Error "Cannot place this file. No filter found for the requested operation" Word Document

[Tagore Editora]

I'm experiencing a recurring issue with Adobe InDesign when trying to import any Word document (.doc or .docx). I always get the error:

"Cannot place this file. No filter found for the requested operation."

This happens with any Word file — even a brand-new, simple document created just for testing. The file type is not recognized as "importable," and the error persists regardless of file location or format.

I've already tried multiple solutions suggested here in the forums, including:

• Reinstalling InDesign

• Saving files as .doc, .docx, .rtf, and even .txt

• Testing different files and formats

• Ensuring Microsoft Word is properly installed

The only solution that temporarily works is to completely uninstall InDesign along with Creative Cloud, delete all remaining Adobe system files, and then reinstall everything from scratch. After that, it works once. But the next day, after restarting the computer, the error returns, and I have to go through the entire clean install process again.

I am using the latest version of InDesign, fully updated. I have no idea why this keeps happening. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Tagore Editora,

Could you share more details, like the version of the OS/InDesign installed, if this happens when importing files from a specific folder location (internal/external/network drive or a cloud-synced folder like Google Drive/Dropbox/etc.), a link to a sample file you're having trouble with after uploading it to a file-sharing service, and a small screen recording of your exact workflow and the problem (if possible), so we can better assist you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Tagore Editora]

I'm using the latest version of InDesign (v20.3.1) on Windows 10, with Microsoft Word Pro fully updated. This issue happens even with Word files that I create myself on my computer.

InDesign does not recognize any .doc or .docx file as importable, regardless of the content or location. I've tried saving the Word file to different folders, including the Desktop and Documents folder on my local C: drive, but none of them are recognized.

I’ve also already reset all InDesign preferences to factory defaults, but the issue still persists.

[rob day]

Hi @Tagore Editora , Have you tried clearing your prefs and caches?

[Tagore Editora]

Yes, I’ve already tried that — I reset preferences and caches to factory defaults, but the same error keeps happening. The only thing that temporarily works is completely uninstalling everything, including Creative Cloud, and doing a clean reinstall from scratch. Otherwise, the issue persists.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Tagore Editora,

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. I know how frustrating it must be to go through the clean reinstall every time just to get it working once.

Could you please share a sample Word file where you're facing this issue? That way, we can test it on our end. Please use any public cloud sharing service like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc., and create a download link for us to download. If confidential, please share a DM on the community with us. Also, if possible, a short screen recording showing your import process with that file and where the error appears would really help us get a better sense of what might be going wrong.

Additionally, could you confirm whether you're trying to import the Word document into a newly created InDesign file or into an older existing one? 

Looking forward to your update.

Abhishek