Microsoft to retire legacy Word settings, risking older documents’ layouts

Microsoft is retiring some legacy layout compatibility options in desktop Word, which could alter documents created or last saved in Word 2010 or earlier. The change matters to organisations that rely on older files retaining their original pagination and layout.

Affected documents may show text reflow, changed spacing or page counts, or images and shapes moving between pages. Microsoft has not named the options being removed; it says the aim is to simplify layout handling and make it more consistent across platforms. The Windows rollout is due to run from December 2026 to January 2027, with Mac to follow in early 2027. Microsoft advises exporting layout-sensitive files to PDF before the change.