Share via

Why is Word not working?

Edgar Gonzalez 0 Reputation points
2026-04-22T19:48:26.3266667+00:00

I am trying to open Word through my current Microsoft 365 Family account. The program tries to open several times, just blinks off and on, then it stops and I receive a message telling me it can't open Word and try again later... What's the issue?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Stefan Blom 341K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-04-22T20:09:29.2+00:00

    Is this the full, desktop version of Word? In that case, restart your computer and then run an Online Repair of Office. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-an-office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b .

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments

  2. AI answer

    2026-04-22T19:48:41.8033333+00:00

    The behavior described indicates Word is failing to start correctly. For Microsoft 365 Word on Windows, the most common causes are a damaged Office installation or problematic add-ins.

    Use these steps to fix it:

    1. Make sure Office and Windows are up to date
      • Install all pending Windows Updates.
      • Install Office updates as described in the Word/Office help guidance: keeping Office up to date is a prerequisite for reliable startup.
    2. Run an Online Repair of Office
      • Close all Office apps.
      • Open the Windows Settings app.
      • Go to System > Apps > Installed apps (or Apps > Apps & features, depending on Windows version).
      • Find Microsoft Office (or Microsoft 365 Apps), select it, then choose Modify.
      • Select Online Repair, then Repair.
      • This performs a full repair and often reinstalls Office components, which fixes most “Word has run into an error” or “can’t open Word” startup problems.
      Multiple moderator answers confirm that when the built‑in “Repair now” prompt or quick repair does not work, a full Online Repair from Installed apps is the appropriate next step.
    3. If Word still will not open after Online Repair
      • Completely uninstall Office from Installed apps / Apps & features.
      • Restart the PC (not just shut down; use Restart).
      • Reinstall Office from the Microsoft account services page associated with the Microsoft 365 Family subscription.
    4. If Word opens but then crashes or shows “stopped working”
      • Disable add-ins manually as described in the Office “stopped working” guidance:
        • Start Word in Safe Mode (for example, by holding Ctrl while starting Word, then confirming Safe Mode).
        • In Word, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
        • At the bottom, in Manage, choose COM Add-ins (and other add-in types if present), then click Go.
        • Uncheck add-ins (especially older ones such as ABBYY FineReader or Dragon Naturally Speaking, which are known to cause issues), then restart Word normally.
        • If Word starts correctly, leave the problematic add-in disabled or remove it, or install an updated version from the add-in vendor.

    If none of the above resolves the issue, follow the broader Word troubleshooting guidance, which starts with ensuring Windows and Office are fully updated and then proceeds through additional diagnostics.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.