How to remove limited functionality mode in Word? Microsoft Office Reduced Functionality Mode

How to remove limited functionality mode in Word? The “Reduced Functionality Mode” message is an unpleasant message that appears when you use a new product and open a Word document created in a new, more advanced version of Microsoft software.

For example, we created it in Word 2007, but opened it in Word 2016, and therefore we will not be able to use the entire set of tools of the new version of the program.

Switching it to normal mode is very simple; this can be done in several ways.

Let's look at the two simplest ones.
Option one. Go to the “File” menu tab, select the “Statements” menu item in it and, on the right side of the window, simply click on the “Convert” button. That's all.

The disadvantage of this method is that after working with the document, we will not be able to open it in the previous version of Word for editing.
Option two.

This way, the file structure will not change (you need to check this box if you are creating a document directly in Word 2016).

In reduced functionality mode, programs operate like viewers. If the program is running in reduced functionality mode, many commands are not available. Thus, there is no access to relevant opportunities. Below are some of the limitations of reduced functionality mode. You cannot create new documents.
You can view existing documents, but you cannot change them.
You can print documents, but you cannot save them.
No existing Microsoft Office system files are damaged. You can also easily stop Microsoft Office from running in reduced functionality mode. To do this, you must follow the instructions on the screen.

The limited functionality mode may also be due to the fact that you opened old documents (meaning Word 2003) with a new one, Word 2007. Save the document in 2007.

To remove reduced functionality mode, follow these steps:
Click the Office button in the left corner of the Word 2007 window
From the menu, select Convert.
Agree or refuse the changes
Save the document

The thing is that when opening a document created, for example, in Word 2003 using Word 2007, the latter simply warns us that some new functions will not be supported in the current format. After all, we open a document in DOC format created by Word 2003, and Word 2007 works hard with the DOCX format. By opening such a document, Word 2007 turns on compatibility mode for all versions. There is nothing wrong with this and you can fully work with such a document, for example, edit it, save it, delete it, etc.

Or you can convert the document to the Office 2007 format. Then this inscription will disappear, but when opening the converted document in earlier versions of the editor, problems will arise when editing, or when opening the document. But in this case, just use the patch that makes doc files of different versions of Word compatible.

To convert a document, click the Office button and select Convert. A dialog box will open warning you about the consequences of this conversion. If you confirm the conversion, Word will simply replace and save the current document in the new format. But you can do it differently. You can save two versions of the same document: one for the old editors, the other in the new format. This is done as standard by selecting the Save As command.
The thing is that a Word 2010 document can open in one of three modes. Namely:

1. The first is documents created in Word 2010.

2. The second is documents created in Word 2007, but with compatibility mode.

3. Third - created in Word 97, having a similar mode.

Compatibility mode allows you to work with documents from older versions of the application and use all extensions of Word 2010. If it happens that when you open text in its title bar there is the inscription “reduced functionality mode,” then you need to do some work to determine whether this file is compatible with new version
programs, which means removing restrictions.

To do this, you need to open the “File” tab and select “Information”. Next, go to the “Prepare for sharing” section, select “Search for problems” and click on this button. After this, you need to select the “Compatibility Check” command and then click “Select versions to display.” Here, next to the name of the mode of the document that you have open, a check mark will appear. And if after this the inscription in the name line “limited functionality mode” disappears, then we can assume that the document is compatible with the application version, which means that all functions of the program are available.

You can continue working on these documents. But if necessary, you can also convert it. To do this, you just need to select the “Convert” command, and after that all compatibility options in Word are cleared. This is when your document layout will look as if you created it in Word 2010.

Please note that if your file is in Doc format, then in the case of a new version of the program you need to convert it to DocX format. But in principle, the conversion command should automatically change this format.

And if it is still not clear to you how to convert a document, then in this case a step-by-step plan on how to do this will be given below:

1. Go to the “File” tab.

2. Find the Details tab and click on it.

3. Click on the “Convert” command.

That's it, the document has been converted to the format you need. And in order to create another copy of this file, do the following:

1. Click on the “File” tab.

3. In the empty line of the “File name” field, enter the name of your document.

4. In the “File Type” list, select “Word Document”.

Method 1
Instructions
1. How to disable limited functionality mode – To remove this limitation, you need to open the text in a new word. Then you need to save it again, but only in a different format.

2. To do this, you need to click the “file” button - “save as”, and save the text in docx format. Afterwards, in newer versions of Word you can work with this file without any restrictions.

3. But at the same time, in outdated versions of Word, it will no longer be possible to perform any manipulations with the modified document. Therefore, if you need to work with text files in different versions of Word, you need to make two copies of the file.

4. One for the old version of word, the other for the new one. If the message appears in different versions of the word program, this indicates that this version has not yet been registered. And for its successful operation, you need to purchase an activation hook.

Method 2
Instructions
1. How to disable the limited functionality mode - when working in the latest versions of Word, all texts that were typed in earlier versions. They open in limited functionality mode, that is, only viewing the document is available.

2. To remove this mode, you need to open all old documents and save them in docx format. It is also possible to save files in compatibility mode with older versions. To do this, you need to select saving in the MC Word 2003 - 2007 format. After this, you can work with the tests without any restrictions.

3. You can also click on the office icon in the upper left corner, and in the drop-down list, select “convert” and then you need to agree to the changes. And after that, in any word (in 2003 and later versions) you can easily work with text. This warning may appear if word is not activated. To activate it, you need to register it and enter a special code.

If you often work with office documents in Microsoft Office applications, then you have probably noticed that some documents open in a special mode called “Reduced Functionality Mode”. The fact that the limited functionality mode is enabled is indicated by the corresponding inscription in square brackets in the title bar of the application window. It can be found in various applications such as Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Restricted mode works to prevent certain features of modern apps in Office from being used. This is done so that users of older versions of Office can open your file safely and without problems.

This is how Word notifies you that Reduced Functionality mode is enabled. Extremely clear and understandable.

Typically, the reduced functionality mode should not be of much concern to the traditional user. Still, it is useful to know what compatibility mode is, how to work with it, and how to turn off Microsoft Office compatibility mode if necessary, since it affects the set of available features and tools in a word processor, spreadsheet processor, or Microsoft presentation editor.

What is Reduced Functionality Mode in Word

The title is just an example. Reduced functionality mode is also available in Excel and PowerPoint. There are many great new features in modern versions of the Microsoft Office suite that are, of course, not compatible with older versions of Office. Additionally, newer editions of apps handle document formatting a little differently, so Restriction mode helps maintain the ability to work with the same document across different versions of the app, be it 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007 or older.

When you create a new document in Office 2013 or Office 2016, it's created in a modern format that has access to all the modern features and the latest formatting styles. But when you open a document that was born inside Office 2010 or older, the reduced functionality mode starts. It makes sure that the document looks the same in all applications, regardless of their year of release or version.

Reduced functionality mode blocks the document from accessing new application features. For example, someone created a report in Office 2007 (this office suite is not supported, I must say) and sent it to you. You have Office 2016 installed on your computer. You open a document and Office automatically starts Reduced Functionality mode. It manages changes so that the document sent back can open correctly in the same Office 2007, and the file author does not encounter errors that occur because the old version of Office does not understand the new features from Office 2016.

The specific set of features that compatibility mode will block depends on what version of Office you're using and what type of compatibility mode is applied to the document you're running. For example, if you work with a Word 2010 document in Word 2016, you won't be able to use Apps for Office or online video attachments. These two features only appeared in Word 2013. If you try to open a file from Office 2007 in Office 2016, the new formatting styles for numbered lists, new shapes and effects for text fields, WordArt, and so on will be disabled. A detailed list of disabled features for compatibility modes is provided on the official Office support site.

This way, users of different versions of Microsoft office application packages can work together on the same document and not worry about compatibility issues or incorrect display of the same file.

How to check reduced functionality mode

You can easily check which limited functionality mode the document is running in. In the left corner, click File and on the tab Intelligence select Troubleshooting - Compatibility Check.

The application will open a small window in which you need to click on a button Select versions to display. By default, those versions with which this document is compatible will be highlighted.

If there are compatibility errors in the file itself, they will immediately appear in the corresponding list. Additionally, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint perform a compatibility check every time you save a file. If you are not happy with this and want to disable it (or enable it if the check is disabled), check or uncheck the compatibility check box Checking compatibility when saving documents.

How to disable reduced functionality mode in Microsoft Word

Again, we will look at the situation using Word as an example, but the same principle is also relevant for other applications, such as Excel or PowerPoint.

Of course, you shouldn't convert every existing document directly. They will work great in any version of Office. But when you need to use one of the new features, you will notice that it is not available in reduced functionality mode.

Any document can be easily converted and thus disable the reduced functionality mode in Microsoft Office. Just click File - Details - Convert.

When you click this button, the application will alert you that you are about to update the file to the latest format. All blocked features will be enabled, but you may have difficulty opening the file in older versions of Office. If you're happy with this, feel free to click OK. To turn off notifications every time you convert, simply check the box next to No more questions about document conversion.

After this, the file will be updated, and the inscription will disappear from the document header [Reduced functionality mode]. Please note that after this you may encounter minor visual and structural changes to the document. Keep this in mind.

Documents are always saved in reduced functionality mode

A very real scenario. If every document you create is saved in reduced functionality mode, then you need to check your document saving settings. Most likely, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint are set to save files in older formats to ensure compatibility.

Click File - Options. A window will open with various settings. Go to the tab Preservation and check what format is specified in the field Save files in the following format. If every document is saved in reduced functionality mode, then this field will likely be set to Document Word 97-2003 . Change this setting to Word document (.*docx). Click OK.

If you are saving documents from existing templates, then you will need to convert the template first. Open sample and turn off reduced functionality mode. To do this, use the instructions above.

Today we will talk to you about an interesting inscription - “Reduced functionality mode”. What does it mean in all office programs in the Microsoft Office suite, in particular in Word? In fact, nothing serious - this inscription simply indicates that the document itself was created on an old version of the editor from 1997 or 2003 and the full functionality of the new version is not available. In this article we want to tell you how to remove this ill-fated limited functionality mode in Microsoft Word. There is nothing complicated about this and now you will learn about everything.

The easiest way

There are two ways to “overcome” this inscription and both are extremely simple, so we will look at them in one article. I would also like to say that the interface may change in different versions of the program. We are reviewing the latest version of Word 2013 with the latest interface, designed for use on devices with touch screens. Therefore, in other versions the arrangement of the elements may differ, but they are present in any case.

So let's look at the first method. You must follow these steps:

The problem can be solved in just a few mouse clicks. In the second case, everything is somewhat different, but there are no more actions.

Using Document Conversion

All new versions of Excel have a function to convert documents to new formats so that you can edit them without restrictions. You must do the following:

As you can see, there really is absolutely nothing complicated. You had to make a few mouse clicks and the document was converted automatically, while the original data inside it was not lost, and its structure remained the same.

Restricted functionality is a method of increasing compatibility between applications of different versions, which may have different features and tools. So, if a document was created in the Word 2013 editor, and then opened in the 2016 edition, the application will enable this mode, while disabling the functions added to the new version. This is done so that the user cannot make changes that will be displayed incorrectly in the document if it needs to be opened again in the old version of the software.

There's nothing wrong with the reduced functionality mode in Word 2016. All basic editor commands are preserved, so you can add an image, edit text and the location of objects without any problems.

The most noticeable limitation will be the reduced capabilities of WordArt objects. All other commands are quite specific and are very rarely used in everyday work.

How to remove reduced functionality mode in Word 2016

Everything is extremely simple: to disable the function, you just need to resave the file in a new format. This can be done in four steps:

launch Word and open the required document in it, click “File”;
execute the “Save As” command;
set the file storage location and, if necessary, change the name;
click on the “Save” button.

After these manipulations, Word will switch to editing mode for a new text document, and all previous restrictions will be removed. Please note that when saving, you should select the docx format rather than doc, since the latter refers to previous releases of the program and may also partially limit your options.

Probably, many of you, when working with documents in Microsoft Office, have come across such a thing as limited functionality mode. But what is it? And is it possible to remove this mode? We have to find out.

In short, reduced functionality mode is a special option that does not support older formats of some documents in the new version of Word. This means that when a user opens documents in Word 2010, as well as those created in older versions of the application, “reduced functionality mode” is automatically displayed in the title bar, that is, compatibility mode is turned on.

Enabling it ensures that when working with a particular document, the advanced and newer features that are available in Word 2010 will not be used. But at the same time, the Office reduced functionality mode allows users to edit and make amendments to texts created in earlier versions of the application. In addition, in this mode the general structure of documents is preserved.

I would like to say that it is impossible to turn it off. But there is a chance to enable the compatibility mode option for this version of the application with older Word files. The limited functionality mode in this case can be automatically disabled. But how is this to be understood? Let's find out more.

The thing is that a Word 2010 document can open in one of three modes. Namely:

1. The first is documents created in Word 2010.

2. The second is documents created in Word 2007, but with compatibility mode.

3. The third - created in Word 97, having a similar mode.

Allows you to work with documents from older versions of the application and use all extensions of Word 2010. If it happens that when you open text in its title bar there is the inscription “reduced functionality mode”, then you need to do some work in order to determine whether this file is compatible with the new one version of the program, which means removing restrictions.

To do this, you need to open the “File” tab and select “Information”. Next, go to the “Prepare for sharing” section, select “Search for problems” and click on this button. After this, you need to select the “Compatibility Check” command and then click “Select versions to display.” Here, next to the name of the mode of the document that you have open, a check mark will appear. And if after this the inscription in the name line “limited functionality mode” disappears, then we can assume that the document is compatible with the application version, which means that all functions of the program are available.

And if it is still not clear to you how to convert a document, then in this case a step-by-step plan on how to do this will be given below:

1. Go to the “File” tab.

2. Find the Details tab and click on it.

3. Click on the “Convert” command.

That's it, the document has been converted to the format you need. And in order to create another copy of this file, do the following:

1. Click on the “File” tab.

3. In the empty line of the “File name” field, enter the name of your document.

4. In the “File Type” list, select “Word Document”.

That's it, nothing complicated. Now you can work in the mode that you need.