Word on MacOS, reopening a file I just created shows "Read Only" - issue with file locks?

Mark Lenahan 0 Reputation points
2026-09-17T13:31:59.4966667+00:00

When I create a new document on OneDrive from within Word Desktop app on macOS, or edit an existing document, when I close the document and reopen it in Word, maybe a minute to two minutes later, it shows the message "Read Only To save a copy of this document, click duplicate"

This does not happen if I save the document to a folder not synced with OneDrive (e.g. Downloads), but any new file saved on my OneDrive and synced to my Mac will not open without the Read Only message.

The problem doesn't seem to affect older files. The problem seems to impact files created or updated (or duplicated) in the last hour or so. I have at least one file created earlier today that showed the same problem, but I didn't duplicate it just closed it, and now it is opening OK.

The problem does not occur in OneDrive on the web (Chrome browser), I can edit any of the files there, even after the Read Only message on desktop.
The problem does not occur if I create the file in OneDrive on the web, then open it in Finder. ==> Using this workaround for now.
The problem occurs with any Word document duplicated or newly saved in any OneDrive folder.
The problem occurs whether I open the file from Finder, or File / Open Recent, or File / Open.
The problem occurs when I open the file from File / Open / Online Locations.
The problem also occurs while editing in OneDrive (browser) when I select Editing... / Open in Desktop. If I return to the browser window and click on "Continue here", the browser tab freezes. I can still reopen and edit the file in another browser tab. (Chrome: Version 152.0.7977.83 (Official Build) (arm64))
The problem occurs when I open the file from the sync activity list in OneDrive.

In all cases, I wait for the file to sync before I reopen it.

Note: When I try to delete some of the files that were created in the process of reproducing this problem in OneDrive on Cloud I got the message "file open by another user". Note: None of these files were shared, nor is the folder accessible to anyone else.

I have tried logging out of Word and back in, the problem continues.
I have tried "Refresh License" and got the message "Your license is up to date" - problem continues.
I have checked file permissions in macOS; they are Read & Write for my user. The file is not locked or read-only.
I have tried Quitting the OneDrive client on Mac and re-opening it, the problem continues.

Microsoft® Word for Mac
Version 16.113 (26091433)
Licence: Microsoft 365 Subscription

Microsoft OneDrive
Version: 26.163.0823.0004 (Standalone) (Apple silicon) (26.6.2)

macOS Tahoe
Version 26.6.2 (25G83)

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | MacOS
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Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

2026-09-17T13:32:28.96+00:00

The behavior matches a file-lock or read-only condition rather than a macOS file permission problem.

Most relevant causes in this scenario are:

  1. A Word owner file may still exist after Word did not close cleanly.
  2. A second Word instance may still be holding the document in the background.
  3. OneDrive on macOS may be opening an outdated or undiscoverable path because the OneDrive folder path changed to Library > Cloud Storage > OneDrive.
  4. Antivirus or Protected View can also cause read-only opens.

Based on the details provided, the strongest supported troubleshooting path is:

  1. Restart the Mac This is specifically recommended for Office files that open read-only and can clear background Word processes or stale owner-file state.
  2. Open the file from the current OneDrive folder path in Finder In macOS 12.1 and later, OneDrive files are stored under Library > Cloud Storage > OneDrive. Open Finder and browse to that location, or use the OneDrive alias created in the old location. This helps avoid opening a pinned, Recent, or stale path.
  3. Avoid opening from Recent or pinned entries until the issue is resolved On macOS, pinned files and files in Recent may fail because the OneDrive path moved. Clearing Recents may help prevent reopening an undiscoverable file.
  4. Check whether Word is reporting the document as locked by another user because an owner file still exists Word can show this when it detects an existing owner file, including after an improper quit or when another Word instance is still running in the background.
  5. Install Office updates In any Office app, go to Help > Check for Updates, enable Automatically keep Microsoft apps up to date, then select Update and install all available updates.
  6. If the file still opens read-only, try the general Office recovery steps The supported sequence is:
    • restart the computer
    • install Office updates
    • perform an Online Repair of Office
    • check the internet connection
  7. If antivirus software is installed, test with its read-only protection settings reviewed Antivirus can cause files to open read-only.

The details that support a lock-related issue are the desktop-only behavior, the temporary nature, and the OneDrive web message that the file is “open by another user.” The fact that web editing works and non-OneDrive folders work also points away from a basic Word licensing or local Finder permission issue.

If opening from Library > Cloud Storage > OneDrive consistently works while Recent, pinned items, or older aliases fail, the issue is likely path-related on macOS. If the file still reopens as read-only even from that current path after a restart and updates, the remaining supported explanation is that Word or OneDrive is still holding a temporary lock on the file.

References:

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