If you use Group Policy, you can use the Set default compatibility mode on file creation policy setting to manage the default compatibility mode that Word uses to create new Word documents. Set default compatibility mode on file creation for Word Word also uses compatibility mode to open OpenXML documents that were created in Word 2007 and Word 2010. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint use compatibility mode to open binary Office documents that were created in Office 2003 or earlier versions of Office. Compatibility mode also preserves the layout of the document. Compatibility mode ensures that no new or improved features in Office are available while users work with a document so that people who use earlier versions of Office will have full editing capabilities. In Office, compatibility mode is used automatically to open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents that were created in earlier versions of these applications. Applies to: Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Office 2019, and Office 2016
