How and Why to Convert a MS Word Document from Compatibility Mode to Normal Mode

Sometimes MS Word will display the “Compatibility Mode” message right after the file name on the Title Bar:

MS Word Compatibility Mode
That means you have opened a file saved in an earlier version of MS Word in a newer version of MS Word. For example, if you open a file saved as a MS Word 2003 file in MS Word 2007 you will get that “Compatibility Mode” warning.
For example, if you’d like to track changes in Compatibility Mode, you may getting the following warning message:
MS Word Track Changes
You can covert a file to the newer version (for example, from a .doc format to .docx format) by selecting the Office Button (in MS Word 2007) then clicking the Convert button. However, by doing so you may have difficulty editing certain parts of your document, like tables. Be prepared for such editing issues when you convert a document to a newer version of MS Word.
Compatibility Mode limits your editing capabilities. For example many types of text are converted into static text in Compatibility Mode — you cannot edit them anymore.
Here is a list of behavior allowed in the Compatibility Mode for MS Word 2007:

Office Word 2007 element Behavior in Compatibility Mode
Heading and body fonts Converted to static formatting.
Relative text boxes Converted to absolute positions.
Margins Converted to absolute tabs.
Bibliography Converted to static text.
Citations Converted to static text.
Placeholder text in citations Converted to static text.
Placeholder text in content controls Converted to static text.
Themes Permanently converted to styles. If the file is later opened in Office Word 2007, you cannot automatically change the style by using themes.
Theme colors Permanently converted to styles. If the file is later opened in Office Word 2007, you cannot automatically change the style by using theme colors.
Theme fonts Permanently converted to styles. If the file is later opened in Office Word 2007, you cannot automatically change the style by using theme fonts.
Theme effects Permanently converted to styles. If the file is later opened in Office Word 2007, you cannot automatically change the style by using theme effects.
Content controls Permanently converted to static text.

MORE INFO

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What is “Compatibility Mode” in MS Word?
How to Insert a Proper Page Break for Changing Page Orientation in MS Word
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How to Create a List of Tables in MS Word
How to use the Odd-Page and Even-Page Breaks in MS Word
How to Create Dynamically Updated Running Headers and Footers in MS Word
How and Why to Convert a MS Word Document from Compatibility Mode to Normal Mode
How to Print Pages of a MS Word Document in Reverse Order
How to Create and Use Autotext Building Blocks in a MS Word 2010 Document

1 Comment

  1. ume shlma r on April 5, 2016 at 11:36 am

    Help me to come out of the compatibility mode in WORD2010. REVIEW OPTION also DISABLED.NO idea. Lot of times tried . LAST TIME it worked, but now what’s the blunder I’m doing? GIVE AN IDEA.