Unable to use Word and Excel

Question

Why can't I log into Excel and Word? The error message says 'cannot connect to server' but I can use PowerPoint and Outlook?

Answer 1

If you are unable to log into Excel and Word and are receiving a "cannot connect to server" error while still being able to use PowerPoint and Outlook, it may be related to network issues or specific settings affecting those applications. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure that your device is connected to the internet and that there are no network issues.
2. Firewall Settings: Sometimes, firewall settings can block certain applications from connecting to the internet. Ensure that your firewall is not preventing Excel and Word from accessing the network.
3. Update Office: Make sure that your Office applications are up to date. Sometimes, updates can resolve connectivity issues.
4. Sign Out and Sign Back In: Try signing out of your Office account and then signing back in. This can refresh your connection to the server.
5. Check for Service Outages: Occasionally, Microsoft services may experience outages. You can check the Microsoft service status page to see if there are any ongoing issues.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consider reinstalling the Office applications or contacting Microsoft support for further assistance.

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References:

• Connection issues when signing in after updating to Office 2016 build 16.0.7967 on Windows 10
• Office files in SharePoint fail to open from an Office 2016 client

Answer 2

Dear @Lisa Dayman,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Thanks for reaching out. First of all, you can consider trying to double-check the steps from 1-4 of the Q&A Assists to see the result. If none of them can help you, let’s try a few steps below to narrow down the issue and see if they can help you:

1.Test Word and Excel on the web:

Please try signing in to Word Online and Excel Online in your browser via https://office.com. If you can sign in normally there, feel free to use them as a temporary workaround while we continue troubleshooting.

2.Quit the apps completely and restart macOS:

Make sure Word and Excel are fully closed (not running in the background) (use Cmd + Q), then restart your Mac and try logging in again.

3.Try running Word and Excel in Safe Mode:

Start your Mac in Safe Mode and launch Word and Excel. This helps determine whether add‑ins or cache issues are blocking login. Please see detailed instructions of this mode in here: How to use a "clean startup" to determine whether background programs are interfering with Office for Mac

4.Reinstall the Office apps:

If the issue persists, reinstall Word and Excel by downloading fresh installers directly from Microsoft’s website. You should uninstall and reinstall your Word and Excel apps. But you have to reinstall them by downloading Office version from the Microsoft's website, please do not download Office from your MacBook's App Store. (see steps and link below):  

• Go to Applications > select Microsoft Word or Excel> choose Move to Trash. Reference: Uninstall Office for Mac
• Download Office directly from Microsoft website instead. 

You can see this link for more details for it: Download, install, or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac

I hope this information can help you and please feel free to update to me in comment section. Wish you a good day!

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