How to Fix "This Document is Either Deleted or Not Currently Accessible" on Mac

You're trying to open an important work document on your Mac. But, instead of your file, you see an error message: 'This document is either deleted or not currently accessible.' Dread sets in and you wonder whether the file was erased, corrupted, or lost forever. Before you assume the worst, take a deep breath. This is a recurrent problem faced by many Mac users. In this blog post, we'll traverse over the possible reasons behind this error and show you how to recover your document quickly. Let's begin!

What Causes "This Document is Either Deleted or Not Currently Accessible" Error?

There could be many different reasons why you encounter the "This document is either deleted or not currently accessible" on Mac. Here are some common culprits:

• The File Has Been Deleted: One of the most common reasons is human error. You might have accidentally deleted the file or formatted the drive where it was stored.
• The File Was Moved or Renamed: If the document was moved to a different folder or renamed, the original link may no longer work.
• Compatibility Issues: If your version of Microsoft Word is outdated, it might not be compatible with the format or content of the document you're trying to access.
• File Corruption: Your document may have been corrupted due to various reasons, such as software bugs, system crashes, virus infections, or issues during the read/write process.
• Insufficient Permissions: You might not have the necessary permissions to access the file, especially if there are multiple user accounts on your Mac.

7 Methods to Fix "This Document is Either Deleted or Not Currently Accessible" on Mac

Option A: Check the Trash

If you accidentally delete a Word document, the first thing to do is check the Trash folder to see if it's there. It's easy to recover: just find the deleted file, right-click on it, and select "Put Back" to restore it to its original location. But if you've already emptied the Trash folder, don't worry. In the next method, we'll show you how to recover permanently deleted files from your Mac without a backup.

Option B: Employ a Mac Data Recovery Tool

If the deleted Word document is no longer in the Trash, tools like Tenorshare 4DDiG can help you retrieve it with just a few clicks. 4DDiG Mac Data Recovery, a user-friendly data recovery tool, excels at retrieving MS Office files from Mac and Mac-based storage devices. With a 98.6% success rate, it performs well in various data loss situations, including accidental deletions, formatting errors, virus attacks, and corruption. Plus, it works with the latest macOS Sequoia, the T2 chip, and all M-series chips.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how you use 4DDiG to recover deleted or missing Word documents on Mac:

Step 1: To begin, download and install the 4DDiG Mac Data Recovery tool. Once installed, open the program and select the disk where the deleted Word document was located. Before starting the scan, 4DDiG allows you to specify the types of files you want to recover, such as 'Documents,' to save time.

Step 2: After the scan is complete, you can quickly find the file you need by entering the exact file name in the search box in the top right corner.

Step 3: Double-click on a recoverable file to preview its contents. Then, select the desired document, and then hit the "Recover" button. To avoid data overwriting, it's often recommended to save the file to cloud storage.

Option C: Use a Time Machine Backup

Still, wondering how to fixthe 'This document is either deleted or not currently accessible Mac' error? All versions of Mac come with a built-in backup tool called Time Machine, which helps you restore lost files or even the entire system in case of unexpected events. If you've previously backed up your Mac using this feature, follow the steps below to carry out data recovery:

Step 1: Make sure your Time Machine backup drive is plugged in. Next, go to the folder where your deleted Word document was originally saved.

Step 2: Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, then opt for "Enter Time Machine" from the dropdown.

Step 3: Use the timeline or arrows to locate a backup that contains the missing Word document.

Step 4: Select the file and click the "Restore" button.

Option D: Adjust File Permissions

On macOS, each file or folder has its own set of permissions that determine whether users can read, write, or execute it. If you don't have the right permissions, the system might not let you access the file, making it seem like the file is gone or unavailable. As mentioned before,? permission issues are more common when multiple users are on the same Mac.

Step 1: Start by right-clicking on the inaccessible Word document and picking the "Get Info" option.

Step 2: In the Get Info window, scroll down to the Sharing & Permissions section. Check if your account is listed and whether you have "Read & Write" privileges.

Step 3: If not, click the + button to add your account.

Step 4: On the other hand, if you don't have "Read & Write" access, click on the current permission level and select "Read & Write."

Step 5: Dismiss the window. Finally, try opening the file again in Microsoft Word.

Option E: Repair Corrupted Word Document Online

If you've tried all of the above methods and the error message 'This document is either deleted or not currently accessible Word' still pops up, it's possible that your file is severely damaged. Advanced users can try using a hex editor to manually fix the corruption. However, if you're not tech-savvy, don't worry—there are many online file repair tools that can do the job. All you need to do is upload the corrupted file to their website and wait for the repair process to finish.

Option F: Update Microsoft Word

Another possible fix for the 'This document is either deleted or not currently accessible Mac' error is updating Microsoft Word. This is because updates usually come with patches to fix known issues or bugs and help resolve compatibility problems. To do so:

Step 1: Go to Finder > Applications, then open the App Store.

Step 2: Click on the "Updates" tab in the left sidebar. Then, look for Microsoft Word in the list. If there's an "Update" button next to it, click on it to start updating.

Option G: Open the File with Another App

Sometimes, the problem may be with the Microsoft Word program itself, causing the "This document is either deleted or not currently accessible Word" error. To verify this, you can try opening the affected Word document using other applications like Pages or LibreOffice. If this method works for your case, it's recommended that you reinstall Microsoft Word to resolve application-related issues.

Final Words

Dealing with the 'This document is either deleted or not currently accessible' error on Mac can be a real headache, but with the six methods we've discussed, you should be able to resolve the issue and get back to your work. If your Word document is permanently deleted or removed from the Trash, tools like Tenorshare 4DDiG can be a life savior. With it, you can get back your files in just a few simple steps. To avoid similar issues in the future, consider regularly backing up your documents to another external device or iCloud.