Turn Off Compatibility Mode in Word 2010

[Compatibility Mode] is Word's way of telling you that the document file was originally created in an earlier version. As a result, the file structure will not support some features normally available in this version of Word (so you shouldn't panic when you can't access it). Compatibility mode display has always been there when working with "old" files, you simply may not have noticed it.

One option you have is to let word "convert" to 2010 file structure. Do it this way:

• Open one of these compatibility mode docs, note the displayed [compatibility mode] message
• Note: in the Home tab / Font group / look at the Text Effects "A" icon, it is light grey and unavailable
• Click on File tab
• it should open in the Info option, if it doesn't, click on Info
• Click on the Convert button
• (optionally) Word displays an informational dialog box. There is a check box option to not display it, personally I prefer to let it continue display, make your own choice.
• click on OK if the dialog displayed
• Note that the [compatibility mode] message is gone, but the extension is still DOC
• Note that the Text Effects "A" icon is light blue and available
• now do a File tab / Save
• Note that now after doing a SAVE, not SAVE AS!, the file extension is now DOCX

Does this solve your problem?

When Word 2010 creates all new blank documents in Compatibility Mode, that means your Normal.dotm template (the one used as the base for new blank documents) is in Compatibility Mode. This is usually the result of upgrading from an earlier version as opposed to a clean install.

To fix it, you must open the Normal.dotm file itself to convert it to Word 2010 format. That means using the File > Open dialog instead of the File > New dialog. There are two things you must do in that dialog:

• Make sure the file type dropdown (next to the file name box) is set to either "All Files (*.*)" or "All Word Documents (*.docx;*.docm;*.dotx;*.dotm;....)" or "All Word Templates (*.dotx;*.dotm)". Any other setting will hide the file you're looking for.
• You have to locate the folder that contains Normal.dotm. In Windows 7 that's usually C:\Users<your name>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates, but it's different in Windows XP, and could be different if you've used the Options >Advanced > File Locations dialog to change the User Templates location. Also, the AppData folder and everything under it is marked as Hidden by default, so you might not be able to see it if you try to navigate the folders. The quickest way to get there is to go to the address bar at the top of the Open dialog and type in %AppData%\Microsoft\Templates and press Enter.

Once you locate Normal.dotm in the Open dialog, click it and click the Open button. If the Word title bar now says "Normal.dotm [Compatibility Mode]", click File and click the Convert button. Then save and close the file. All future new blank documents should no longer be in Compatibility Mode.