my window word application is not opening pages which are closed

End the unresponsive Word processes shown by the faint taskbar previews, then reopen a saved document directly from File Explorer.

1. Fully close the stuck Word instances

1. Save any work still accessible in the open documents.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
3. Select Processes or Details.
4. Select every Microsoft Word or WINWORD.EXE entry, then choose End task.
5. Open File Explorer, locate one of the saved .docx files, and double-click it.

Ending every Word process clears hidden or unresponsive Word instances that can remain after their windows are closed. Microsoft’s Word guidance also uses Task Manager to end all WINWORD.EXE processes before reopening a document.^1^

2. If Word still displays a blank screen, test Safe Mode

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Enter:

winword /safe

3. Select OK.
4. In Word, select File > Open > Browse and open one of the saved documents.

Safe Mode starts Word without automatically loading additional features and add-ins.^2^

If documents open in Safe Mode:

1. Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
2. At the bottom, select COM Add-ins under Manage, then select Go.
3. Clear one add-in, select OK, and restart Word normally.
4. Repeat until Word opens normally. Leave the problematic add-in disabled or obtain an updated version.^3^

3. If Word also fails in Safe Mode, repair Microsoft 365

For Windows 11:

1. Right-click Start and select Installed apps.
2. Find Microsoft 365 or Office.
3. Select the three dots > Modify.
4. For a Click-to-Run installation, select Online Repair > Repair.
5. Restart Windows after the repair finishes.

For Windows 10, use Start > Apps and Features, select Microsoft 365 or Office, and choose Modify. Online Repair repairs the entire Office suite, not only Word.^4^

4. If only one document remains blank

The individual file may be damaged:

1. Open Word to a blank document.
2. Select File > Open > Browse.
3. Select the affected file without double-clicking it.
4. Select the arrow beside Open, then choose Open and Repair.^5^

Do not use the taskbar preview or Recent list for this test; browse to the saved file itself.

References

1. The document is locked for editing by another user error message when you try to open a document in Word | Microsoft Support
2. Open Office apps in safe mode on a Windows PC | Microsoft Support
3. I get a stopped working error when I start Office applications on my PC | Microsoft Support
4. Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support
5. Open a document after a file corruption error | Microsoft Support