Word document Error 50001 occurs whenever starting Word for Mac

Isabella 20 Reputation points
2026-07-06T03:03:28.69+00:00

Error message 50001 continues to show whenever opening Word.

I have reinstalled the app and checked that it has the latest updates available, and it still shows.

I am using a Mac Pro.

This message also sometimes shows when closing the app.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | MacOS

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Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 437.9K Reputation points
2026-07-06T12:46:31.3766667+00:00

Despite the techno-jargon you may receive this error is most commonly associated with broken/out-of-date Office or macOS add-ins. See whether this existing Answer addresses the issue.

WORD Unexpected error 50001 - Microsoft Q&A

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  1. Kai-H 28,245 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-06T08:44:22.3466667+00:00

    Hi, Isabella

    Error 50001 in Word for Mac is usually tied to a broken Office sign-in, activation, or Keychain credential state, so reinstalling Word alone may not clear it because the old license files can remain on the Mac. Resetting Office credentials in Keychain and using the License Removal Tool when activation/sign-in keeps failing are some basic troubleshooting steps.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    First, quit Word completely. If any other Office apps are open, close those too. Then open Spotlight Search, search for Keychain Access, and search for Office. Delete the Office license/data credential entries that appear, especially Office identity cache or ticket cache entries if you see them. Then restart the Mac and open Word again.

    If the message still appears, run the official Office License Removal Tool for Mac, then reopen Word and sign in again with the Microsoft account that actually owns the Microsoft 365 or Office license. This is often better than reinstalling because it clears the old activation state that may be stuck in the background.

    Also check that Word is installed in the normal Applications folder. If Office has been moved somewhere else, Mac Keychain prompts and authentication errors can keep coming back. If prompted for Keychain access, choose Always Allow rather than Deny.

    If none of that works, it is recommended that you test Word from a new Mac user account. If Word opens normally there, the issue is likely with the original Mac user profile rather than Word itself. As a last step, remove Office fully, restart the Mac, then reinstall from your Microsoft account page rather than from an old installer.

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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