MS word not lauching

Question

My MS word application is not launching. It keeps showing this error message on the screen on start-up.

Please helpScreenshot 2026-03-17 171141.png

Answer 1

Hi, it is a very common problem, where clicking on Repair now does not work. All you need to do is a normal repair. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-an-office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b

I hope you do not mind that I have taken a screenshot of the message. It will help in the future:

Answer 2

Follow these steps in order, testing Word after each major step:

1. Try starting Word in Safe Mode (checks for problematic add-ins)
   1. Select the Search icon on the taskbar, type run, then select the Run app.
   2. In the Run box, type:

            winword /safe
      

      then press Enter.
   3. If Word opens in Safe Mode, disable add-ins:
      • In Word (Safe Mode), go to File > Options > Add‑Ins.
      • At the bottom, in Manage, choose COM Add‑ins (or Word Add‑ins) and select Go.
      • Clear all checkboxes, select OK, then close Word and start it normally.
      • If Word now opens, re‑enable add-ins one by one to find the one causing the error.
2. If Word does not start in Safe Mode or still fails after disabling add-ins The issue is likely with the Office installation itself. Run an Online Repair, which is more thorough than the built‑in “Repair now” prompt:
   1. Close all Office apps.
   2. Open Settings > Apps.
   3. Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office in the list and select Modify.
   4. Choose Online Repair and confirm. This will repair (and often reinstall) Office.
   5. After it completes, restart the PC and try launching Word again.
3. If Online Repair does not fix it Perform a full reinstall of Office:
   1. Uninstall Office from Settings > Apps (or Programs and Features).
   2. Restart the PC (not just shut down).
   3. Sign in to the Microsoft account where the subscription or license is registered at the services page and reinstall Office from there.

If the problem persists even after a full reinstall, there may be a registry or deeper system issue; in that case, advanced cleanup (including registry cleanup) or direct support assistance is typically required, as seen in similar cases.

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References:

• I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC
• How to fix my MS Word? - Microsoft Q&A
• word will not open "Would you like to repair now? - Microsoft Q&A
• we are sorry, but word has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Word will need to be closed as a result. Would you like us to repair now? - Microsoft Q&A
• How can I get office 365 to work? - Microsoft Q&A
• MS word will not open. - Microsoft Q&A