HOW TO FIX MSW ERROR/NOT RESPONDING MESSAGE

Dalhatu Kasimu Imam 0 Reputation points
2026-02-28T21:03:54.45+00:00

I am experiencing failure with my Microsoft Office Word. after launching it for about a minute or 2, it stops responding. Then, after about 5 mins it will prompt me to "either repair it or seek help". Whichever i choose, it closes.

kindly advise me on what to do.

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Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Other
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  1. AI answer

    2026-02-28T21:04:10.88+00:00

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

    1. Start Word in Safe Mode and disable add-ins
      1. Press Windows + R to open Run.
      2. Type winword /safe and press Enter.
      3. If Word opens and stays responsive in Safe Mode, disable add-ins:
        • Go to File > Options > Add‑Ins.
        • In the Manage box, choose COM Add-ins (or Word Add-ins) and select Go.
        • Uncheck all add-ins, especially any older ones such as ABBYY FineReader or Dragon Naturally Speaking if present.
        • Click OK, close Word, then start Word normally.
      4. If Word now works, re‑enable add-ins one by one until the problem reappears; leave the problematic add-in disabled or remove it.
    2. Run an Online Repair of Office If Safe Mode does not help, or Word still stops responding with all add-ins disabled:
      1. Close all Office applications.
      2. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Apps & features).
      3. Find the Microsoft 365/Office installation, select it, and choose Modify.
      4. Select Online Repair, then Repair.
      5. When the repair completes, restart the computer and try Word again.
    3. Uninstall and reinstall Office (if Online Repair fails) If Word still shows the “has run into an error” or “not responding” behavior after Online Repair:
      1. Uninstall Office from Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
      2. Restart (not just shut down) the PC.
      3. Reinstall Office from the associated Microsoft account or installation source.
    4. Check for Windows and driver updates
      1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
      2. Select Check for updates and install all available updates.
      3. If issues persist, update key device drivers (video card, printer, mouse, keyboard) from the manufacturers’ sites.

    If after these steps Word still hangs shortly after launch, repeat Safe Mode and confirm that all add-ins remain disabled, then run another Online Repair before considering a full manual uninstall as described in the referenced articles.

    References:

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