Troubleshoot WQL Files
Common Problems Opening WQL Files
Microsoft Office Isn't There
When you double-click your WQL file, you may see a dialog box from your operating system stating that it "Cannot Open This File Type". If this is the case, it's usually due to the fact that you do not have Microsoft Office for %%os%% installed on your computer. You won't be able to double-click to open your WQL because your OS doesn't know what to do with it.
Tip: If you have another software that you know opens WQL files, you can select it by hitting the "Show Apps" button.
Obsolete Version of Microsoft Office
Sometimes your installed version of Microsoft Office won't support your Microsoft Office Data file. Installing the latest version of Microsoft Office from Microsoft Corporation is recommended. This problem is predominately due to having a Microsoft Office Data file version that was created by a newer version of Microsoft Office than what you have installed on your PC.
Tip: If you right-click on your WQL file, then select "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac), you can obtain hints about what version you need.
Summary: In either case, the majority of problems opening WQL files are related to not having the correct software application installed on your computer.
Additional WQL Opening Issues
Although you might already have Microsoft Office or another WQL-associated software installed on your computer, you can still encounter problems opening Microsoft Office Data files. Other WQL opening errors can be created by other system problems inside of %%os%%. These other problems include (listed in order from most to least common):
- Windows Registry WQL file paths that are incorrect
- Accidental deletion of the description of the WQL file in the Windows registry
- Partial installation of Microsoft Office that did not fully complete
- Your WQL can't be loaded properly (file corruption)
- Your WQL is infected with malware
- Drivers associated with WQL software need to be updated
- Your PC doesn’t have enough available resources to open the Microsoft Office Data file
Poll: What file extension do you use the most often?