Visio - "We're sorry... closed as a result."

Question

Visio - "We're sorry... closed as a result."

sgurule MDF 0

I get an error message (see attached clip) when I open my Visio files that worked last week. My co-workers can open the files just fine. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Visio. The error still occurs after reinstalling. Any words of wisdom? Thank you.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Hello Kai-L,

Let's start my reply with the mystery that Visio and the files that didn't work yesterday, works this morning. Must be clean living. :)

I figured out that the issue seemed to be an application issue rather than a file issue by having a coworker open the files that weren't working for me. I uninstalled Visio and reinstalled it. I same error message occurred. That's when I filed the question on the forum. When I filed the question, Microsoft's AI replied with some troubleshooting techniques. I ran that by our IT team and they were okay with the process.

For completeness, let's document this in case it's needed down the road.

Error Message - "Microsoft Visio - We're sorry, but Visio has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Visio will need to be closed as a result. Would you like us to repair now? [Repair Now] [Help] [Close]"
The error occurs even when opening a blank drawing.
The error message occurs with all files that I tried to open. I tried three.
Microsoft® Visio® Plan 2 MSO (Version 2607 Build 16.0.20228.20188) 64-bit
I don't know of any Windows or Visio updates. I was working on these file on Friday (3 days earlier) in Visio and there were not apparent issues. Updates usually occur in the background through our IT team.
If I select [Repair Now], the application will close and not restart.
I did try a local (my local drive) version of the file. The same error occurred.
I didn't have a chance to try starting in safe mode.

I appreciate your help. I've had Visio open for a couple of hours without any error messages.

Best,

Kai-L 19,060 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-25T15:58:55.2+00:00

Dear sgurule,

Glad to hear it is working again, and thank you for documenting everything so thoroughly. That will be genuinely useful if it ever comes back.

The fact that it failed even on a blank drawing and on a local copy confirms it was the installation rather than the files, and a fault that clears on its own like this usually points to an update that had not fully applied. Since your IT team pushes updates in the background, it is quite possible one completed between Friday and this morning. If it does return, starting Visio in Safe Mode with visio /safe is still the quickest first check, and an Online Repair through Installed apps > Microsoft 365 > Modify goes deeper than the reinstall you already tried.

If you have any further questions or need additional assistance down the road, feel free to post back. Not only I, but other professionals in the forum are always here to help. Thank you again for being a valued member of the Q&A community and I wish you all the best!

Answer 2

Dear sgurule,

Since the files opened last week and your coworkers can still open the same files, the drawings themselves are probably not damaged. The issue is more likely specific to your Visio installation, user profile, add-in, update, graphics configuration, or local copy. Could you confirm:

What is the complete wording of the error message?
Can Visio open by itself and create a new blank drawing?
Does the error affect every Visio file or only certain files?
Are the files stored locally, in OneDrive, SharePoint, or on a network drive?
Which Visio edition, version, build, and bitness are installed? Check File > Account > About Visio.
Did Visio or Windows install an update shortly before the problem began?
Does Repair Now appear in the error dialog, and what happens if you select it?

In the meantime, here are a few things to try:

Copy one affected .vsdx file to your local Desktop and open it from there. This rules out OneDrive, SharePoint, network path or sync problems.
Start Visio in Safe Mode. Press Windows + R, enter visio /safe, then select OK and open the local copy. Safe Mode disables add ins and customisations. If the file opens, go to File > Options > Add-ins, disable the third party COM add ins, then restart Visio normally.
Run an Online Repair. This is different from the reinstall you already tried, because it re downloads and replaces every core file while leaving your settings intact. Right click Start > Installed apps > Microsoft 365 (or Office) > Modify > Online Repair.

If none of that helps, testing with a new Windows user profile will confirm whether the fault is tied to your profile.

I hope this helps. Looking forward to your reply.

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