded and tried "Shellnewhandler" http://sourceforge.net/projects/shellnewhandler/ Interestingly the config screen of this utility shows the Microsoft Word Document as configured and available but it does not appear on the right click menu. I tried disabling and enabling various right click menu entries with the utility and they all come and go as expected... except new Word Document. I think there must be something going on that is separate from the Shellnew entries???

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Stoulton replied on November 8, 2010 In reply to Stoulton post on November 8, 2010

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By the way, using this Shellnewhandler utility I noticed that it showed new "Rich Text Format" file as configured and available but, like new Word Document, it also does not appear on the right click menu. Is this expected or maybe it is suffering from teh same issue as "new Word doc". Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

A. User replied on November 8, 2010 In reply to Stoulton post on November 8, 2010 I am at a loss. Maybe someone else could shed somelight to this issue ?

Found this helpful Me Too

For the benefits of others looking for answers, please mark the suggestion as Answered if it solves your problem.

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Answer
Tony4554 replied on February 6, 2011 In reply to post on November 8, 2010

15

Found this helpful Me Too

After many hours of research, installs, uninstalls, reinstalls, repairs, reregistering word etc. etc. I was able to add the Word 97 and 2003 right click menu option by just adding a NullFile string to the Word.Document.8 key under the .doc key in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc but it would not do anything under the .docx key. I wanted the 2010 docx of office 2010 functionality. I have found out what I had to do to get back the Right-click New Microsoft Word Document function of Office 2010 in Windows Explorer and on the Desktop. I found that four keys were missing in the registry in comparison with my other computers installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010. Remember to back up the .docx key by exporting it to a safe folder so that you could have it if necessary. I opened the registry to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx Steps creating keys are done on the left window pane in the registry. 1) Below the .docx key I create the first key that was missing by right clicking on the .docx key then go down to New, then left click on Key and name it OpenWithList without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) 2) Inside of the OpenWithList create the second key. Right click on the OpenWithList key then go down to New, then left click on Key and name this new key WordPad.exe without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) 3) Right click on the .docx key then go down to New, then left click on Key to create the third key and name it Word.Document.12 without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) 4) Right click on the Word.Document.12 key then go down to New, then left click on Key to create the fourth key and name it ShellNew without the quotes. Inside of that key is the automatically created String Value (default) REG_SZ (value not set) The next thing to do is to create a string value newly created ShellNew key but this is done in the window on the right side. 5) Left click on ShellNew in the left window to select the key. Now in the window on the right side; Right click in the empty space go to New then select String Value. Name the new string NullFile without the quotes, Type is REG_SZ Leave the data empty. 6) Lastly, in the left window left click on key .docx, In the right side window make sure that the data of the (Default) string is Word.Document.12 To change it, doubleclick on the string named (Default) , a window will open up and you change the data value to Word.Document.12 (My data value was docx_auto_file) You are done. Close the registry. Test the right click context menu now. I hope that this will help some people. Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

Bill_Randle replied on August 23, 2011 In reply to Tony4554 post on February 6, 2011

Found this helpful Me Too

Thanks, Tony! That solved my problem perfectly. In my case, everything was as you specified except for the final step of setting the (Default) string for the top level .docx entry. Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

xMarkx replied on November 14, 2011 In reply to Tony4554 post on February 6, 2011

Found this helpful Me Too

Tony, My computer came with Office Starter 2010, but when I installed Office 2010 Professional, my word icons suddenly changed from the proper word icon to a generic "DOCX" icon. I have been searching on and off for weeks and weeks for a solution, but the only thing I came across was to reset the default file associations, reregister word, or reinstall the office suite program after uninstalling Starter. I tried all of these solutions more than once but none were successful. I suspected there was a glitch in the registry as a result of a conflict between Starter and Professional, but I am no expert with the registry so didn't want to risk playing with it. Then I came across your post. I noticed that I also had word missing from the context menu so I thought I'd give your very thorough steps a shot. Turns out steps #1-5 were already done, but after following step #6 and changing the value of the key, not only do I have word in the context menu, but I also have my proper word icon back!! Such a little problem - but a big annoyance. I can't believe no one else has posted this and that Microsoft doesn't know how to fix it! Thank you so much for posting your solution. I've bookmarked this page in case this problem ever happens again in the future. Thanks again, Mark Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

ChristianMoreno replied on November 16, 2011

Found this helpful Me Too

I have the same problem but with powerpoint 2010 and pptx does somebody know how to fix it I'm running Win7 Reply | | Reply with quote | | Report abuse |

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