Large Word Document spontaneously gains pages or loses words.

Anonymous
2018-03-02T21:38:27+00:00

When I transfered a large Word 2010 Doc to my new computer (into Word 2016) from the cloud, 1500 words disappeared. Nobody could figure out why or which words were missing.

Now that same file (Word 2016) has spontaneously added 10 pages (it went from 469 to 479 pages), but there are no blank pages and the page format and word count haven't changed. Can anyone tell me what could have happened?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2018-03-03T03:22:48+00:00

    While the printer itself may not have changed, the printer driver may have changed because you now have a different computer with a different version of Office installed.

    In addition, the default line spacing in Word 2016 is quite likely different from that in Word on your old computer.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-03-03T02:53:43+00:00

    Thank you for explaining Active Printer, Charles.

    Since the printer didn't change, we can rule that out as an explanation for the extra 10 pages.

    Your point about how the new Word program counts words is heartening so I hope it's true. I can't tell you how much time and angst losing 1500 words caused.

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  3. Charles Kenyon 170.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-03-03T00:38:05+00:00

    Hi Doug,

    Thank you for your reply.

    Would you please explain "Active Printer"? I can't find it. If you're referring to Read Mode, Print Layout, Web Layout, under View, that hasn't changed. It's always in Print Layout.

    I uploaded the file from my old computer into the cloud, then downloaded the file from the cloud into my new computer. The "Word Count" showed that there was a 1500 word difference. 

    I appreciate your help.

    Sue800

     Doug was referring to the printer that Word thinks will be used to print the document. It is the printer you see when you use File > Print.

    As to the word count, Word 2013 introduced a new document rendering engine (program) which may have changed how Word counts words. I do not know this; I am guessing.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-03-03T00:03:26+00:00

    Hi Doug,

    Thank you for your reply.

    Would you please explain "Active Printer"? I can't find it. If you're referring to Read Mode, Print Layout, Web Layout, under View, that hasn't changed. It's always in Print Layout.

    I uploaded the file from my old computer into the cloud, then downloaded the file from the cloud into my new computer. The "Word Count" showed that there was a 1500 word difference. 

    I appreciate your help.

    Sue800

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  5. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2018-03-02T22:17:40+00:00

    The way in which Word lays out a document is dictated by the Active Printer.  If that has changed, it could result in the number of pages changing.

    Re the missing Words, how did you "transfer" the document?  Are you sure that the words are actually in the version that is in the cloud?

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