ms word files not opening

mahesh tharsing 0 Reputation points
2026-09-16T10:41:47.5933333+00:00

ms office not responding its saying that word has run in to an error i pressed repair but not working

please resolve issue

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-16T10:42:05.84+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Update Office first
      • Open any Office app if possible.
      • Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
      • If Update Now is not shown, select Enable Updates first.
    2. Start Word in Safe Mode to check add-ins
      • Press Windows key + R.
      • Type winword /safe and select OK.
      • If Word opens in Safe Mode, the issue is likely caused by an add-in.
      • In Word, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
      • At the bottom, in Manage, select COM Add-ins and choose Go.
      • Clear the add-ins one by one, then restart Word normally after each change.
      • Older versions of ABBYY FineReader and Dragon Naturally Speaking are known to cause problems with Office 2016 applications.
    3. Run an Office repair
      • In Windows 10: right-click Start > Apps and Features.
      • In Windows 11: right-click Start > Installed apps.
      • Select Microsoft 365 or Office > Modify.
      • Try Quick Repair first.
      • If that does not fix it, run Online Repair.
      • Online Repair is more complete, but it can take longer.
    4. Install Windows updates
      • In Windows 11: Start > search Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
      • In Windows 10: Start > Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Check online for updates from Microsoft Update.
    5. If the Word file itself is damaged
      • Open Word.
      • Go to File > Open > Browse.
      • Select the file.
      • Select the arrow next to Open and choose Open and Repair.

    If the error appears when opening Word documents from Outlook or another external source on Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012, make sure the Windows Firewall service is running:

    • Press Windows key + R
    • Type services.msc
    • In Services, right-click Windows Firewall and select Start

    References:

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

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  2. ApexNáV 170 Reputation points
    2026-09-16T10:59:07.1333333+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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  3. Julie Huynh 3,415 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-16T11:01:16.2666667+00:00

    Dear @mahesh tharsing,

    Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

    Based on your description, I understand that Microsoft Word files are not opening, and Word displays an error message stating that it has encountered a problem. You have already tried the Repair option, but the issue persists and you need assistance restoring Word functionality.

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

    • Does the issue occur with all Word documents or only specific files?
    • Are other Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) opening normally?
    • Were the files created by you, received via email, downloaded from the internet, or shared by another user?
    • Can you open the same files using Word Online (browser version)?
    • Did this issue start after a recent Office update, Windows update, or system change?
    • You mentioned that you clicked Repair, may I ask: Did the repair complete successfully, or did it display any errors?
    • Can you share the exact error message or a screenshot of what you're seeing?

    Your confirmation would be very helpful in ensuring you receive the most suitable support!

    In the meantime, kindly try the following suggestions to check what might have caused the issue:

    • Test Word in Safe Mode: Press Windows + R > Type winword /safe > Select OK and check if Word is still displaying the error message
    • Try opening a blank document: If Word opens in Safe Mode, please create a new blank document and let me know if Word remains stable
    • Open the file from a different location: Kindly copy one affected file to the Desktop and attempt to open it
    • Repair Office following the steps in this article: Repair an Office application

    Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going! 

    Thank you for your time and patience.

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  4. Stefan Blom 351.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-16T12:19:26.86+00:00

    If the error message suggests Repair Now, reject that suggestion, exit all Office apps and run an Online Repair. Before you begin, verify that you can access your Microsoft account at https://account.microsoft.com/services and that Office is associated with it. This ensures that you can reinstall Office which is the final step in an Online Repair.

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