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Microsoft Word program

Ginger Starrett 0 Reputation points
2026-03-25T03:22:29.7033333+00:00

My Microsoft Word program keeps running an error every time I open a document or try to create one.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Other
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  1. Arlene D 36,075 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-25T03:58:27.6433333+00:00

    Hi, are you seeing the error message before Word fully opens or only when opening a file?

    Open Word in Safe Mode to check add ins. Press Windows + R, type winword /safe, then press Enter. If Word opens without error, go to File > Options > Add-ins, select COM Add-ins, then Go, and clear all add ins. Restart Word normally. If the issue continues, close Word, go to C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates, and rename Normal.dotm to Normal.old. Open Word again so it creates a new template.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-03-25T03:22:42.6866667+00:00

    The behavior described matches a common Word startup error where the built‑in “Repair now” prompt does not fix the problem. The recommended resolution is to run an Office Online Repair from Windows settings, which is more thorough than the automatic repair.

    Follow these steps on the affected PC:

    1. Close Word and all other Office apps.
    2. Open Start > Settings > System > Apps > Installed apps.
    3. Find the Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365 installation in the list.
    4. Select the three dots (ellipsis) next to it and choose Modify.
    5. When prompted, select Online Repair, then select Repair.
    6. Let the repair complete, then restart the computer if prompted.
    7. Open Word again and test creating and opening documents.

    If the error persists even after an Online Repair, a full uninstall and reinstall of Office (including manually deleting leftover Office folders and related registry keys) has been used as a last resort in similar cases, but that is more advanced and should be done carefully, especially when editing the registry.

    References:

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