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.
Start PowerPoint in Safe Mode; if it opens there, disable its add-ins, and if it does not open, repair Microsoft Office.
1. Start PowerPoint in Safe Mode
- Press Windows key + R.
- Enter:
powerpnt /safe - Select OK. Ensure there is a space before
/safe. - Check whether the title bar says Microsoft PowerPoint (Safe Mode).
Safe Mode starts PowerPoint without its normal add-ins, making this the quickest way to distinguish an add-in problem from a damaged Office installation.[^1^](https://support.microsoft.com/office/lifecycle/i-get-a-stopped-working-error-when-i-start-office-applications-on-my-pc "I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC | Microsoft Support")
2. If PowerPoint opens in Safe Mode
Disable the add-ins:
- 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 PowerPoint starts correctly. Leave the problematic add-in disabled, remove it, or obtain an updated version.
Microsoft recommends testing add-ins individually and restarting PowerPoint after each change.^2^
3. If PowerPoint does not open in Safe Mode
Repair the complete Office installation:
- Close all Office applications.
- Right-click Start.
- On Windows 11, select Installed apps; on Windows 10, select Apps and Features.
- Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
- Select its three-dot menu or select it, then choose Modify.
- Select Online Repair > Repair and follow the prompts.
Online Repair is more thorough than Quick Repair and repairs the whole Office suite, not only PowerPoint.^3^
4. Update Office after PowerPoint starts
Open PowerPoint or another working Office application and select:
File > Account > Update Options > Update Now
If Update Now is missing, select Enable Updates first.[^1^](https://support.microsoft.com/office/lifecycle/i-get-a-stopped-working-error-when-i-start-office-applications-on-my-pc "I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC | Microsoft Support")
If Online Repair still does not resolve the startup failure, the next supported step is to uninstall and reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office. Before doing that, ensure the Microsoft account associated with the Office license is available so Office can be reinstalled and activated.
References