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How to Fix Word and Excel Crashes After the April 2024 Update
Question details
Users need a solution for Microsoft Office applications crashing or hanging after installing a recent software update.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Launching Office applications or opening documents, particularly opening attachments or files directly from Outlook.
- Observed behavior
- Word, Excel, and Outlook unexpectedly hang, freeze, or crash completely following the April 9, 2024 update.
Before attempting to repair your installation, save any open work in unaffected applications and verify you have your Microsoft 365 login credentials available, as they may be required after a repair.
Run a Quick or Online Repair for Microsoft Office
Using the built-in Windows repair tool can fix corrupted application files that may be causing the crashes.
Microsoft includes a built-in repair utility that can scan for and fix issues caused by corrupted update files without deleting your personal documents.
Right-click the Start button and select 'Installed apps' (or 'Apps and Features' on older Windows versions).
Scroll through the list of installed applications to find your Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office product.
Click the three dots (or right-click the app) and select 'Modify'. Choose 'Quick Repair' and click 'Repair'. Wait for the process to complete.
If the Quick Repair does not stop the crashing, repeat the steps above but select 'Online Repair' for a more comprehensive fix.
Reinstall Microsoft Office
A clean installation can overwrite deeply corrupted update files that standard repairs cannot fix.
Contact Your Microsoft 365 Administrator
For business environments, administrators may need to open a support ticket to investigate environment-specific update conflicts.
Keep Working Without Crashes Using WPS Office
If Microsoft Office updates are causing constant crashes and interrupting your workflow, switch to WPS Office. It is a highly stable, lightweight, and free alternative that opens all your existing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without formatting loss.
- 1. Download and install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free installer and follow the quick setup wizard.
- 2. Open your files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.
- 3. Work and save seamlessly: Edit your documents without worrying about unexpected crashes and save them in standard Microsoft formats to share with others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the April 9, 2024 update cause Word and Excel to crash?
Software updates can sometimes introduce unforeseen bugs, conflict with third-party COM add-ins, or suffer from installation corruption, leading to application freezes and crashes when opening files.
Will I lose my documents if I run an Online Repair or reinstall Office?
No. Repairing or reinstalling Microsoft Office only affects the application files. Your personal documents, spreadsheets, and emails stored on your computer or OneDrive will remain safe and unaffected.
Can I roll back the Microsoft Office update to a previous version?
Yes, you can revert to an earlier build by disabling automatic updates and running a specific command using the Office Deployment Tool, but it is generally recommended to try built-in repair options first.
Does this crashing issue affect Outlook as well?
Yes, users have reported that Outlook may also hang or crash, especially when trying to preview or open Word and Excel attachments directly from their emails following this update.
