A family of Microsoft presentation graphics products that offer tools for creating presentations and adding graphic effects like multimedia objects and special effects with text.
Run a full Online Repair from Windows Settings because the Repair Now button in the error dialog may perform only a quick repair and is not the same operation.^1^
1. Perform Online Repair
Close all Office applications first.
Windows 11
- Right-click Start and select Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
- Select the three dots (…) beside it, then Modify.
- Select Online Repair → Repair.
- Complete the prompts, restart Windows if requested, and open PowerPoint.
Windows 10
- Right-click Start → Apps and Features.
- Select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office → Modify.
- Select Online Repair → Repair.
- Complete the repair and try PowerPoint again.
This repairs the entire Office installation, even if only PowerPoint is affected.^2^
2. If Online Repair does not help, test PowerPoint without add-ins
- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter:
powerpnt /safe
- Select OK.
If PowerPoint opens, an add-in may be preventing normal startup:
- In PowerPoint, select File → Options → Add-ins.
- At the bottom, set Manage to COM Add-ins, then select Go.
- Clear one add-in checkbox and select OK.
- Close PowerPoint and start it normally.
- Repeat until the problematic add-in is identified. Leave it disabled, remove it, or obtain an updated version.
If PowerPoint does not open in Safe Mode, the problem is not caused by an add-in.^3^
3. If PowerPoint still will not open, reinstall Office
Reinstallation removes Office applications, so first ensure that the Microsoft account or work/school account associated with the license is available.
- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter
appwiz.cpland select OK. - Select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
- Choose Uninstall and complete the prompts.
- Restart Windows.
- Sign in to Microsoft 365 with the account associated with Office.
- Select Install apps, run the installer, and then open PowerPoint to activate it.^4^
If an error remains, record its exact wording or error code; that will determine whether the next step concerns installation, activation, or Windows itself.
References
- All microsoft office applications Excel, Word, Outlook, Etc. open with error and cannot be used - Microsoft Q&A
- Windows 11(#tab/windows-11)
- I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC | Microsoft Support
- Download, install, or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac