- If you can’t preview Word files in Explorer, first make sure the preview option is active.
- Adjusting your Microsoft Word Trust Center settings may also fix this issue.
- You can also try adjusting Windows settings or running a System File Checker scan.
Windows Explorer has a helpful “Preview” pane on the right side that should show you little previews of any files before you open them, including Word documents. However, it doesn’t always work as intended, and you may specifically have an issue with Word documents not previewing in Explorer when you select them. This guide shows how to fix that and related preview problems.
Word Documents Not Previewing in Explorer Fix 1. Enable Previews
If Explorer doesn’t preview Word files, it might simply be that you have inadvertently disabled the “Preview” feature. You can turn it on and off quite easily via the Explorer settings menu. Here’s how:
Step 1. Use the “Windows” and “E” shortcut to open Explorer or access it via your Start menu. Then click the three dots menu button and select “Options.”
Step 2. Go to the “View” tab and scroll down. Look for the setting labeled “Show preview handlers in preview pane” and make sure the box next to it is checked. Apply your changes and press “OK” to continue.
Fix 2. Adjust Your Trust Center Settings
If previews for other programs and file types are showing, but you specifically can’t preview Word files in Explorer, it might be an issue with your Word Trust Center settings.
Step 1. Open Microsoft Word and click on “File,” then “Options.”
Step 2. Click on “Trust Center” and then “Trust Center Settings.”
Step 3. Go to “Protected View” and uncheck all the boxes in the “Protected View” section. Note, however, that this could expose your device to possible security threats if you download dangerous or corrupted files. Click “OK” to save your changes and check if Word files are previewing.
Fix 3. Adjust Windows Settings
There are also some Windows system settings you can change to fix the issue of Word documents not previewing in Explorer.
Step 1. Open the Settings by pressing “Windows” and “I” together or clicking the Settings icon in the Start menu.
Step 2. Go to “Apps” then click on “Default apps.”
Step 3. Type in the extension for the file type that isn’t previewing. In this case, it’s likely .doc or .docx. Make sure that Word is selected as the default app for that file type. If it isn’t, click to change it.
Fix 4. Try a System File Checker Scan
There might be some corruption in your system’s files that can cause random issues like problems with the Explorer preview pane. You can find and fix these issues with an SFC scan.
Step 1. Click the search icon and type “CMD” into the box. Then click “Run as administrator” for the Command Prompt.
Step 2. Enter this command: “SFC /scannow” A scan should then run, and if Windows finds any issues, it can repair them automatically. You’ll likely need to restart your device afterwards to check if the problem is fixed.
Fix 5. Update Your Graphics Drivers
Lastly, there may be an issue with your graphics card drivers being out of date, which could make features like the Explorer Preview pane less responsive and reliable. Update your drivers as follows:
Step 1. Open the “Device Manager” by searching for it in the Start menu and clicking the corresponding icon.
Step 2. Go down the list and find the “Display adapters” section. Click to expand it, then find your graphics driver.
Step 3. Right-click the driver and select “Update driver,” followed by “Search automatically for drivers.” Then follow any on-screen prompts to install drivers and restart your machine.
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- Access the print queue on your computer and manually clear any stuck print jobs that might be causing the issue.
- Ensure you have the latest printer drivers installed. If not, update them or reinstall the drivers to resolve compatibility issues.
- Use your computer’s built-in printer troubleshooter tool to detect and fix common printer problems.
Preliminary Fixes
- Check Printer Connection : You should first try power cycling both your computer and printer. Refreshing the connection between your devices may solve this problem much quicker than you had anticipated.
- Check Pages and Ink : If your printer has run out of pages or ink, you may receive the ‘documents are waiting’ error. You should refill the ink or add more pages to your printer for a smooth operation.
- Check your Printer Status : Ensure your printer’s status is not set to offline. This will make the printer undetectable for your computer. As a result, your PC won’t be able to communicate with the printer.
Fix 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
Step 1: Navigate to Settings . Then, open the System and select Troubleshooters .
Step 2: Select Other troubleshooter . Now, Run the printer troubleshooter from the following menu and follow the on-screen instructions.
If the troubleshooter cannot solve your problem, try restarting the Print Spooler service.
Fix 2: Restart the Print Spooler
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open a new Run window.
Step 2: Then, type services.msc and press Enter .
It opens the services menu.
Step 3: Scroll down to Print Spooler .
Step 4: Right-click on the service and select Stop .
The service should no longer be running now.
Step 5: Now, launch File Explorer and go to the following path.
C:\Windows\System32\spool\printers
Step 6: Delete the content of the folder. By doing that, you’ll delete the printing queue.
Note : Don’t delete the folder itself.
Step 7: Restart your computer.
Step 8: Go back to Print Spooler and restart the service.
Step 9: Set the Startup Type to Automatic .
If the steps above are too complicated, complete the same task from the Command Prompt menu.
Step 1: Launch the Command Prompt as admin.
Step 2: Run these commands and press Enter after each one.
net stop spooler
del /Q %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*
net start spooler
Check if the error is gone. If this doesn’t resolve, check out the next fix.
Fix 3: Reinstall the Printer Drivers
If your print drivers got corrupted, are missing, or are running outdated drivers, you may not print your documents. That’s why you need to update your drivers. Or reinstall them if they get corrupted.
Step 1: Launch the Device Manager . Then, go to Print Queues and expand the list.
Step 2: Select Update driver and check if the problem is gone.
If it persists, select Uninstall device to remove your current print drivers. Restart your computer. Your device will automatically install the latest print drivers.
Check if your printer still says documents are waiting to be printed.
Fix 4: Remove and Add Your Printer
If nothing worked, maybe re-adding your printer to your computer will do the trick. It’s a handy way to fix the printer ‘documents waiting’ error.
Step 1: Head to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners menu.
Step 2: Select your preferred printer.
You can check the printer’s details. You can run the troubleshooter from the same menu too.
Step 3: Click Remove .
Now, go back and select Add device . Once Windows detects your printer, click Add device .
You may need to cancel documents waiting to print and try again.
If the printing error only appears while using Google Chrome , check our dedicated guide to troubleshoot it. Before you rush to the nearest store to print your documents and files, use the tricks above to fix the problem.
