Error pop-up when attempting to open saved file

Merv De Sa 0 Reputation points
2026-10-11T23:56:47.4866667+00:00

I can't open any saved files on this laptop. I keep getting a Microsoft error pop-up. Please call or email me about how you can help. McAfee has confirmed there is no virus. [Mod Removed - PII]

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Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage
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  1. Emma1-N 13,695 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-13T00:21:08.4+00:00

    Welcome Merv De Sa,

    Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that saved files are not opening on your Windows 11 laptop and that Word displays a WINWORD.EXE - Bad Image error referring to AppVIsvSubsystems64.dll.

    Does this error occur only with Word documents, or do saved PDF, image, and other non-Office files also fail to open? Also, can Word itself open normally from the Start menu without opening a document?

    Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following:

    1, Check for Office updates.

    • Open another Office application that still works, such as Excel or PowerPoint.
    • Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
    • Install any available updates and restart Windows.

    2, Check Windows Update.

    • Go to Settings > Windows Update.
    • Select Check for updates.
    • Install available updates, restart the laptop, and test Word again.

    3, Test Word in Safe Mode.

    • Press Windows + R.
    • Enter winword /safe and select OK.
    • If Word opens successfully in Safe Mode, test opening one of the affected documents.

    4, If Word works in Safe Mode, disable Word add-ins.

    • In Word, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
    • At the bottom, select COM Add-ins and select Go.
    • Clear the enabled add-ins, restart Word normally, and test again.

    5, If possible, right-click one affected Word document and select Open with, then select Microsoft Word. This can help determine whether the problem occurs only when files are opened directly from File Explorer.

    Looking forward to your update.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-11T23:57:44.3366667+00:00

    Run an Online Repair of Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365, because the screenshot shows Word failing to load the Office component AppVIsvSubsystems64.dll.

    Repair Office on Windows 11

    1. Save your work and close all Office applications.
    2. Right-click Start and select Installed apps.
    3. Find Microsoft 365, Microsoft Office, or your standalone Word installation.
    4. Select the three dots (…) beside it, then select Modify.
    5. If prompted for permission, select Yes.
    6. For a Click-to-Run installation, select Online Repair → Repair.
      If an MSI repair window appears instead, select Repair → Continue.
    7. Let the repair finish, restart the laptop, and test Word by opening one of the saved documents.

    Online Repair is more thorough than Quick Repair and repairs the entire Office suite, even when only Word is failing.^1^

    McAfee has already ruled out malware, so there is no need to repeat that check. Do not download the DLL separately from a DLL-download website.

    If Online Repair does not fix it

    Completely uninstall and reinstall Office:

    1. Use Microsoft’s Office uninstall troubleshooter on this same laptop.
    2. Follow its prompts and restart when requested.
    3. Reinstall Office using the Microsoft account associated with the Office license.

    Microsoft specifically recommends uninstalling and reinstalling Office when repair does not resolve an AppVIsvSubsystems startup error.^2^

    Uninstalling Office removes the applications, not documents, spreadsheets, or presentations created with them.^3^

    If Office still fails after reinstallation

    Repair Windows system components:

    1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
    2. Run these commands one at a time:
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
    1. Wait for both commands to finish, restart Windows, and test Word again. DISM repairs the Windows component store, while SFC scans protected Windows files.^4^

    If only one particular document fails after Word itself opens normally, use Word → File → Open → Browse, select the document, select the arrow beside Open, and choose Open and Repair.^5^

    Microsoft Learn Q&A cannot call or email users directly. For privacy, edit the question and remove the posted telephone number and email address.

    References

    1. Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support
    2. Error: The application cant start because AppVIsvSubsystems32.dll is ...
    3. Error 30088-26 when updating Office | Microsoft Support
    4. Repair a Windows Image
    5. Open a document after a file corruption error | Microsoft Support
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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