Microsoft Word will not open

Question

Microsoft Word will not open. Asks to open in safe mode and still won't open

Answer 1

Hi Jeff,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on your description, although you have already tried opening Word in Safe Mode, the issue still persists.

In this case, please try the following steps and let me know whether the issue is resolved:

1/ Try performing an Online Repair for Microsoft Office

• Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.
• Step 2: Go to Apps > Installed apps > find Microsoft Office.
• Step 3: Click the … > Modify > Online Repair, and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair process.

You can also refer to the following documentation for more information:

Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support

2/ Uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Office

If the issue persists after performing an Online Repair, please try uninstalling Microsoft Office, reinstalling it, and then check whether the issue is resolved.

 I hope this information is helpful.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

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Answer 2

Try this order:

1. Update Office first
   • Open any Office app that still works.
   • Go to File > Account.
   • Under Product Information, select Update Options > Update Now.
   • If Update Now is not shown, select Enable Updates first.
2. Start Word in Safe Mode from Run
   • Press Windows + R.
   • Type winword /safe and select OK.
   • If Word opens, confirm Safe Mode by checking the title bar for Safe Mode.
3. If Word opens in Safe Mode, disable add-ins
   • In Word, go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
   • In Manage, select the add-in type and choose Go. If no Word-specific add-in option appears, choose COM Add-ins.
   • Clear one add-in at a time, then select OK.
   • Restart Word normally after each change.
   • Older add-ins such as Abbyy FineReader, PowerWord, and Dragon Naturally Speaking are known to cause problems.
4. If Word does not start even in Safe Mode
   • The issue is less likely to be caused by add-ins.
   • Repair Office. If repair does not help, uninstall and reinstall Office.
   • Also make sure the latest device drivers are installed on the PC.
5. If the Ctrl-key Safe Mode prompt appears but Word seems not to open
   • Word may be opening behind another window.
   • Click the Word task on the taskbar, minimize the active window, or press Alt+Tab to switch to Word.

Office Safe Mode is useful for startup problems caused by add-ins, extensions, or corrupted resources. To leave Safe Mode, close Word and start it normally again.

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References:

• I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC
• Open Office apps in safe mode on a Windows PC
• Word may not be the active program window when you try to start Word in safe mode