Microsoft word does not open on this computer. What to do?

Start Word in Office Safe Mode to determine whether an add-in is blocking startup, then repair Office if Word still does not open.

1. Test Word in Safe Mode

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

      winword /safe
   

3. Select OK. Ensure there is a space before /safe.

Safe Mode starts Word without automatically loading add-ins and certain customizations.^1^

If Word opens:

1. Go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
2. At the bottom, set Manage to COM Add-ins, then select Go.
3. Clear one add-in, select OK, close Word, and start it normally.
4. Repeat until Word opens normally. Leave the problematic add-in disabled, or obtain an updated version from its publisher.

Older versions of ABBYY FineReader, PowerWord, and Dragon Naturally Speaking are known to cause Office startup problems.^2^

2. If Safe Mode also fails, repair Office

The repair affects the complete Office installation, not only Word.

• Windows 11: Right-click Start > Installed apps.
• Windows 10: Right-click Start > Apps and Features.
• Find Microsoft 365, Microsoft Office, or standalone Word.
• Select the three dots > Modify or select the product and choose Modify.
• For a Click-to-Run installation, select Online Repair > Repair. This is more thorough than Quick Repair.
• For an MSI installation, select Repair > Continue.
• Complete the prompts, restart the computer if requested, and test Word again.^3^

3. If Word still will not open

1. If another Office application opens, select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now. Select Enable Updates first if that option appears.
2. Run Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, then install available updates.
3. If repair and updates do not help, use Microsoft’s Office uninstall troubleshooter and reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office. Uninstalling removes the Office applications, so ensure the Microsoft account or product information needed for reinstallation is available first.^2^

If these steps fail, note the exact error message, whether winword /safe opens anything, and whether Excel or PowerPoint starts normally; those details determine the next troubleshooting path.

References

1. Open Office apps in safe mode on a Windows PC | Microsoft Support
2. I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC | Microsoft Support
3. Repair an Office application