Word Always Opens Documents In Read-Only Mode / Subscription

Anonymous
2013-05-03T12:48:28+00:00

I'm working with documents stored on my local drive, and whenever I double-click on one to open and edit it, Word starts up and presents it in read-only mode.  If I close Word and then immediately double-click the document again, it opens up without the read-only indicator.

These are documents which are edited every day.  I'm wondering if the fact that they're stored in a folder which is monitored by a file synchronization application has anything to do with this.

Secondly, when I bought Office 365 Home Premium online, it appeared that my only option was the monthly plan, which ostensibly is more expensive than the yearly plan.  I don't see any way to change my account from monthly to yearly.  Am I missing something?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-07-14T09:23:08+00:00

    Exactly did that...

    Try to add file level, folder level and even drive level and for that matter try all possible ways but without much luck. Once again computer, win 8.1 and Office 2013 are all genuine and same is running between two machine...so no point of 'read-only'

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-07-11T06:01:48+00:00

    I bought a copy of Office 2013 2 days back from a department store (a perfectly valid copy) and here is the scenario.

    1. I installed that in my home PC and my personal laptop
    2. Now if I create a word document in my PC and take it to my laptop through a USB/mail/network/onedrive etc. it open as 'Read-only'. The only way I can edit is by saving it in my PC with a new same
    3. Similarly If I create a word document in my laptop and take it my PC, it open in 'Read only' mode. Again I had to save it with a different name for editing

    The PC and the laptop have same genuine copy of Office 2013 and genuine copy of Window 8.1. There are no question of trail version whatsoever. I try to play with the safe mode by un-ticking the add-ins but didn't solve the problem. I try all permutation and combination by using it in my work (office) environment by without any luck.  I then call Microsoft and funny part is they didn't even understood the problem what I am talking about. This issue was not there in office 2010  

    Can anyone advice / help - please

    Thanks, Bobby

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-04T21:06:47+00:00

    So how can I change the default behavior?  I have the same problem as The Patient.

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  4. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2013-05-04T23:43:49+00:00

    If the documents that open in read-only mode were either downloaded, or received as attachments to an email message, that is the default behaviour.

    For your question about changing your subscription type, it might be better to ask in the My Account, Billing and Sign-in forum at:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_account?page=1&tab=no&sort=LastReplyDate&dir=Desc&tm=1367710981590

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-05-04T22:09:38+00:00

    What happens when you open Word application and then open the file from within Word?

    It tells me that the document was last opened in read-only mode and asks me if I want to open it in that mode again.  Upon answering No, it opens the document with editing enabled.

    I should have mentioned in the original post that this does not happen every time; sometimes the document opens up in editing mode, sometimes it doesn't.

    Do you experience any similar issue for other files from same folder?

    Not that I can recall.

    What happens when you save a Word document on desktop and then try double click and opening it?

    It opens in editing mode.

    I'll try disabling some add-ons and see what happens.  Thanks for the reply.

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