
Click the Close button, then try your problem Office application again. In my experience, only 1 in 10 Office installations will still fail to work. If yours works, count yourself lucky and get back to your normal routine. Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support. If a Microsoft 365 application such as Word or Excel isn't working correctly, sometimes restarting it will fix the problem.
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If you’re not sure, the Installed Apps list we started with is a good place to look. If you’re coming from section 2, grab the download link for what Microsoft calls the "uninstall support tool" in its Support pages. Its filename is SetupProd_Offscrub.exe, so I’ve gotten in the habit of calling it "OffScrub" myself. If you have to go this far during actual Office repairs, my condolences. You’re probably feeling pretty frustrated by now.
Reinstalling Office
When you run a Quick Repair operation, Office will attempt simple repairs using local files already on your PC. This usually takes a minute or two to complete. In about 4 cases out of 5, in my personal experience, this step alone is enough to repair Office properly and restore it to working order. At least two computers at my workplace don't have Office (or its components) showing in the Installed Apps. After the list of installed apps populates (it can take some time, depending on how much you have installed), scroll down and look for Microsoft 365 (Office).
Microsoft Office Apps need Repair
You’ll then need to re-download and reinstall Microsoft Office. When complete, a checkmark appears next to the Rest button. Unzip to a folder of your choosing, then run the file named SaraSetup.exe to install the program.
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- However, let’s return to Step 1 to start this process where it also usually ends.
- When you run a Quick Repair operation, Office will attempt simple repairs using local files already on your PC.
- Unzip to a folder of your choosing, then run the file named SaraSetup.exe to install the program.
- When complete, a checkmark appears next to the Rest button.
- If it works, then it’s likely that your installation of Office is the problem, not the document.
- This process seldom takes more than one or two minutes.
You’ll see a dialog box like the one shown in Figure 9 open up and ask
Repair Microsoft email client you to confirm installation. If you have any Office applications open, you’ll be asked to close them before the repairs can complete. On my test machine, for example, I had Outlook open.

Like many programs, Microsoft Office’s tools can be extended by third-party add-ons. You can try uninstalling or disabling any you’re aware of. Exactly how you do this will depend on the specific add-on.
How long does a Microsoft Office repair take?
Recover data when the workbook is open in Excel

If a document has somehow been corrupted, it could crash Office. If the steps above don’t help, the next step is to uninstall and reinstall Office. A progress bar appears and shows progress while the repair happens.

You can also take some preventive measures to avoid losing your work by automatically saving a backup copy of your workbook or creating a recovery file from time to time. Once you’ve installed the program, the home screen opens up, as shown in Figure 10. It includes options for Teams, Office, the Outlook desktop client, Outlook on the web, advanced diagnostics, and more.