Microsoft Word is the most commonly used word processor around the world. It is highly reliable and easy to use. However, in some situations, regardless of how reliable it is, you might still experience common errors. Such as 'Word could not create work file check the temp environment variable'. Though it is a common error, it annoys users by not letting them access word file. If this is the error you are experiencing, stick with the article to know how to fix the ‘Word could not create work file’ error in Windows 10. Before fixing let us understand what are the reasons for this error.
It is generally caused due to incompatibilities in the MS Office version. For example, If you previously installed 64-bit Office later uninstalled it, and reinstalled the 32-bit version on Windows 64-bit (vice versa), you will encounter this problem
Additionally, This error is not specific to Word; it can even occur on other office files like PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. The following are the errors that get displayed on the following office files.
Word: Word could not create work file. check the temp environment variable.
Powerpoint: Access denied. Contact your administrator.
Excel: This file cannot be previewed.
Outlook: Outlook could not create a work file. Check the temp environment variable.
The other reason for this error can be if Internet Explorer's Temporary Internet Files are stored in the wrong location. In some situations, MS Office applications use Internet Explorer to create temp files. Hence, if the Temporary Internet Files directory is assigned to a folder where the user doesn't have permission to create or save new temporary files will result in this error.
In the following section, you will find a detailed explanation of how to fix the error.
Note: A temporary file is a file that gets generated to store information temporarily in order to free memory for other tasks or to serve as a backup for data loss while certain functions take place.
Follow the below methods to easily fix ‘Word could not create work file’ error.
The 'Word could not create work file' error can be due to an incorrect location of temp files. You must change the location of the Temporary Internet Files to resolve this problem. To do so, follow the steps below.
You will be able to fix the error if not move to the next section of the article.
Another method for resolving the error "check the temp environment variable word" is to use the CMD or command prompt to build the temp folder. If you are not able to open Word 2016,2019 documents, simply follow these steps below.
That's all you got to do, if this doesn’t fix the issue please move to the next section of the article.
After the completion of the recovery process, restart the computer and check if the issue persists
“The word couldn't create a work file, Check the Temp environment” variable error may also be caused if the permission is restricted n to the INetCache. Double-check the permissions and take possession of a folder by following the steps below –
If your command prompt output matches the above-mentioned result, it means that your error is fixed. If it doesn’t match you have to change the registry values manually.
You can find instructions for that in the following section.
Often the only way to fix an issue or customize Windows to suit your needs is to edit the registry. However, even a single incorrect or wrong entry will make your Windows crash. As a consequence, anyone attempting to edit the registry first should take a backup of your data. If you haven’t created any backup there is a possibility of data loss. In such a case you can use Remo Recover to retrieve the data in any data loss scenario; Follow the steps below to fix Word cannot create work file error.
Note: Altering the registry values is always risky; it might even corrupt your Word document. If you are not an expert it is suggested to avoid this method. Also while fixing this error, if you have corrupted your Word document, you can use the professional Word File Repair Tool by Remo to fix the error.
Be it Check the temp environment variable or Word could not create work file error, Remo Repair Word tool is created to fix any complex error on Word files. Since the tool is developed with the most streamlined UI, Remo can effortlessly fix any MS Word file problems in a few simple clicks. Download and try the tool for free now.
This solution will re-register and customize the Word files that are needed to be fixed.
Note: When MS Word freezes repeatedly and shows a not answering error message at the top of the menu, read more on how to fix the error Word not responding.
Conclusion.
I hope the above methods helped you resolve the error "Word could not create a work file." However, if the manual method fails, you have another choice.
You can fix any Word-related errors using a pro-Word file repair tool such as Remo. Remo's professional Word File Repair Tool can fix any corrupt, damaged, or inaccessible Word document after Windows update.