# DOCX media fails to open **URL:** \ **Category:** RootsMagic\ **Tags:** feature-request, issue\ **Created:** [October 11, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892 "2025-10-11T16:58:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ALWI3726](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@ALWI3726](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/ALWI3726)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/1 "2025-10-11T16:58:13Z")
I develop a lot of profile biographies, typically as a DOCX or some related format. The profile biographies are often too long for simple text. They can be paginated, perhaps with chapters and figures, and even indexes. RootsMagic cannot handle these documentation files. It simply displays a silly icon, and then it does - nothing. I cannot open the icon, and I cannot even find out where the file is located without some weird manipulations. This is stupidly awkward. Surely there must be a way to access such files, either by invoking the app, or some kind of simplified reader. ---
**Author:** ![MKGT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MKGT](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/MKGT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/2 "2025-10-11T17:34:44Z")
I presume you are choosing file rather than image when adding the media? ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/2/282ea56e67e88661efbb4d02c10eccf6b2ae329c.png) ---
**Author:** ![thejerrybryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/thejerrybryan/32/404_2.png) [@thejerrybryan](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/thejerrybryan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/3 "2025-10-11T17:38:40Z")
Add docx as File, not Media. You can then open it from inside RM by clicking on the Edit icon (looks like a pencil or a crayon). Actually, RM is not opening it. Rather, RM is telling your default dox program to open it. In my case, that’s Microsoft Word. In your case, it might be a different program. ---
**Author:** ![Rooty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rooty](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Rooty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/4 "2025-10-11T19:33:47Z")
This is a silly failing of RM that it is too dumb to simply identify the file extension and correctly add it to media. FTM has always done this just fine and handles jpg, pdf, pages, etc files seamlessly on mac. ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/5 "2025-10-11T21:20:49Z")
> [@Rooty](#): > > his is a silly failing of RM that it is too dumb to simply identify the file extension and correctly add it to media. FTM has always done how are you adding files to RM? via Drag N Drop or doing manually? I have not seen issue using drag N drop method which is how I add 98% of my files ---
**Author:** ![ALWI3726](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@ALWI3726](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/ALWI3726)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/6 "2025-10-12T14:08:27Z")
Thanks, you are correct. The file selection turns out to be necessary in order for documents to open properly. Now I am wondering about sound and video. I have those files too, and they never seemed to work before with RM. This makes me wonder about markdown documents (.md suffix) now. I will have to give those a try. ---
**Author:** ![RichardOtter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/richardotter/32/3231_2.png) [@RichardOtter](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/RichardOtter)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/7 "2025-10-12T14:13:23Z")
True, RM will not by itself display docx files but it can start ms word to display them . Instead of double clicking the file icon for the file in RM, click on the edit (pencil) icon at the top of the window. That will open the file in the associated app as determined by the OS That raises the issue of the pencil icon. The RM doc says it’s for editing the file but it just displays the file in the associated app and you decide whether to edit it or not. ---
**Author:** ![ALWI3726](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@ALWI3726](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/ALWI3726)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/8 "2025-10-12T14:17:46Z")
I have avoided the Drag-N-Drop method of adding media, because the file ends up in a directory that I dislike, or at least that is what used to happen. I have not tried it for years now. Instead, I first put the file in the directory where I want it to stay, and then I cut/paste the pathname to the add-media menu. ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/9 "2025-10-12T14:36:53Z")
> [@ALWI3726](#): > > have avoided the Drag-N-Drop method of adding media, because the file ends up in a directory that I dislike, or at least that is what used to happe I have been using drag n drop method since ver 8. Drag n Drop also will NOT Duplicate media which may occur in some versions of RM (not sure about 11 I have not tested) You select where the file is and drag n drop– where ever the file is– is what RM sets file location so the RM is not changing the location – however if the user change the locations of the file then RM would not be aware of that change. Example you drag N drop from download dir then move to desired location – that would be the users fault not RM > **[Adding Media Items](https://help.rootsmagic.com/RM11/adding-media-items.html)** > > Adding Media on Media Page When you add media on the Media page, it isn't "linked" to any particular person, family, or fact yet, but it becomes available to use (and reuse)... ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/2/212ccded24de9b1d281c23b3620dac5020313835.png) ---
**Author:** ![ALWI3726](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@ALWI3726](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/ALWI3726)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/10 "2025-10-12T14:54:34Z")
Hmm. Well, if Drag-N-Drop does not move or copy the file, then it is not the same drag-n-drop in Windows. I can see the problem now. A typical process is to import a file from some place, and Windows puts it into a directory called Downloads. If I do a Drag-N-Drop from Downloads, and RM just leaves it in Downloads, then later when I clean out the Downloads directory, the file gets moved somewhere else, like the Recycle Bin. The RM link gets broken, never to recover. Calling the process Drag-N-Drop is deceptive and false. ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/11 "2025-10-12T15:13:30Z")
correct all all points except last one. Calling the process Drag-N-Drop is deceptive and false. Misunderstood (and miss-used) does not equal _“deceptive and false.”_ The same thing would be true regardless of which method you used to “link” file to RM. If you delete or later move the file the same thing applies to all methods. ---
**Author:** ![Spyder](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/spyder/32/53_2.png) [@Spyder](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Spyder)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/12 "2025-10-16T23:52:47Z")
If you download a file and leave it in the download folder you are running the risk of losing that file. To be clear RM only has a link to the file so if you want to save it you need to download it to your hard drive with a meaningful name into a location that you keep your genealogy files then you drag and drop it from there and RM will be happy and you won’t lose your files. ---
**Author:** ![thejerrybryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/thejerrybryan/32/404_2.png) [@thejerrybryan](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/thejerrybryan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 12:58am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/13 "2025-10-17T00:58:01Z")
Downloaded files do not always go into the Download folder and that do not always have a default file name that the user can’t control. Sometimes, the user can specify the folder and file name for downloaded files. In those cases, I just download the the final destination folder and specify the final destination folder. But more often than not, downloads do not provide any user control over the destination folder and file name. In such cases, i agree that it’s essential for the user to take action immediately after the download to move the file do it’s final destination folder and to give the file its final destination file name. Pretend your Downloads folder is getting cleared out every day, even if it isn’t. So pretend the contents of the Downloads folder are completely temporary, and take action accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Rooty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rooty](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Rooty)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 1:30pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/14 "2025-10-17T13:30:25Z")
1. I keep my downloads folder empty. Anything there is either used immediately and discarded or moved elsewhere to keep. Trash gets emptied at least daily. 2. Files for the media folder are renamed, moved to the appropriate media subfolder (jones J smith m) and then linked to a fact in RM. 3. When I tried adding a docx and pdf file to media by dragging that worked without the silly request to tell RM what kind the files were. This means the screen requiring you to tell RM what kind of file is being added is not needed. ---
**Author:** ![kbens0n](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kbens0n/32/80_2.png) [@kbens0n](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kbens0n)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/15 "2025-10-17T14:43:48Z")
> [@Rooty](#): > > This is a silly failing of RM that it is too dumb to simply identify the file extension and correctly add it to media. Well, on a Windows machine it is a built-in “feature” of the file picker to offer filtered views of categories of file-types to avoid a cluttered view or mistaken possibly incompatible file choice: ![Screenshot 2025-10-17 103436](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/7/780c724cbcdf30191573ed7e7a09d0546105efb2.png) ![Screenshot 2025-10-17 103917](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/8/89249f48c4e87d287f66ba7ceb17371a393e73e3.png) ---
**Author:** ![ALWI3726](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@ALWI3726](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/ALWI3726)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/16 "2025-10-17T16:29:22Z")
You have good advice. But I think you neglect the purpose of the default folder for downloads. I get a lot of emails with attachments or links that require a download. Without knowing anything about the file, it is a matter of guesswork to figure out where to store the file. Many of them are just temporary files (app installations are one example), so they get discarded after use. So, I download to the default directory, and then judge later what do to with it. When I transfer the file to a more permanent directory, I use “drag-and-drop”. This is a typical maneuver in Windows, or any other modern OS. This is why the so-called “drag-and-drop” feature in RootsMagic is deceptive. It does not actually “drag” a file anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![kbens0n](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kbens0n/32/80_2.png) [@kbens0n](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kbens0n)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/17 "2025-10-17T16:51:41Z")
> [@ALWI3726](#): > > It does not actually “drag” a file anywhere. And Add doesn’t add a file either. Both are methods to get “a path” to a file (not to copy/move/drag/get) any filetype. Then it makes up a thumbnail image, stores the thumb in the database and stores that original file “path” as a reference for the saved thumbnail. ---
**Author:** ![thejerrybryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/thejerrybryan/32/404_2.png) [@thejerrybryan](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/thejerrybryan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/18 "2025-10-17T17:42:09Z")
> [@Rooty](#): > > This means the screen requiring you to tell RM what kind of file is being added is not needed. But they do still get added with a type - like File or Image. What type did RM choose for you. I’ve never done it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Rooty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rooty](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Rooty)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/docx-media-fails-to-open/14892/19 "2025-10-17T19:48:53Z")
on mac RM defaults to image and greys out other filetypes unless you change the RM type. Maybe this is default Windows behavior but it is just dumb. FTM happily just links to whatever file type you designate.