MS Word is not opening

Dr. Noor Uddin 10 Reputation points
2026-09-16T08:11:33.12+00:00

I am trying to open MS word. It gives error, word is cannot be open. Either repair, or cancel. I try to repair but it closes automatically. What should I do?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For education | Windows
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  1. Liora 1,810 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-16T09:14:18.98+00:00

    Dear @Dr. Noor Uddin,

    I hope you’re having a good day. 

    I would recommend trying the following steps first:

    1. Restart your computer and try opening Word again.

    1. Open Word in Safe Mode by pressing Windows + R, typing: winword /safe

    and then pressing Enter.

    1. If Word still does not open, try Online Repair from:

    Control Panel > Programs and Features > Microsoft 365 (or Office) > Change > Online Repair

    Install using click-to-run

    To better understand the issue, could you also let me know:

    • What is the exact error message shown?
    • Are you using Microsoft 365 or a perpetual version of Office?
    • Do Excel and PowerPoint open normally, or do they show similar errors?

    This information will help determine whether the problem is specific to Word or affecting the Office installation as a whole.

    Looking forward to hearing back from you with any updates or additional details.  

    Warm regards,  

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    2 people found this answer helpful.
  2. ApexNáV 360 Reputation points
    2026-09-16T08:40:04.96+00:00

    Run a online repair. Check this below page by Microsoft for instructions:

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

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    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. AI answer

    2026-09-16T08:11:51.3933333+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Restart the PC, then try opening Word again.
      • This can clear an Office update or repair process that is stuck.
    2. Run an Office repair from Windows, not from the Word error popup.
      • In Windows 10: right-click Start > Apps and Features.
      • In Windows 11: right-click Start > Installed apps.
      • Select Microsoft 365 or Office > Modify.
      • Choose Quick Repair first.
      • If Word still does not open, run Online Repair.
      • Note: Online Repair is more complete, but it requires an internet connection and may effectively reinstall Office.
    3. If Word starts showing a “stopped working” type error, check add-ins.
      • If Word can open at all, disable add-ins one by one and test again.
      • Older versions of ABBYY FineReader and Dragon Naturally Speaking are specifically called out as known causes with Office 2016.
    4. Install Windows updates.
      • Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
      • Install available updates, then restart the PC.
      • This can fix problems caused by incompatible older device drivers.
    5. If the error says Office is busy or unable to start because Office is updating, adding, or removing programs:
      • Wait a few minutes and try again.
      • Restart the PC.
      • If it still continues, uninstall and reinstall Office using the Microsoft troubleshooter.

    If the main goal is to open important Word files urgently, and the problem is with a specific document rather than Word itself, try opening the file with File > Open > Browse, select the file, then use the arrow next to Open and choose Open and Repair.

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

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    1 person found this answer helpful.

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