Microsoft KB Archive/31251

Maximum Document Size Allowed in Word

PSS ID Number: Q31251 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

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= SUMMARY =

The maximum size of a file that Word can use is approximately 8.3 MB (megabytes). This limitation is imposed by a Word file-format parameter and cannot be modified.

Word document text is divided up into 128-byte blocks. The number of these blocks cannot exceed 65,536 because the text block counter is a 16-bit binary pointer that cannot index more than 65,536 (2 raised to the 16th power). As a result, a Word document cannot contain more than 128 x 65,536, or 8,388,608 bytes of document text.

This limitation does not include footnote text because Word does not treat it as normal document text.

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.