Stop requesting save changes to document template

Anonymous
2013-06-17T10:47:19+00:00

Word 2013 insists on asking if I want to save the document template, or in the case of a custom template, save that named template.  I have followed the recommendations for turning this "feature" off, but it persists.  I have unchecked the box labeled "Prompt Before Saving Normal Template**"** in both the normal and the custom templates.  No change.  It still prompts me to save.  I worry that there is something wrong with my installation (Word also hangs if I open a folder and double-click on a document to open it.  I have learned that I can right-click and select "Restore" to get the document to open, but this seems to suggest a problem with the program or the installation).

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  1. Stefan Blom 352.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-07-23T10:33:33+00:00

    Note that you should never replace the Normal template with a custom template named "Normal," because this is going to wipe out customizations saved to the template.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-07-23T03:11:14+00:00

    Simply I select all the document (means the contents of the template) cut it and paste it to new blank word document and save as in the error giving template type document (replace the old one). then open the document and do the work and try save its stops asking whether to save in the template or not and it will automatically save it as normal document and not as a template.

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  3. Charles Kenyon 171K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2014-07-17T11:40:44+00:00

    I too am vexed by this problem when I downloaded a custom template, and even though I am not working in the original template, but working on a actual document that was based on the custom template.  I do not want to change the original custom template, but every time that I save the document, I am forced to answer the same question over and over and over . . .

    I have not been able to find any way to disable the message, nor have I been able to remove the reference to the original custom template in the document properties.  This is turning out to be a real problem.  If I can't get this fixed, I will probably copy the entire document to another document that is not based on the custom template, just to get the #&$! message to stop.

    To get a document so it no longer references a custom template:

    1. Click the Document Template button on the Developer Tab.
    2. Erase the name of any template shown.
    3. Click on OK.

    This will attach it to your normal.dotm template. (You cannot have a document without an attached template.) Templates in Microsoft Word

    Error messages in Word range from clear to arcane to incomprehensible. This one is generally in the arcane category. Chances are very good that the change (indicated in the error message) that has been made is to the normal template rather than your custom template. The methods relating to Add-Ins are what fixes this in more than 90% of the cases. Add-Ins in Microsoft Word

    You can make changes in a document that you want to change the template, but doing so requires checking an option box such as "documents based on this template." This is the primary way people make changes to template settings and is usually applied to Styles or layout.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-07-13T04:39:15+00:00

    I too am vexed by this problem when I downloaded a custom template, and even though I am not working in the original template, but working on a actual document that was based on the custom template.  I do not want to change the original custom template, but every time that I save the document, I am forced to answer the same question over and over and over . . .

    I have not been able to find any way to disable the message, nor have I been able to remove the reference to the original custom template in the document properties.  This is turning out to be a real problem.  If I can't get this fixed, I will probably copy the entire document to another document that is not based on the custom template, just to get the #&$! message to stop.

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-05-18T16:47:56+00:00

    Ah, thanks for that.

    I'll stop suspecting Dell, then! (for turning it off because the bluetooth plugin they'd installed triggered a template save all the time - I did think it was unlikely they'd do anything other than a default installation, though!)

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