Processes in Microsoft 365 for setting up Office apps, redeeming product keys, and activating licenses.
Since both Excel and Word close with a repair prompt, the best supported fix is to repair the full Office installation.
- Close all Office apps.
- Open the Windows app list:
- Windows 11: Right-click Start > Installed apps
- Windows 10: Right-click Start > Apps and Features
- Find Microsoft 365 or Office.
- Select it, then choose Modify.
- If prompted, choose:
- Online Repair for a full repair. This is the recommended option because it fixes more than Quick Repair.
- If the installation is MSI-based, choose Repair and then Continue.
- Follow the on-screen steps to complete the repair.
- Restart the PC after the repair finishes.
If the apps still fail after repair, test whether an add-in is causing the crash:
- Press Windows + R.
- Run:
-
excel /safe -
winword /safe
-
- If the app opens in Safe Mode, go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
- In Manage, select the app add-ins or COM Add-ins, then select Go.
- Clear one add-in at a time, select OK, and restart the app normally.
If the app does not open in Safe Mode, the issue is more likely with the Office installation, so complete the full repair if that has not already been done.
- Repair an Office application
- I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC
- "Something went wrong" error when you try to start a Microsoft 365 app
- Word ( and Excel ) will not load - just get an unspecified error - Microsoft Q&A When I open Word on my Windows 10 PC I get the message attached - the same happens to Excel
- All microsoft office applications Excel, Word, Outlook, Etc. open with error and cannot be used - Microsoft Q&A Dialog Microsoft <application name>