Microsoft Windows Will Not Retain Preferred Settings

I have had a long-standing problem with Microsoft Word on my PC*. Whenever I go into ‘Font’ and choose settings and Set As Default it goes through the process of setting my chosen default. However, the next time I open Microsoft Word it has reset to the default ‘Font’ options. Until today, I had been using Microsoft office 2007. Today, I have purchased and installed Microsoft Office 2016. I thought with a new version, indeed new software, I would no longer have this issue.

I have downloaded and installed Microsoft Office 2016. Then I went into ‘Font’ in Microsoft Word 2016 and chose my preferred settings. Then later I have opened Microsoft Word 2016 and again my ‘Font’ settings have reverted to Microsoft’s default.

I do not know what will be causing this issue and, consequently, do not know how to solve it. I would appreciate any ideas on what the problem is and, more importantly, a solution. Thanks!

*PC = Hewlett-Packard s5770uk-m; OS = Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64 bit)

P.S. I do not if this is a symptom or linked in anyway. To get the above info about my PC and OS I used Belarc Advisor, which says my OS is Windows 8.1, but it is not, it is Windows 10. I have followed the instructions at this Microsoft Web site https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/13443/windows-which-operating-system and on checking I definitely have Windows 10.

 

You need to change the Normal.dotm template.
Open Microsoft Word's Help, type change normal template, and follow the instructions.

 

Thanks, Eldon, I have tried that, but it has not worked.

I have now developed a new problem. If I open a new blank MS Word doc, write something and then save, MS Word is saving them with the file extension .odt and MS Word will not open the files it created with this extension.

 

I have done this in MS Word 2003 & 2007 without a problem.

Microsoft Office 2016 can open .odt files.
https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...t-format-20e5189f-86f8-4d8f-ae74-ea06b7df3b0e
I suggest you repair MS Office.

 

For anyone who came upon this thread searching for a solution to a similar problem this is how I resolved the problem.

1. I completely uninstalled MS Office using a tool from Microsoft: https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...77a-8fcc-2fdf5dbf61d8?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US (cf. Option 2).

2. I cleaned-up my PC using CCleaner. It kept finding a lot of left over Registry entries from MS Office. I repeatedly scanned registry entries with CCleaner until it found no more Registry entries.

3. I restarted my PC.

4. I ran CCleaner just to make sure it was clean.

5. I created a System Restore Point.

6. I downloaded Office again by signing into my account at www.office.com (full instructions are on the Web site).

7. I installed Office de novo.

The problems I initially reported are now solved.

 

The odt files were not my sole issue. Office would not save my preferred setting for the Normal template even after following the guidance in post #2. It didn't take me long and I now have a fully functioning Office suite and took the advantage to change it from 32-bit to 64-bit at the same time.

 

Thanks for the feedback @mark59.