my microsoft word app is not working, and i need it.

Start Word in Safe Mode to recover the paper first, then run Online Repair from Windows Settings—the Repair Now button in the error prompt is not the same repair process.

1. Open Word in Safe Mode

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

      winword /safe
   

3. Select OK or press Enter.
4. Confirm that the title bar says Microsoft Word (Safe Mode).

Safe Mode starts Word without most add-ins, which can allow it to open when an add-in is causing the failure.^1^

2. Recover the paper before repairing Office

If the Document Recovery pane appears:

1. Open the version with the most recent date and time.
2. Review it to confirm that it contains the latest work.
3. Immediately select File > Save As and save it under a new name.
4. Do not delete or close the other recovered versions until the correct copy is safely saved.^2^

If the recovery pane does not appear:

1. In Word, select File > Info.
2. Select Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.
3. Select the likely document and choose Open.
4. Select Save As immediately.^3^

If the document had previously been saved, open it and check File > Info > Manage Documents for a version labeled (when I closed without saving). Open that version and select Restore or save it as a separate file.^3^

3. Run the full Online Repair

Since the prompt’s Repair Now button does nothing, launch the repair directly through Windows.

Windows 11

1. Close Word and all other Office applications.
2. Right-click Start and select Installed apps.
3. Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
4. Select the three dots > Modify.
5. Select Online Repair > Repair.
6. Complete the prompts and restart the computer if requested.

Windows 10

1. Right-click Start and select Apps and Features.
2. Select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
3. Select Modify.
4. Select Online Repair > Repair.
5. Complete the prompts and restart if requested.

Online Repair is more thorough than Quick Repair and repairs the entire Office installation, even when only Word is failing.^4^ This is also the accepted resolution for the same Word error when the prompt’s Repair Now button does not work.^5^

If Word opens only in Safe Mode

An add-in may be involved:

1. In Safe Mode, select File > Options > Add-Ins.
2. At the bottom, choose COM Add-ins from Manage, then select Go.
3. Clear one add-in and select OK.
4. Restart Word normally.
5. Repeat one add-in at a time until Word opens.

Leave the problematic add-in disabled, or obtain an updated version from its publisher.^1^

If Word cannot start even in Safe Mode and Online Repair fails, the next documented fallback is to uninstall and reinstall Office using Microsoft’s uninstall troubleshooter.^1^

References

1. I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC | Microsoft Support
2. [Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/word/recover-your-word-files-and-documents)
3. Recover an earlier version of a Word file | Microsoft Support
4. Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support
5. Word not opening - Microsoft Q&A