Many users report Microsoft Word not opening on Windows 11 without knowing why. However, the issue is common to users, and you’re not alone. Likewise, some complain that Microsoft Word has stopped working on their PC.

Best solutions if Microsoft Word is not opening

  • Microsoft Word not opening on Windows 11 can occur if the Windows Defender Firewall is blocking its access.

  • Updating Windows OS may fix bugs preventing Word from working on your PC.

  • Finding and repairing corrupt Word files often help when it comes to solving the problem in no time.

  • Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).

  • Click Start Scan to find Windows 11 issues that could be causing PC problems.

  • Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

  • Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

This article will take you through how to get Microsoft Word running on your PC without stress.

Why is Microsoft Word not opening?

The main cause of this problem is corrupt or missing Word files. The corrupt files impede the Word client on your computer, preventing it from opening.

Nonetheless, Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 11 can be due to other factors, such as:

  • Outdated Windows – An outdated Windows OS lacks the needed patches and updates to fix bugs, improve security, and add new features. Hence, you may need to check the various ways to fix Windows update issues.
  • Third-party app interference – Microsoft Word may encounter difficulties with launching on your computer due to the activities of other apps running on your PC. Apps such as antivirus software may prevent Microsoft Word from opening.
  • Outdated Microsoft Word app – Microsoft releases updates consistently to fix bugs affecting the app and improve its performance. When you don’t install these updates, the app may develop issues, hence conflicting with your PC.
  • Add-ins in Microsoft Word – Adding more features and functions to the Microsoft Word app can be possible by downloading add-ins to it. However, these add-ins may be corrupt or unstable for Word, resulting in errors that may block it from launching on Windows 11.

These causes are not necessarily the same on every PC, but they can all be fixed by troubleshooting some settings and the Microsoft Word app.

What can I do if Microsoft Word does not open on Windows 11?

There are some effective solutions that you can use to get Microsoft Word to open on Windows 11. Before going into any troubleshooting process, go through the following preliminary checks:

  • Check if there is enough memory space to run Word on your PC.
  • Disable any antivirus software running on your computer.
  • Close unnecessary programs running in the background.

After doing the above checks and you cannot open Microsoft Word, go ahead with the solutions below.

1. Reboot your PC in Safe Mode

  • On the sign-in screen, press the Shift key while holding the Power button.
  • Press and hold the Shift key to prompt the Advanced Recovery Options page.
  • Click on Troubleshoot, then select the Advanced options.
  • Click on Startup Settings and select the Restart option.
  • Press F4 to Enable Safe Mode.

Wait until your computer reboot in safe mode. Rebooting your computer safely will fix startup errors that may impact the activity of apps like Microsoft Word.

You can check other ways of rebooting Windows in Safe Mode in a few steps.

2. End the task for Microsoft Word

  • Right-click Windows Start and select Task Manager.
  • Navigate through and select the Microsoft Word client from the PC, then click on the End task button from the drop-down.
  • Click OK to confirm that you want to end the task for the Microsoft Word app on your computer.
  • Restart your PC and check if you can launch Microsoft Word successfully.

The above steps can also work for ending tasks for other apps that may conflict with your Word running on your PC.

Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.Click here to download and start repairing.

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You can also access the Task Manager by other means. Hence, read how to open Task Manager via shortcuts on your PC.

3. Temporarily disable Windows Defender Firewall

  • Click Start on the taskbar, type Windows Security in the search box, and press Enter.
  • Select the Virus & threat protection option from the search results, then click Manage settings.
  • Toggle off the Real-time protection option to disable Windows Defender Antivirus.

Disabling the Windows Defender Firewall will fix any interference it has with Microsoft Word. Learn how to fix the Windows Defender Firewall if it can’t change settings on Windows 11.

4. Update Windows

  • Click Start on your taskbar and select the Windows Settings app.
  • Click on Windows Update and select the Check for updates option.

If there are any updates available, Windows will search for and install them. Windows update will fix bugs affecting your PC and blocking the Microsoft Word app from opening.

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  • Download & Install Intel Bluetooth Driver for Windows 11

Check our article for a guide on how to fix Windows not connecting to update services on your PC.

5. Repair or reinstall Microsoft Office

  • Press the Start button, type Control Panel in the search box, and launch it.
  • Click on Programs and select Programs and Features.
  • Then find Microsoft Office from the installed apps, click the three dots at the front and select Repair from the options, then OK.
  • Click on Repair in the new prompt for confirmation. (If you’re unable to fix the issue after repairing the Microsoft Office app on your computer, proceed to the steps below)
  • Repeat steps 1-4, click three dots at the front of Microsoft Office, select Uninstall from the options, and then OK.
  • Restart your computer and install the latest Microsoft Office version available for Windows.

Uninstalling Microsoft Office will fix issues affecting problems affecting Word and other services under it. Also, it’ll help update Microsoft Office to the latest build.

After installing the app, check how to fix Microsoft Word not activated error per adventure it appears.

6. Repair corrupt Word files

  • Click the Start button and type Microsoft Word into the search box, and launch the app.
  • Click on File and select Open on the left side of the screen. Scroll down and select Browse.
  • Navigate through and check for corrupted Word files on the PC.
  • Click on the file, tap the arrow pointing down beside the Open button, and select the Open and Repair option to allow Microsoft Word to fix the corrupt file impeding its performance.

However, you can read about the best tool for fixing corrupt documents in Microsoft Word.

You may be interested in how to remove watermarks in Microsoft Word in a few steps. Also, you can read about fixing errors Word experiences when opening a file on your PC.

Don’t forget to let us know which solution worked for you by using the comments area below.

If the advices above haven’t solved your issue, your PC may experience deeper Windows problems. We recommend downloading this PC Repair tool (rated Great on TrustPilot.com) to easily address them. After installation, simply click the Start Scan button and then press on Repair All.

Still having issues? Fix them with this tool:

  • Microsoft Word issues

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