Fix: “Word/Excel Has Run Into an Error” Issue in Windows?

“Word or Excel has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly” appears when Microsoft Office cannot initialize one or more essential components required to launch properly. This issue is not caused by a specific document; it occurs before Word or Excel fully start, when the application’s runtime environment fails to load correctly due to a dependency or configuration problem.

Word and Excel depend on several components during startup, including the OfficeClickToRun.exe service, the COM Add-in Loader, and core system libraries (such as wwlib.dll, vbe7.dll, and mso.dll). These elements handle essential processes such as document rendering, macro initialization, and activation validation.

When any of these components become corrupted, fail a system integrity check, or load with a mismatched version, Office cannot complete its startup sequence and instead displays the familiar “Repair Now” prompt.

This typically happens due to one or more of the following reasons:

• Corrupted or Outdated Office Files – Damaged, missing, or mismatched installation modules often trigger startup failures, especially after interrupted updates or system crashes.
• Inactive Software Protection Platform Service – This Windows service validates Office activation. If it is disabled, delayed, or unresponsive, the licensing handshake fails and Word or Excel close unexpectedly.
• Faulty or Incompatible Add-ins – Third-party extensions like Grammarly, EndNote, or certain PDF tools can inject conflicting code during startup, disrupting the Office runtime process.
• System or Security Conflicts – Overly aggressive antivirus software, recent Windows updates, or restrictive permissions can block Office components from executing or accessing essential registry paths.

In short, the error occurs when Office cannot properly verify activation, load its core modules, or communicate with required background services during launch.

Now that you understand the root causes, let’s fix the problem step by step.

1. Repair Office Installation

Repairing Office replaces corrupted or mismatched binaries, restores missing dependencies, and re-registers critical runtime components. This process resolves startup failures caused by damaged DLL files or broken service links, allowing Word and Excel to launch smoothly without triggering error messages.

1. Close all Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).
2. Press Windows + R, type control, and press Enter to open Control Panel.
3. Go to Programs → Programs and Features.
4. Locate Microsoft Office in the list and select it.
5. Click Change at the top.
6. Choose Online Repair (not Quick Repair).
7. Click Repair and follow the on-screen instructions.
8. Wait while Office downloads and reinstalls its core components.
9. Restart your PC if prompted.

2. Disable Add-ins (Safe Mode)

Startup crashes are often caused by COM/VSTO add-ins that load when Word or Excel starts. Running the application in Safe Mode disables all third-party extensions, allowing only essential Microsoft components to load. This helps identify if an add-in is responsible for the error.

Press Win + R and type winword /safe or excel /safe, then press Enter.

• If the error does not appear in Safe Mode: It indicates that a third-party add-in is likely causing the crash.
  1. Go to File → Options → Add-ins.
  2. Select COM Add-ins from the “Manage” dropdown and click Go….
  3. Uncheck any suspicious or recently added add-ins.
  4. Restart Word or Excel normally to check if the issue is resolved.
• If the error still appears in Safe Mode: The issue is not caused by add-ins.
  • Continue with other troubleshooting steps (e.g., Online Repair or checking background services).

Tip: Start by disabling non-Microsoft add-ins first, as these are the most common source of conflicts.

3. Perform a Clean Boot

In some cases, the issue is triggered not by Office itself but by third-party services or background applications that load during Windows startup. These can interfere with licensing checks, lock DLL files, or inject conflicting processes.

A Clean Boot starts Windows with only essential Microsoft services. This isolates external software and helps determine whether a background process is causing Word or Excel to fail. If the error disappears in Clean Boot mode, re-enabling startup items one by one can help identify the culprit.

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
2. Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services (very important), then click Disable all.
3. Open Task Manager → Startup tab and disable all startup items.
4. Restart your PC.

• If the error does not appear after a Clean Boot:
  • The issue is caused by an external service or startup program.
  • Re-enable services and startup items in small groups to identify the exact cause.
  • Leave the problematic service or program disabled once found.
• If the error still appears after a Clean Boot:
  • Proceed to other troubleshooting methods (e.g., enabling sppsvc or performing a clean reinstall).

Tip: Antivirus software, licensing blockers, and outdated system utilities are the most common culprits revealed through Clean Boot testing.

4. Turn On Software Protection Platform Service

The Software Protection Platform service (sppsvc) manages Office activation and license validation. If this service is stopped, disabled, or slow to start, Word and Excel cannot complete their activation checks, resulting in the “has run into an error” prompt. Re-enabling this service restores the activation pathway, allowing the application to start normally.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter to open the Services console.
2. Scroll down and locate Software Protection.
3. Right-click it and select Properties.
4. Set the Startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start).
5. If the service is stopped, click Start.
6. Click Apply and then OK.
7. Restart your PC and launch Word or Excel.

5. Clean Install Office

If the problem persists, it may be caused by deep installation corruption, damaged registry entries, or update conflicts that a standard repair cannot fix. In these situations, a complete clean installation is the most reliable solution. This process removes all residual files, invalid configurations, and outdated activation tokens that may be triggering the error.

1. Press Win + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter to open Programs and Features.
2. Locate Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs.
3. Select it and click Uninstall.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove Office completely.
5. Once uninstalled, download the Office Uninstall Support Tool from Microsoft’s official site.
6. Run the tool to remove any leftover files, registry entries, or activation tokens.
7. Restart your PC.
8. Sign in to your Microsoft account or Office portal and download the latest Office build.
9. Install Office and complete the activation process.
10. Open Word or Excel to verify that the error is gone.

If none of the methods above work, the issue may involve complex licensing conflicts, Windows-level corruption, or tenant-specific activation problems that require advanced troubleshooting.

In that case, the most effective next step is to contact Microsoft Support directly. Their team can run diagnostic tools, review activation logs, and apply advanced fixes not available to the public. You can reach Microsoft Support here: https://support.microsoft.com/contactus