Buzz
Today, Mytour will show you how to corrupt a Microsoft Word document so it becomes unopenable.
Steps
Use an online file corruption tool
Visit https://corrupt-a-file.net using your web browser. Corrupt-a-File is a free tool capable of corrupting any document you upload.
Click on FROM YOUR COMPUTER (From your computer). This option is located below the "Select the file to corrupt" line. Your computer's file browser will open.
Select the Word document and click Open (Open). The file name will appear below the "Select the file to corrupt" line.
Click CORRUPT FILE (Corrupt file). The file will be uploaded and corrupted by the tool.
Click DOWNLOAD YOUR CORRUPTED FILE (Download your corrupted file). This option will appear once the file is ready.
Name the file and click Save (Save). The corrupted file will be downloaded to your computer.
Try opening the file in Word. If Word is installed on your computer, double-click the file to attempt opening it in the application. A notification about file corruption will appear. Click Okay to proceed, after which Word will attempt to repair or recover the content (unsuccessfully).
Use Notepad on Windows
Open Notepad on Windows. The application is located in the Windows Accessories folder within the Start menu.
Click on the File menu and select Open. The file browser will appear.
Select All Files from the dropdown menu. This option is located at the bottom-right corner of the file browser, usually defaulting to Text Documents (*.txt).
Select the document and click Open. A series of meaningless words will appear in the Notepad window.
- You can use any Word document (regardless of content) since no one will be able to open this file.
Delete a few lines of text. Around 7 or 8 lines should suffice.
Click on the File menu and select Save As. The "Save As" window will appear.
Choose All Files from the "Save As Type" menu at the bottom of the window.
Name the file and click Save. The corrupted version of the file is now saved.
Attempt to open the corrupted file in Word. If your computer has Word installed, double-click the file to try opening it in the application. A notification about the corrupted content will appear. Click Okay to proceed, after which Word will attempt to repair or recover the content (unsuccessfully).
Change the file extension on Windows
Ensure that the file extension is visible. By default, file extensions are often hidden. Here’s how to display them:
- Open the Windows search bar and type file options.
- Click on File Explorer Options from the results list.
- Select the View tab at the top of the window.
- Uncheck the box labeled "Hide extensions for known file types" under the "Advanced Settings" section.
- Click OK.
Locate a file that is not a Word document or text file. Start with a file that cannot be opened in Word, such as an image (.jpeg, .gif, .png) or an audio clip (.wav, .mp3, .ogg). We will use this file to create a fake corrupted Word document.
- Since you will be corrupting the file, ensure it is not important. You can also create a copy of the file before changing its extension if you wish to keep the original.
Right-click the file and select Rename. The file name will be highlighted, allowing you to edit it.
Replace the current file extension with .docx. If you are working with a file like file.jpg, change the ".jpg" extension to .docx.
Press ↵ Enter. A dialog box will appear asking if you are sure about renaming the file.
Click Yes. The file will be saved with the .docx extension. If you attempt to open it in Word, an error message will appear indicating the file is corrupted.
- If you wish to hide file extensions again, return to the View tab in File Explorer Options and check the box for "Hide extensions for known file types".
Change the file extension on Mac
Ensure that the file extension is visible.Finder
Locate a file that is not a Word document or text file. Start with a file that cannot be opened in Word, such as an image (.jpeg, .gif, .png) or an audio clip (.wav, .mp3, .ogg). We will use this file to create a fake corrupted Word document.
- Since you will be corrupting the file, ensure it is not important. You can also create a copy of the file before changing its extension if you wish to keep the original.
Click the file to select it, then press ⏎ Return. Right-click the file and choose Rename. The file name will be highlighted in blue, allowing you to edit it.
Replace the current file extension with .docx. If you are working with a file like file.jpg, change the ".jpg" extension to .docx.
Press ⏎ Return. A dialog box will appear to confirm your decision to change the file extension.
Click Use .docx. The file will be saved with the .docx extension. If you attempt to open it in Word, an error message will appear indicating the file is corrupted.
- If you wish to hide file extensions in Finder again, go to Finder > Preferences > Advanced and uncheck the box for "Show all filename extensions."
Warning
- Avoid using files you may need later, as corrupted files are often difficult to recover. Always create a fake file or use a copy of the original document.
- Be extremely cautious if you plan to corrupt a file for school or university assignments submitted online. Educational institutions are increasingly strict about this tactic, and some departments may award zero points for such actions. Review your school's policies carefully before proceeding.
