Word > File migration

Compatibility changes between versions

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The Compatibility Checker lists elements in your document that aren't supported or will behave differently in
Word 2007 or in the Word 97-2003 format. Some of these features will be permanently changed and won't be
converted to Microsoft Word 2010 elements even if you later convert the document to Word 2010 format.
In the Compatibility Checker, you can review a summary of elements that behave differently in earlier versions
of Word and then either click Continue to save the document in Word 97-2003 format or click Cancel.
NOTE

If you are using Microsoft Word Starter 2010, be aware that not all the features listed for Word 2010

are supported in Word Starter. For more information about the features available in Word Starter, see Word
Starter feature support.

Feature availability in each mode

Feature
New numbering formats

New shapes and text boxes

Text effects

Alternative text on tables

OpenType features

Blocking authors

New WordArt effects

New content controls

Word 2007 Content controls

97-2003

2007

2010

Themes

Major/minor fonts

Tracked moves

Margin tabs

SmartArt graphics

Office 2007 charts

Open XML Embedded objects

Building blocks

Bibliography and citations

Equations

Relative text boxes

Previous-version WordArt

Previous-version diagrams

Previous-version charts

Feature behavior changes

BUILDING BLOCKS
Building Blocks and AutoText entries may lose some information.

Tables
Headers
Footers

Page Numbers
Text Boxes
Equations
Table of Contents
Bibliographies
Watermarks
Custom galleries

CITATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Citations and bibliographies will be converted to static text and will no longer be updated automatically.

CONTENT CONTROLS
Content controls will be converted to static content.

EMBEDDED OBJECTS
An embedded object in this document was created in a newer version of Office. You cannot edit it in an
earlier version of Word.
1.

Right click the embedded object.

2.

Point to Worksheet Object, and then click Convert.

3.

In the Convert dialog box, click Convert to.

4.

Select Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Worksheet in the Object type list.

1.

Right click the embedded object.

2.

Point to Slide Object, and then click Convert.

3.

In the Convert dialog box, click Convert to.

4.

Select Microsoft PowerPoint 97-2003 Slide in the Object type list.

1.

Right click the embedded object.

2.

Point to Presentation Object, and then click Convert.

3.

In the Convert dialog box, click Convert to.

4.

Select Microsoft PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation in the Object type list:

1.

Right click the embedded object.

2.

Point to Document Object, and then click Convert.

3.

In the Convert dialog box, click to select Convert to.

4.

In the Object type list, select Microsoft Word 97-2003 Document.

EQUATIONS
Equations will be converted to images. You will not be able to edit the equations until the document is
converted to a new file format. Any comments, endnotes, or footnotes present in the equations will be
permanently lost on save.

SMARTART GRAPHICS
SmartArt graphics will be converted into a single object that can't be edited in previous versions of Word.

MARGIN TABS
Alignment tabs will be converted to traditional tabs.

TEXT BOXES
Some text box positioning will change.

TRACKED MOVES
Tracked moves will be converted to deletions and insertions.

NEW NUMBERING FORMATS

New numbering formats will be converted to Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, ...).

NEW SHAPES AND TEXT BOXES

Shapes and text boxes will be converted to effects available in this format.

TEXT EFFECTS
Effects on text will be removed

ALTERNATIVE TEXT ON TABLES

Tables will lose alternative-text information.

BLOCKING AUTHORS
All information on where other authors are editing in this document will be permanently removed.

WORDART
Effects on text will be removed.

CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS

A chart in this document may contain data in cells outside of the row and column limit of the selected file
format. Data beyond 256 (IV) columns by 65,536 rows will not be saves.