Unable to open word and PPT

Justa Njiru 5 Reputation points
2026-09-15T07:16:57.3633333+00:00

I am trying to pen my word and powerpoint documents but I am only getting an error, even after restarting my computer several times.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Windows

3 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-09-15T07:17:15.4133333+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Update Office
      • Open any Office app if one will open.
      • Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
      • If Update Now is not shown, select Enable Updates first.
    2. Start Word and PowerPoint in Safe Mode
      • Press Windows key + R to open Run.
      • For Word, type: winword /safe
      • For PowerPoint, type: powerpnt /safe
      • If the app opens in Safe Mode, the issue is likely caused by an add-in.
    3. Disable add-ins if Safe Mode works
      • In the app opened in Safe Mode, go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
      • In the Manage list, select the app add-ins or COM Add-ins, then select Go.
      • Clear one add-in, select OK, then restart the app normally.
      • Repeat one by one until the problematic add-in is identified.
      • Older add-ins such as ABBYY FineReader and Dragon Naturally Speaking are known to cause problems.
    4. Repair Office
      • Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
      • Select the Office product, then choose Change.
      • Run Quick Repair first.
      • If that does not help, run Online Repair.
    5. Install Windows updates and check device drivers
      • Go to Settings > Windows Update and install available updates.
      • If the issue continues, update drivers for the video card, printer, mouse, and keyboard.
      • On laptops, also check the laptop manufacturer’s site for updated drivers.
    6. If only specific files fail to open
      • In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, go to File > Open > Browse.
      • Select the file, then select the arrow next to Open and choose Open and Repair.
    7. If PowerPoint shows a file-read or blocked-file error
      • In File Explorer, right-click the presentation file and select Properties.
      • If Unblock appears, select Unblock > Apply > OK.
    8. Reinstall Office if repair does not work
      • Use the uninstall troubleshooter and then reinstall Office.
      • This is the next step if Safe Mode does not help and repair does not resolve the issue.

    References

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. DaveM121 932.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-15T07:50:52.9866667+00:00

    Are you able to open the Word and PowerPoint apps by double clicking the app's icon without opening a file or are you also seeing an error then?

    If so, the solution depends on the error you are seeing.

    1

    If you are seeing a popup error dialog with a 'Repair Now' button:

    The 'Repair Now' button on that error popup dialog only performs a quick repair of the Office apps and that rarely resolves the problem with the Office apps, the best option is to perform a full online repair of your Office installation.

    Before performing this process, please log into your Microsoft account on this link (https://account.microsoft.com/services/) and check to ensure your Office licence or Microsoft 365 subscription is listed correctly on your account.

    Open the Settings App (gear icon on your Start Menu)

    Go to Apps, then scroll down to find Microsoft Office

    Select that and choose Modify - Online Repair

    That should fix any issues with your Office Installation.

    2

    If that is not the error you are seeing, please provide a screenshot of the error indicated in the Office apps.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. ApexNáV 360 Reputation points
    2026-09-15T13:02:29.3933333+00:00

    I suggest you to do online repair. Follow below Microsoft instructions:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/lifecycle/repair-an-office-application

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.