Keeping and updating old Doc files

[EuroSCUG Seniors]

Updating old docs in “Compatibility” mode before Windows 10

I’m using a Lenovo laptop with Windows 7.  I bought Office 363 with the idea that I could also put documents and spread sheets on my iPad.  It uploaded Word 2016 but I don’t like it in comparison with my previous version.

I have more than 12,600 documents going back to the 1990s. I treasure many of them as they represent years of work, a lot not printed.

Q1. My previous documents were recovered from my old laptop after the Hard Drive suddenly died.  (March 2013 – Recovered from Backup) They were put into a Folder but only open in the “Compatibility” mode so need to be updated as a Group.  I’ve never had any idea what to do about them as the computer person I paid left them this way. 

Now that Windows 10 is about to take over, I’ve realised that I need to quickly update them in a batch. Of course, I’ve googled but the results are gobbledygook to me as I have no idea what they’re talking about.  Could you please give me some simple, safe instructions to update them?

[John A]

First, do you want Windows 10? You don't have to upgrade.

Whether you upgrade to 10 or not, you should make a backup of all those documents on a USB disk (even two backups).

I assume you mean Office 365 - so you will get the latest version of Office automatically.  Yes the current version is 2016.  You just need top get used to the "Ribbon" menus.

To your main question about converting all your old Office documents...

First, upgrading to Windows 10 should not change the way those old documents are accessed, so there is no urgency to convert them to the more recent Office format should you decide to upgrade to Windows 10.

Doing a batch conversion is very complicated because it requires the use of a macro and is probably beyond the scope of help from EuroSCUG. 

Perhaps you keep it simple and convert them one by one over time?