'Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable.' What is the simplest way to resolve this please!

See the wiki article by fellow MVP Jay Freedman at:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/wiki/office\_2016-word/fix-word-could-not-create-the-work-file-error-in/89427a2d-1e82-47b1-9b6f-33ba3cffddc0.

When I open Word I get this message every time: 'Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable.' Word then crashes very often without autosaving. 

I've found many people asking this question but I utterly do not understand the answers people have given them! Is there a simple way to resolve this - I know literally nothing about computers! Please help with the easiest solution possible.

Many thanks!

The error message "Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable". Can be caused by incorrect registry values in the key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders.

Click Start and in the start search field, type

Regedit

and press enter.

In the registry editor, browse to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders

On the right hand pane, check the value data for Cache.

It has to be %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files.

If it is different, double click on Cache and type:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files

under value data and click ok. Close the registry and  restart the computer and check if it works.

This doesn't work.  The field references don't exist.

Thanks Doug....you are a genious....solved ....and probably also solved my mail issue - I could not add my Gmail account to Outlook...but now its worked...don't ask me why as I was trying other options on Gmail which were probably irrelevant>>...Thanks again

I get the messege 'Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable.'

every time I open microsoft word or try to open a file.  I checke dmy cache as you suggested and it is correct. 

Now what?

I did a virus scan and I seem to be clear.

Thank you

I tried a lot of suggestions which worked temporarily.  But when I purchased Norton Internet Security system and ran a scan, it found about 8 items that were security threats. After deleting them from my system, I never had this issue again and can open Word whenever and many times.