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.
Microsoft Word will not open
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_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data
- Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Data
- Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Data
- Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Data
- Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft \Office\10.0\Word\Data
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_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options
- Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Options
- Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options
- Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
- Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options
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.
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