How to open a .wps (Works) word processing document in Word

New computers sold from 2010-2012 with the Windows 7 operating system came with Microsoft Office Starter 2010 – which includes limited versions of Word (word processor) and Excel (spreadsheet) programs. Though the programs are limited, they include about 90% of the features of the paid full versions of the programs, and the Starter versions are adequate for most home users. Microsoft Office Starter 2010 replaced Microsoft Works, a free program that came on earlier computers.

Word processing documents created with Microsoft Works were saved in a file format ending with the .wps file extension. On a new computer, when using Windows File Explorer to look at files and folders in the Documents folder for example, files with a .wps file extension cannot be opened. If you attempt to open such a file, Windows may prompt to search your computer for a program that will open the file. You should NOT proceed at that point because there is no program in the default list that will open the file. Instead you should follow the instructions below.

1. Start Microsoft Word Starter 2010 (which is on your Start menu).
2. Click the File menu, and then click Open.
3. In the Open dialog box, follow these steps:

• Change the Look in box to the location of your Works document (it automatically defaults to your Documents folder)
• In the Files of type box, click the drop-down arrow and choose All Files (*.*).
• Select the Works document (.wps) that you want to open, and then click Open.

4. If the document opens correctly, when you are finished with it, click File, click Save As, and then change the file type to a Microsoft Word document (.docx).
5. Save the document and you have successfully converted the file to a Word document. It can then opened directly from File Explorer without having to open Word Starter first.