Recipient cannot open Word document edited on MacBook

If you don't have MS Word installed, then what App are you editing the document in? Remember, we can't see what you see, so we don't know what you are doing unless you tell us.

Usually you would want to have the Word app to edit Word documents. If you don't, it may be defaulting to a different app like Apple's own Pages app.

Sounds like it is opening the file in Pages which converts the file into a Pages document before opening it, and when you save it, it saves as a Pages document, not a Word Document. So it's understandable the recipient then can't open it on a Windows PC without the Pages App.

If this is true, then when saving the document in Pages, select the "Export To" option from the File menu instead of Save, and choose the "Word..." option to save it as an actual Word document.

Beyond that, you may want to get Microsoft Word if you are going to be sharing Word documents as Pages' translation is not always 100% accurate and there may be discrepancies specially in heavily formatted documents that use very specific Word formatting and set up.

If you don't have word installed, what are you opening the document in?

I'm guessing it's opening in pages, and when you save it, you're saving a pages document instead of a word document.

They aren't going to be able to open a pages document.

Follow the instructions above to save it as a word document.

Now I understand . It was opening in Pages and so I was saving it as that. All sorted thanks

Hi,

Hard to offer any advice without any details.

How are you editing the document exactly?

And how are you saving it?

Are you sure you re sending a Word doc back to them, and not a Pages document for instance?

What do they say happens when they try to open it exactly? Do they get an error? If so, what does it say?

Do you have Microsoft Word installed on your Mac?

Provide some details and context, and we may be able to advise.

Thanks, Worked in an office for many years but only with MS Word so this process seems different. Using a MacBook Air M1 2020. They sent me a Word doc to edit. When I send back they cannot open it.

I open attachment - make changes - File Save As then save to Desktop.

Dont have MS Word installed.

Thx

It is opening in Pages - and now I understand that I'm saving it in Pages. Instructions worked

Thanks

You're welcome, glad it worked out.