Problem description
When you try to open a Word document, Microsoft Office Word 2007 opens but the document does not. When you try to open from within Word 2007, the file opens but you cannot use the mouse to move the page up or down and edit the page. Then, Word 2007 crashes and you receive an error message that resembles the following:
Problem Signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: WINWORD.EXE
Application Version: 12.0.6331.5000
Application Timestamp: 48fa27b4
Fault Module Name: mso.dll
Fault Module Version: 12.0.6320.5000
Fault Module Timestamp: 485ae817
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 0003a9ed
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.6
Locale ID: 1033
Additional information about the problem:
LCID: 1033
Brand: Office12Crash
skulcid: 1033
To have us fix this problem for you, go to the «Fix it for me» section. If you prefer to fix this problem yourself, go to the «Let me fix it myself» section.
Fix it for me
To fix this problem automatically, click the
Fix this problemlink. Click
Runin the
File Downloaddialog box, and then follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.
Note this Fix it solution works for all languages. However, for some languages, the wizard text may be in English
Note if you are not on the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it solution to a flash drive or a CD and then run it on the computer that has the problem.
Next, go to the «Did this fix the problem?» section.
Let me fix it myself
Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756 How to back up and restore the registry in WindowsTo fix this problem, follow these steps:
-
Shut down Word and any other Office programs.
-
Click Start, click Run, type
regedit, and then press ENTER. -
Locate and right-click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordData
-
Click Delete. Click Yes if you are asked to confirm that you want to delete the key.
-
On the File menu, click Exit.
Did this fix the problem?
-
Check whether the problem by opening a documetn in Word 2007. If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support.
-
We would appreciate your feedback. To provide feedback or to report any issues with this solution, please leave a comment on the «Fix it for me» blog or send us an
e-mailmessage.
Need more help?
Want more options?
Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.
Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.
- Remove From My Forums
-
Question
-
If I try to open Word 2007 on its own, it does nothing at all. However when I try to open a specific document, it comes up with the message «There was a problem sending the command to the program.» None of the other Microsoft programmes are a problem but
I have no use of Word and I cannot access any of my documents. This is a real problem and every set of instructions I have followed have not made a difference. I need this fixing. I would appreciate any help that works
Answers
-
Hi,
-Try the following steps:
Right click on WinWord (.exe) > Properties > Compatibility > uncheck all the boxes.
To access WinWord (.exe), open the following location:
Windows 7 32bit: C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12
Windows 7 64bit: C:Program Files(x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice12— Change File Type Association Directly from the File Properties
- Right-click on specific file that want to open.
- Select Properties on right click context menu.
- In the General tab, click on Change button.
- Click Browse button, point to the folder: C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12, and choose WINWORD.EXE.
- Click OK button.
— You may also troubleshoot damage document in Word, see:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918429Best regards.
William Zhou
TechNet Community Support
-
Edited by
Monday, August 20, 2012 7:25 AM
-
Marked as answer by
William Zhou CHN
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 2:13 PM
One of your computerprograms can no longer be opened and no error message is displayed – it’s a common problem that leaves many users clueless. Many Windows 10 users previously reported that Microsoft Word won’t open in the 2013 or 2016 editions. But the problem can occur with other versions of the operating system or the word processing application. The causes are many and varied. So what do you do when Microsoft Word will not open? We’ll introduce you to four different solutions step by step.
Contents
- Possible reasons for why Word won’t open anymore
- Solution 1: test in safe mode if Word won’t start
- Step 1: open Run dialog box
- Step 2: open Word safe mode
- Step 3: open word in safe mode
- Step 4: deactivate add-ins
- Solution 2: Switch default printer if Word won’t open
- Step 1: open Windows settings
- Step 2: change default printer
- Step 3: start Word
- Step 4: update driver
- Solution 3: remove Word from the registry
- Step 1: open registry
- Step 2: delete Word registry key
- Solution 4: repair installation if Word won’t start
- Step 1: open app settings
- Step 2: modify “Microsoft 365” application
$1 Domain Names
Register great TLDs for less than $1 for the first year.
Why wait? Grab your favorite domain name today!
Matching email
SSL certificate
24/7/365 support
Possible reasons for why Word won’t open anymore
Word won’t start, but you can’t figure out why? In fact, it can be very difficult to find the cause if the program does not display an error message. It is easier to check the most common errors and correct them if necessary. These include:
- Word add-ins: Add-ins are extensions and offer practical additional functions for the word processing program. If Word does not launch after you install an add-in, this is most likely the cause.
- Windows updates and upgrades: Have you recently switched up your operating system to Windows 10? Then problems that occurred during the upgrade or update might be the reason for why Word won’t open.
- Damaged installations and files: If you’ve newly installed Microsoft 365 and Word won’t open the installation itself is possibly damaged.
If you haven’t made any deliberate changes and the problem appears to be unfounded, try performing the following suggested solutions in the given order. In this way, you will gradually eliminate the causes and remedy them. Unless otherwise specified, the instructions apply to Windows 10 and Microsoft Word versions 2013 and 2016.
Solution 1: test in safe mode if Word won’t start
If Word does not open, check whether the problem occurs in Word safe mode. If the program works correctly in that mode, it is probably caused by add-ins not installed.
Note
Every Microsoft 365 program has its own safe mode. This shouldn’t be confused with the Windows operating system safe mode though.
Step 1: open Run dialog box
Press down the keys [Windows] + [R] at the same time to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: open Word safe mode
Enter the text “Winword / Safe” and confirm by clicking on “OK”. Now, Word safe mode will start for versions 2016, 2013, and 2010.
Step 3: open word in safe mode
Now you can open Word as per usual. If Word can no longer be opened, activated add-ins are excluded as the cause of the error. In this case, skip the following steps and skip to solution number 2. If you can open the program in safe mode without any issues, then add-ins are probably the source of the problem. Accordingly, it will be necessary to either disable or uninstall them.
Step 4: deactivate add-ins
In the opened Word document, select the menu item “File” and then click on “Options”. Your Word options will now open. With the left mouse button click on the “Add-Ins” tab. Then select the “COM Add-Ins” option from the “Manage” drop-down menu and select the “Go” button to finish.
Deselect to deactivate all the add-ins by using your left mouse and confirm with “OK”.
Note
The dialog boxes are identical whether you’re using Word versions 2010, 2013, or 2016.
Solution 2: Switch default printer if Word won’t open
If Word does not open and the problem occurs in safe mode, checking your selected default printer is the next step. If Microsoft Word cannot access this printer, the application does not start. To resolve the problem, select a different default printer.
Step 1: open Windows settings
Open the Windows settings by pressing the [Windows] + [I] keys at the same time. Then select the “Devices” section and choose the “Printers & scanners” option.
Step 2: change default printer
Deactivate the option “Allows Windows to manage my default printer” by removing the check mark with the left mouse button. Then select the printer you want to set as your new default printer. Click on the “Manage” button to open the printer settings. Now, select “as default” to use your new printer as your default printer in the future.
For older Windows versions, you can find the printer settings under “Control Panel” > “Hardware and Sound” > “View Devices and Printers”. Then right-click the printer you want to use and select the “Set as default printer” option.
Step 3: start Word
Now, try restarting the program once more. If you can’t open Word, then you can try updating the printer driver.
Step 4: update driver
To update your printer driver, launch the “Device Manager” via the search field of your taskbar and select the appropriate search result. The Device Manager will now open. Expand the “Print queues” option by clicking on it with the left mouse button. Then right-click on your default printer to open the context menu and select the “Update driver” option.
A new window will now open. Select the option “Automatically check for updated driver software” and wait until the process is complete. Finally, verify that Word can start after the driver is updated. If you still can’t open Word, run solution 3.
Solution 3: remove Word from the registry
If it’s only Word that won’t start and all other Microsoft 365 programs work fine on your computer, then an error in the configuration may be the cause of the problem. Follow these steps to remove the Word registry key and resolve the error.
Step 1: open registry
Press the [Windows] + [R] keys simultaneously to open the Run dialog box. Enter “regedit” into the text window and confirm by clicking on “OK”.
Step 2: delete Word registry key
Then follow the path to the Microsoft Word version that’s installed on your computer:
- Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 10.0 > Word > Data
- Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 11.0 > Word > Data
- Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 12.0 > Word > Data
- Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 14.0 > Word > Data
- Word 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 15.0 > Word > Data
- Word 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Office > 16.0 > Word > Data
Right-click on the “Data” entry and select “Delete” from the context menu. The next time you start Word it will automatically revert to the default settings in place of the previous settings.
Restart your computer and then try opening Microsoft Word once more. If Word still won’t open continue with the next solution below.
Solution 4: repair installation if Word won’t start
If the solutions suggested so far haven’t worked for you, it’s worth trying to repair the Office installation.
Step 1: open app settings
Press down the keys [Windows] + [X] at the same time and select the option “Apps & features” with the left side of your mouse.A field will now open displaying all apps that are installed on your computer.
Step 2: modify “Microsoft 365” application
Scroll down to the entry “Microsoft 365”. Select the app with the left side of your mouse and continue by clicking on the “Modify” button.
Note
In older versions of the Office package this entry is called “Microsoft Office 365”.
Next, select the option “Quick Repair” to repair your Office programs. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process. If Word won’t open after the repair, repeat the steps and select the option “Online Repair”.
Note
Depending on which Office version you’re using, the option “Change installation” may also be available.
If you’re using Windows 7, Vista, or 8 then the option to repair programs is hidden. To access it, open the system settings and select “Category”. Now click on “Programs” and then on “Deinstall programs”. Scroll down until you reach the “Microsoft 365” entry and select it with the right side of your mouse to click on “Modify”.
Tip
When working with Microsoft 365 make sure you’re always using the latest version of the Office programs and maximize value with up to five installations per user.
Download PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically
Microsoft has published an article that describes how to troubleshoot problems that occur when you start or use Microsoft Office Word. The methods that are described can help you determine the cause of a problem with Word when you cannot identify the problem by another method.
You may have to try one or more of these suggested troubleshooting steps and after every try, see if your Word starts and runs correctly. Before you proceed, create a system restore point first.
1. Delete the Word Data registry key
Open regedit and locate the following registry subkey, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:
For instance-
- Word 2021/19/16: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0WordData
- Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0WordData
- Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordData
- Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0WordData
- Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoft Office10.0WordData
Similarly, check the path for your version of Office.
Click Data, and then click Export on the File menu. Name the file Wddata.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.
Click Delete on the Edit menu, and then click Yes. Exit Registry Editor.
If Word starts and works correctly, great! If not, restore the original backed-up Word Data registry key Wddata.reg, by double-clicking on it.
Related: Microsoft Word has stopped working
2. Delete the Word Options registry key
To delete the Word Options registry key, open Registry Editor and locate the following registry subkey, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:
- Word 2021/19/16: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0WordOptions
- Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0WordOptions
- Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordOptions
- Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0WordOptions
- Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice10.0WordOptions
Click Options, and then click Export on the File menu. Name the file Wdoptn.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.
Click Delete on the Edit menu, and then click Yes. Exit Registry Editor.
If Word starts and works correctly, you have resolved the problem. The problem was a damaged Word Options registry key. If the problem is not resolved, restore the original Wdoptn.reg Word Options registry key.
3. Other troubleshooting suggestions
- Disable the Startup folder add-ins
- Delete the COM add-ins registry keys
- Determine which COM add-in program is causing the problem
- Rename the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm global template file
If nothing helps, repairing your Office installation is an option you may want to consider.
Read next: Microsoft Word keeps crashing.
Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP (2016-2022). Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.
Our solutions work for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Office 365
by Milan Stanojevic
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he… read more
Updated on October 31, 2022
- If your Microsoft Office files aren’t opening, you have the option to restore and repair them.
- Alternatively, you can get your Word, Excel of PowerPoint file to open using the Task Manager or entering Safe Mode.
XINSTALL BY CLICKING THE DOWNLOAD FILE
This software will repair common computer errors, protect you from file loss, malware damage, hardware failure and optimize your PC for maximum performance. Fix PC issues and remove virus damage now in 3 easy steps:
- Download and Install Fortect on your PC
- Launch the tool and Start scanning to find broken files that are causing the problems
- Right-click on Start Repair to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance
- Fortect has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.
Windows 10 users have reported an issue regarding Microsoft Office versions 2010 and 2013, where products like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint will not open and return no error or prompt.
In the reports submitted by Windows 10 users, Microsoft’s Office suite worked fine for a period of time, and for no apparent reason, the shortcuts of the different Office components stopped launching the program.
Microsoft Office didn’t return any error or give any prompt when this issue presented itself. But, by following the steps below, let’s hope that you will be able to solve your problems.
Why is my Office 365 not opening?
Sometimes the applications might encounter bugs, and this can result in We’re getting things ready Office error while trying to run certain apps.
Few users reported that MS Office shortcuts are missing from the Start Menu thus making them unable to run any of these apps.
Issues with your Microsoft account can also lead to various problems, one of them being There are problems with your account Office error.
How do I fix Microsoft Office not opening?
- Why is my Office 365 not opening?
- How do I fix Microsoft Office not opening?
- 1. Use Task Manager
- 2. Go to the source
- 3. Use Safe Mode
- 4. Use a Microsoft Office alternative
- 5. Repair or Reinstall
- 6. Install Windows updates
- 7. Uninstall Windows updates
- 8. Disable Add-Ins
- 9. Make sure Office is activated
- 10. Remove Word Registry Keys
- 11. Remove old printer drivers
1. Use Task Manager
If you’ve tried to open Microsoft Office Word (for example) from your Windows 10 computer or laptop and it didn’t do anything, try opening the Task Manager.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager and take a look either through the opened apps or under the Details tab, where you will find it as WINWORD.EXE.
If you see the process there, this means that Windows 10 thinks the program is open and will not do anything about it. In this case, try to create a new document and right-click it, and select Edit.
In some cases, this method has proven useful and might help you in a tight spot.
2. Go to the source
If your Microsoft Office shortcuts don’t do anything when you try to launch them, then there might be an issue of communication between the shortcut itself and the actual executable it should open.
Depending on what Office version you’ve installed, you should find them in one of these locations:
- C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14
- C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice14
Try launching the tool you need from here, if it works, then your shortcut was to blame. Create a new shortcut for the Office components you use and replace the faulty ones.
3. Use Safe Mode
Starting an Office product in Safe Mode is pretty simple, as it was in previous Windows versions.
Just open the Run utility (Windows key + R) and type in the name of the product you want to follow by /safe.
For example, if you wish to open Microsoft Excel in Safe Mode, type in excel /safe.
4. Use a Microsoft Office alternative
In case you need to sidestep this Office issue, it might be useful for you to consider another document management suite.
WPS Office Suite is a legitimate alternative for Microsoft Office due to the effective management of documents across multiple devices. You can thus edit and manage your files on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS.
There are enough Office apps on the market capable to provide extra value. Hence, this alternative provides Writer, Spreadsheet, or Presentation document tools.
Plus, it supports 47 file formats and it’s available in many languages out there.
⇒ Get WPS Office
5. Repair or Reinstall
1. Press the Windows key and type apps in the search box, then click the Apps & features result.
2. Here, type office inside the search bar, then click the Microsoft Office result.
Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to missing or corrupted system files and repositories of your Windows.
Be sure to use a dedicated tool, such as Fortect, which will scan and replace your broken files with their fresh versions from its repository.
3. Click on Advanced options.
4. Scroll down, then click the Repair button. By using this option, your app’s data won’t be deleted, but the app’s files will be checked for any damage or corruption.
5. Alternatively, you can use the Reset button in case repairing the app didn’t work. In this case, your app data will be lost as well.
The built-in Reset option for Microsoft Office will uninstall and reinstall the application, thus fixing the Microsoft Office not opening issue.
You can choose to fully reset the app or merely repair it, thus preserving your app data for later use. Choose the appropriate option according to your needs.
6. Install Windows updates
Microsoft regularly releases updates for Microsoft Office (and other in-house features and programs) through Windows Update.
So, if your current version of Office is disrupted in some way, there’s a chance a new update will fix it. And it doesn’t necessarily need to be an Office update.
Maybe some other features installed on your computer are interfering with Office, preventing you from accessing it. In both cases, installing fresh updates can resolve the problem.
To install the latest updates on your computer, simply go to Settings > Update & Security, and check for updates.
If you’re having issues opening the Setting app, take a look at this article to solve the issue.
7. Uninstall Windows updates
- Go to Settings. Now, go to Updates & Security, followed by Windows Update.
- Go to Update history > Uninstall updates.
- Now, find the latest Office update installed on your computer (you can sort updates by date), right-click it, and go to Uninstall.
- Restart your computer.
Now, let’s do the total opposite of the previous solution. If the problem started to manifest after you’ve updated your Office suite, then you can easily uninstall the latest updates and see if this fixes your problem.
8. Disable Add-Ins
- Open the troublesome app.
- Go to File > Options.
- Click Add-Ins, and then disable all add-ins.
- Restart the program, and run it without any add-ins enabled.
Sometimes, damaged add-ins may block your Word/Excel/PowerPoint from opening any document.
Since you can’t know for sure which add-in causes the problem, we recommend uninstalling all of them and then installing one by one again.
- FIX: Microsoft Publisher won’t open on Windows 10
- The file couldn’t open in Protected View [Excel, Word]
- Outlook keeps asking for your password? Here’s the fix
That way, you’ll be able to find out which one causes problems. The task is time-consuming, but you don’t really have too many choices.
9. Make sure Office is activated
If your copy of Microsoft Office Suite is not genuine, you won’t be able to open any Office app. Technically, you’ll be able to open any program normally, but you can’t do anything with it.
You can’t create new documents, or open and edit existing documents. It’s just an empty shell. So, make sure your Office is properly activated, and try to run in once again.
10. Remove Word Registry Keys
- Go to Search, type regedit, and open Registry Editor.
- Navigate to one of the following paths:
- Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice10.0WordData
- Microsoft Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0WordData
- Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordData
- Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0WordData
- Microsoft Word 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice15.0Word
- Word 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0Word
- Now, just click on the Data key, and delete it.
- Restart your computer.
If you specifically have problems with opening Word, we’ll try to delete some registry keys. Hopefully, the program will work after that.
11. Remove old printer drivers
And finally, some users have also reported that having old printer drivers installed on your Windows 10 PC prevents Microsoft Office from working. You have to remove your old printer drivers and install up-to-date ones.
Alternatively, you can use dedicated uninstaller software to automatically remove old printer drivers from your PC.
Third-party uninstaller software can scan your PC for any leftover files related to your specific app and permanently remove them.
After you finish removing your old drivers, check to see if the problem persists.
That’s about it. We certainly hope at least one of these solutions helped you resolve the problem with Microsoft Office.
Keep in mind that this problem mainly occurs with Microsoft Word. However, we’ve detailed solutions that apply to all Office programs, nevertheless:
- Microsoft Word not opening
- There are times when trying to open any Word document leads to the same result: you just cannot get passed the opening blue box.
- Word documents not opening
- Users often complain that double-clicking a Word document (.doc or .docx) is useless. They cannot open a Word file or the file icon is blank.
- Microsoft Office won’t open on Windows 10
- Even more, you may face the unfortunate situation of having Office completely unable to open. Apply the above solutions and confirm the one that’s successful in your case.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, just let us know in the comments down below.
Still experiencing issues?
SPONSORED
If the above suggestions have not solved your problem, your computer may experience more severe Windows troubles. We suggest choosing an all-in-one solution like Fortect to fix problems efficiently. After installation, just click the View&Fix button and then press Start Repair.
