How to Fix Microsoft Office Error 0xc0000142 on Windows

For Microsoft Office error 0xc0000142, start with the last change: if it began after an update, repair Office; if it began after an add-in or startup change, disable the add-in; if it still fails, run Office Online Repair. Leaving it alone can block Word, Excel, Outlook, and any shortcut that launches them.

What Microsoft Office error 0xc0000142 means

Application Error 0xc0000142 is a Windows application startup failure. It can appear when opening Office apps, when opening Word documents, or even as cmd.exe - Application Error.

The fastest first check is simple: note the last change made before the failure. A Windows update, an Office update, a new add-in, a security product change, or a reboot after setup often points to the right branch immediately.

How to tell whether this is an Office startup problem or a Windows-wide issue

If only Office fails, focus on Office files, add-ins, the Click-to-Run service, or permissions. If several non-Office apps fail too, widen the search to Windows files or a service issue that may have started after an update. The same error code can show up in both cases.

According to microsoft.com — Microsoft’s main site includes Microsoft 365 and Support in its navigation. (source)

Likely causes, ranked by how often this shows up with Office

Most often, the failure is tied to a damaged Office install, an incomplete update, or leftover Office components from a previous version. Less commonly, the trigger is a security tool, a permission setting, or Windows file damage after an update or reboot.

Incomplete Office update or damaged Office files

This is the first branch to test when Office worked before an update, then failed after a reboot. Office may launch from one route and fail from another when a component did not finish registering correctly.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
3. Choose Modify.
4. Run Quick Repair first.
5. If the error remains, open Modify again and run Online Repair.

Add-ins, leftover Office components, or Click-to-Run trouble

When Word opens in Safe Mode but not normally, add-ins move up the list. Leftover files from an older Office install can do the same thing, especially after reinstall attempts or a version change.

1. Press Win + R, type winword /safe, then press Enter.
2. If Word opens, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
3. At the bottom, choose COM Add-ins, then select Go.
4. Clear the check box for every add-in, then reopen Word normally.
5. If Office was previously installed, use the built-in uninstall process to remove it completely, then reinstall Office.

Third-party antivirus blocking a normal Office launch

Third-party antivirus can create a false positive during Office startup. That does not mean protection is the problem in general; it means the quickest test is to pause the product long enough to confirm whether it is intercepting Office.

1. Open the antivirus main window.
2. Pause real-time protection for a short test window.
3. Launch Word, Excel, or Outlook again.
4. If Office opens, create an exclusion for the Office folder or uninstall the antivirus for diagnosis.
5. Turn protection back on if the test does not change anything.

Permission or compatibility settings

Administrator permissions are worth testing when the failure is limited to one user profile or one shortcut. This is also the right branch if the app opens from Start after one attempt, then fails from a pinned icon or desktop shortcut.

1. Right-click the Office app shortcut.
2. Select Properties.
3. Open the Compatibility tab.
4. Select Run this program as an administrator.
5. Select Apply, then OK.

Windows file damage after an update or reboot

If several apps fail, or the error started right after a Windows update, the issue may sit below Office. Outbyte lists missing system files, malware infection, and incomplete Windows Update patches as possible causes, so this branch belongs after Office-specific checks.

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Run sfc /scannow.
3. When that finishes, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
4. Restart the PC.
5. Test Office again before changing anything else.

Did this start after an update or a new install?

If the error began after a Windows update, Office update, or fresh install, treat that timing as your strongest clue. A reboot that follows setup often exposes a half-finished registration, missing file, or service conflict that was hidden during installation.

If Office is newly installed

A new install that fails on first launch usually means the install is incomplete, blocked by security software, or missing a prerequisite. Do not start by reinstalling again; first test permissions and the install path.

1. Right-click Word or Excel and choose Run as administrator.
2. Try the same app from Start and from the desktop shortcut.
3. If one path works and another fails, remove the broken shortcut and recreate it.
4. If nothing works, run Quick Repair.

If the error started after a Windows or Office update

Some Windows 10 users report 0xc0000142 after an update finishes and the system restarts. That pattern usually points to a broken Office update, a service conflict, or Windows files that did not register cleanly during reboot.

1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
2. Check for pending updates and finish them.
3. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
4. Repair Office, then test again after a restart.

If Office used to work and now fails from a shortcut

When Start menu launch works but the pinned shortcut fails, the shortcut itself may be stale. If both paths fail, the app or service is more likely damaged than the shortcut.

1. Launch the app from Start instead of the shortcut.
2. If that works, delete the old shortcut.
3. Create a new shortcut from the installed app location.
4. If Start menu launch also fails, move to Safe Mode or repair.

Should I run Office as administrator to fix 0xc0000142?

Yes, but only as a test. Administrator permissions can clear a launch failure caused by file access or registration issues, yet they do not fix damaged Office files or a blocked update. If the app only opens as admin, the permission setting is part of the problem.

How to open the app once as an administrator

1. Press Start.
2. Type Word, Excel, or Outlook.
3. Right-click the app.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. If that opens the app, test the same app again from a normal launch.

How to set the Compatibility tab option for Office

1. Right-click the Office shortcut.
2. Select Properties.
3. Open Compatibility.
4. Select Run this program as an administrator.
5. Select Apply, then OK.

Can antivirus cause Microsoft Office error 0xc0000142?

Third-party antivirus can sometimes block Office at launch, including after an update. A practical test is to pause real-time scanning briefly, launch Office, and restore protection right away if nothing changes.

How to test a false positive without leaving the system exposed

1. Open the antivirus dashboard.
2. Pause real-time protection only.
3. Launch the affected Office app.
4. If it opens, add an exclusion for the Office install folder.
5. Turn protection back on right away.

When a full uninstall of the antivirus is the cleaner test

If pausing protection does nothing, but the error appeared right after a security suite change, uninstalling that product for diagnosis is the cleaner test. Reboot afterward, then retest Office before installing a replacement.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Select the antivirus product.
3. Choose Uninstall.
4. Restart the PC.
5. Open Office again.

Does Safe Mode help with the 0xc0000142 error?

Yes. Safe Mode helps separate Windows from startup software, add-ins, and unstable drivers. If Office opens there, the core app is probably fine and something loaded during a normal start may be causing the failure.

Use option 4 for Safe Mode

Option 4 is the standard Safe Mode choice. It loads only essential programs and stable drivers, which makes it useful when you need to know whether Windows itself or a startup item is blocking Office.

1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
2. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
3. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings.
4. Select Restart.
5. Press 4 for Safe Mode.

Use option 5 for Safe Mode with Networking

Option 5 loads Safe Mode with networking. Use it when you need network access for downloads, support tools, or update checks while still keeping the machine stripped down.

1. Follow the same path to Startup Settings.
2. Select Restart.
3. Press 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
4. Open Office and test the failing app.
5. If it works in Safe Mode, move to Clean Boot next.

Use a Clean Boot if Safe Mode points to software conflict

A Clean Boot is the next step when Safe Mode suggests the issue is outside Office but you still need a normal Windows session to isolate it. It disables third-party applications and non-essential Microsoft services through selective startup.

Set selective startup in msconfig

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, then press Enter.
2. Open the General tab.
3. Select Selective startup.
4. Clear Load startup items.
5. On the Services tab, hide Microsoft services and disable the rest.
6. Restart and test Office.

How to tell whether a Microsoft service or a third-party app is the trigger

If Office works with Microsoft services hidden and third-party services disabled, the conflict is usually outside Office. Re-enable items in small groups until the error returns, then narrow the last group one layer deeper.

Repair or reinstall Office

Repair is the right next step when Office started failing after an update, after a reboot, or after cleanup checks did not help. Reinstall is the better choice when repair fails, when the install is old and messy, or when leftover Office components keep reappearing.

When quick repair is the right next step

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Select Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365.
3. Choose Modify.
4. Run Quick Repair.
5. Restart and test the same Office app.

When online repair or full reinstall makes more sense

If Quick Repair does not help, try Online Repair. If the same app still fails after that, stop repeating the same repair and remove Office fully before reinstalling.

1. Run Online Repair from the same Modify screen.
2. Restart the PC.
3. If the error remains, use Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant to uninstall Office.
4. Reboot.
5. Install Office again and test before restoring add-ins.

What to do if the same app still fails after reinstall

If a clean reinstall still produces 0xc0000142, the problem is no longer a simple Office install issue. At that point, check Windows files again, test another user profile, and contact Microsoft support for the next round of diagnostics.

Frequently asked questions

How do I fix Microsoft Office error 0xc0000142?

Start with the last change that happened before the failure. Run the app as administrator, then repair Office through Settings > Apps > Installed apps. If the issue started after a security change, test with antivirus paused. If it still fails, use Online Repair or reinstall Office.

Should I run Office as administrator to fix 0xc0000142?

Yes, but only as a test. Right-click the app and choose Run as administrator, or set it under Properties > Compatibility. If that works, the issue is likely permissions-related. If it does not, move to repair or Safe Mode.

Will repairing Office fix error 0xc0000142?

Often, yes, especially after a Windows update or a failed Office update. Start with Quick Repair. If that does not help, use Online Repair. If the same app still fails after both, remove Office completely and reinstall it.

Does Safe Mode help with the 0xc0000142 error?

Yes. Use option 4 for standard Safe Mode or option 5 for Safe Mode with Networking. If Office opens there, the base install is usually fine and a startup item, add-in, or security tool is the likely trigger.

Can antivirus cause Microsoft Office error 0xc0000142?

Yes. Pause real-time protection briefly, then open the affected Office app. If it launches, add an exclusion or uninstall that security suite for diagnosis. Turn protection back on immediately if the test makes no difference.

Do I need to reinstall Office if 0xc0000142 keeps happening?

If Quick Repair and Online Repair both fail, yes. Before reinstalling, use Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant to remove Office, reboot, and then install it again. If the same app still fails after that, contact Microsoft support.

What is the full message for application error 0xc0000142?

The error is also called Application Error 0xc0000142. The wording can vary, but the startup failure is the same.

Is 0xc0000142 a Windows problem or an Office problem?

It can be either. If only Office fails, start with Office repair, add-ins, and reinstall cleanup. If multiple apps fail after a Windows update, check system files and services first. The symptom path matters more than the code alone.

Prevention: after Office updates, open one app once before installing add-ins or changing security software. That quick check catches a broken launch path before it spreads to every Office app.