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Google Doc Won’t Open: How to Fix It & Main Reasons
Give a try to these quick methods right away
6 min. read
Updated onDecember 20, 2023
updated onDecember 20, 2023
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Part of the popular Google Office Suite (G Suite), Google Docs has rapidly won over users because of its ease of use, online collaboration abilities, and flexibility.
But like other software, it occasionally has frustrating problems that make it difficult for you to work.
One of the quite common ones concerns access to G suite documents and here, users sometimes get theGoogle Docs won’t openmessage when attempting to open their Google Docs.
Why can’t I open a Google Doc?
If a doc won’t open, a couple of things may be wrong. Here is a highlight of the most common causes:
What can I do if Google Docs won’t open?
1. Request permission to open the Document
Where the issue arose because of lacking permission, ask the fileownerto allocate you opening rights.
Steps:
Retry. The file should now open without hitches.
2. Contact the owner Directly and Ask for immediate access
You can also write to the owner directly asking them to modify thefile sharingoptions from their side and permit you to view the file.
3. Switch Your Google Account
It’s also possible that the document was set to be opened from a Google Account different from the one you’re using.
This is especially common when you have more than one account so you need to switch to the original account to open thedocin question.
Steps:
4. Use a third-party Word processor
You can first save thedocto yourPCand then open it using a different word processor such as Microsoft Word or Zoho Writer.
Steps:
5. Wait and try to open it later
In some cases, documents are unavailable temporarily perhaps due to internet connectivity challenges, outages for Google Drive, or Google servers, or even synchronization hiccups.
You can give your Google Drive the benefit of the doubt and assume that the document is just temporarily inaccessible.
And so you wait a bit then try to reopen the document. It does work sometimes!
6.Try another browser
In certain instances, Google documents which have all along been failing to open on onebrowserdo open when accessed from otherbrowsers.
Can you then move to Edge,Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox depending on your current browsing software, and see how it goes?
It also helps if whateverbrowseryou are using is up to date and you are on the latest version.
7.Clear your Browser’s Cache/Cookies
Cookies are files are typically created by the sites you visit to make your internet experience better through saving your browsing data.
The cache, on other hand, remembers parts of various pages, like loaded images, to help these open faster on your next visit.
Some tools including G Suite, however, load slower because of this content. You, therefore, need to clean these details before opening your Drive files.
Steps:
Google Chrome
Edge
Mozilla Firefox
8. Check your Internet connectivity
A weak internet connection common causes document opening issues.Try your luck by connecting to another network and see if your doc file will load and open correctly.
9. Check your Antivirus Software
Adblockersand Virus scanning software on yourPCon occasion interfere with Drive files, including Google Docs.
You can disable it briefly or check to make sure that your antivirus software is not restricting G Suite.
10. Try another device
The glitch could have something to do with the hardware you’re using so on occasion the file that was refusing to open on your laptop successfully opens from your smartphone or desktop.
Log in to G drive from your other devices and try to open thedoc.
11. Share it with a friend
If you are yet to cut it, share thedocwith another person and see if he/she can open it.
Where possible, request them to re-share the file with you afresh.
You should then make another attempt at opening it from your Google account. And if you run into the issue ofGoogle Docs refusing to connect, check out our article on how to bypass it.
More about the topics:Google services,online document creation,web-based software,word processor
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.
She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies – AI and DNA computing in particular.
Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
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Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina is a Windows fan since forever, especially interested in AI, emerging technologies, privacy, and security.
