Fix: Word Template Not Loading or Applying

Fixing Template Issues

Word templates (.dotx and .dotm) provide predefined styles, formatting, and content. When they don’t load properly, your documents lose their intended formatting.

Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1: Check the Attached Template

1. Go to the Developer tab (if not visible: File > Options > Customize Ribbon > check Developer)
2. Click Document Template
3. Check which template is currently attached
4. If it’s wrong, click Attach and browse to the correct .dotx/.dotm file
5. Check Automatically update document styles
6. Click OK

Step 2: Fix Template Location

1. Make sure the template file exists at the path shown in Step 1
2. If the template was moved or deleted, relocate it
3. Default location: %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates

Step 3: Create Documents from Templates Correctly

1. Don’t double-click a .dotx file (this opens the template for editing)
2. Instead: File > New > Personal (shows templates from your templates folder)
3. Or right-click the .dotx file > New (creates a new document based on the template)

Step 4: Fix the Normal (Default) Template

If all new documents have wrong formatting:

1. Close Word
2. Go to %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates
3. Delete Normal.dotm
4. Reopen Word — a new default template is created
5. Customize it: create a new document, set your preferred formatting, save as Normal.dotm

Step 5: Set a Custom Default Template

1. Create a document with your preferred formatting
2. Go to File > Save As
3. Change type to Word Template (.dotx)
4. Save to %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates as Normal.dotx
5. All new documents will use these settings

Template Types

• .dotx: Template without macros
• .dotm: Template with macros enabled
• Normal.dotm: The global template that loads with every Word session