Fix: Office Apps Close Immediately After Launch

If you're opening Word, Excel, Outlook, or another Office app and it closes right away without an error, you're not alone. This issue typically happens just after installation or reactivation, and it’s often related to licensing, profile settings, or leftover registry entries.

Why This Happens

This problem is usually caused by one of the following:

• A mismatch or delay in Office license activation

• A corrupted user profile or Office identity cache

• Remnants of a previous Office installation

• Compatibility or update conflicts

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Restart Your PC

Before doing anything else, restart your computer. It might sound basic, but if Office was recently installed or activated, a reboot often completes the process.

2. Check Activation Status

Make sure your copy of Office is correctly activated.

• Open any Office app (if it stays open long enough)

• Go to File > Account

• Look under Product Information

  • If it says "Product Deactivated" or "Unlicensed", re-enter your key or sign in with the provided Microsoft 365 account

If you're unable to access this screen, proceed to the next steps.

3. Run the Office Repair Tool

• Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features

• Click on Microsoft Office, then click Change

• Select Quick Repair, and if that doesn’t work, try Online Repair

This will reset core Office files without removing your documents or data.

4. Clear Office Credentials and Cache

Sometimes a corrupted profile can cause Office to crash instantly.

1. Press Windows + R, type:

control /name Microsoft.CredentialManager

1. In Credential Manager, remove any credentials related to Office, MicrosoftOffice16, or MicrosoftOffice20XX

Then:

3. Navigate to:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Licensing

3. (Adjust the version number if using 2019 or 2024)

4. Delete all files in that folder

5. Restart your computer

5. Fully Uninstall and Reinstall Office (If Needed)

If nothing works, use our full uninstall guide to remove all traces of Office:
How to Fully Uninstall Microsoft Office on Windows

Then reinstall using the original link or account we provided.

Still Not Working?

If the issue continues:

1. Send us a screenshot or screen recording of what happens

2. Include your order number and any steps you've tried

3. Email us at help@thesoftwarekings.com — we’ll resolve it or issue a replacement if needed

Get Instant Help

Ask Kingbot (bottom-right corner) or message us directly