# Microsoft Word not keeping formatting when closing then opening (specifically, highlighting) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 12, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847 "2026-06-12T14:40:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/1 "2026-06-12T14:40:11Z")
I have an ancient version of Microsoft Office (2007) that works fine for me, with one exception. Word does not retain highlighting consistently. It started fairly recently, and it appears to be random. Some highlighting remains after closing and re-opening a document, while some disappears. I can’t seem to deliberately re-create the behavior consistently. I suppose I have to either remove and then re-install Word, or (horrors) upgrade to a newer version; I’d prefer to avoid both of these remedies. Has anyone else encountered this behavior? Any tips to try that are less bothersome than the two I’ve mentioned? Thanks, mmm ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/2 "2026-06-12T14:46:09Z")
I haven’t had that particular issue, and I haven’t used 2007 in ages. But, I have experienced many formatting anomalies in the most recent version, and every year I have to edit a 1000+ page document, which is a formatting nightmare. I have found that using Undo (Ctrl+Z) and then Redo (Ctrl+Y) prevents formatting glitches (especially across multiple pages). I don’t know if it’ll help, but I hope it does. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/3 "2026-06-12T15:33:49Z")
Your problem is not in the app. So uninstall / reinstall would only be wasted effort with some likelihood of utter failure leaving you with no Word at all. Your problem is almost certainly corruption within the document. Is it a doc or a docx? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/4 "2026-06-12T15:39:13Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Your problem is almost certainly corruption within the document. Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that. It is a doc. I don’t suppose copying and pasting the entire document and inserting it into a new document would resolve it. I’m going to try it anyway. mmm ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/5 "2026-06-12T16:18:36Z")
2007 can natively process docx’s. If you don’t need to keep it in doc form for some external reason you haven’t told us, the docx form is _vastly_ more resistant to corruption and has some self-healing features. Just open the document, choose “save as”, change the file type in the save as dialog box to docx, and click [save]. Then be sure to not get confused and edit the wrong one next time. If that doesn’t resolve your problem I’d try creating a fresh empty docx, then copy/paste the entire contents from the docx that’s still giving you trouble into the fresh one. But I bet this step won’t be necessary. For sure the doc → docx conversion won’t magically restore highlighting you thought should be there from some prior iteration of your document. But it will almost certainly stop any random failure highlight disappearances going forward. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/6 "2026-06-12T16:32:39Z")
I will try your suggestions and I appreciate the advice. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2026, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/7 "2026-06-17T15:29:10Z")
By jove, I think that fixed it. You’re a geeenius, I tells ya! mmm ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-not-keeping-formatting-when-closing-then-opening-specifically-highlighting/1030847/8 "2026-06-17T15:45:52Z")
I’m happy you’re back in business. So far. That’s pretty standard advice; I claim no great expertise.