What Is A Microsoft Word Runtime Error and How Do You Fix It?



Most computer users utilize Microsoft Office and Microsoft Word for their word processing needs. If you do, you've probably encountered a runtime error at some point and you know that it can be incredibly frustrating. If you don't know why the error occurred then you probably don't know how to fix it. Unchecked runtime errors can eventually cause problems on your computer. These problems aren't serious but they can be annoying.

A MS Word runtime error is usually related to the macro command of an "add-in module." Word probably attempted to launch this module and it ran into an error. This is because the "add-in module" is not really a part of MS Word. Instead it is a third-party feature that Word doesn't really need. Of course, your runtime error may be caused by a virus and, in this case, the problem is more serious and needs instant attention.

One of the most prevalent MS Word runtime errors is the result of an execution failure. If this error occurs, try troubleshooting Word:

  1. Open the "Start" menu and select "Run"
  2. A text box will open. Type in winword /a
  3. Hit "OK" and MS Word will open

Now you're in Word and you can determine if the error is due to a third-party add-in, as mentioned above, or a universal model. To find out, complete the steps below:

  1. Select "Tools" and then Select "Templates" and "Add-Ins"
  2. Look in both "Global Templates" as well as "Add-Ins"
  3. Pick an item and click on it to determine its location
  4. Exit Microsoft Word
  5. Now head to where the item is located and remove it from the startup folder. If you are removing more than one item, make sure you do one at a time.
  6. Now try and restart Word

If you don't know where Word's startup folder is:

  1. Open up "Tools" and then select "Options"
  2. Click on "File Locations" and then "Startup"
  3. Select "Modify" and then pick a location
  4. Hit "Save" and then exit

All this being said, global templates are usually the cause of the Windows runtime error. To resolve this:

  1. The first option is to find the file labeled "NORMAL.DOT" and change the name of the file extension.
  2. The next option is to entirely remove the NORMAL.DOT file
  3. Attempt to load Microsoft Word

If you restart Microsoft Word and you are still experiencing runtime errors you may have to entirely uninstall the program. This is really easy to do using the "Add/Remove Programs" feature under the Control Panel in the Start menu. When you're finished removing it, reboot your computer and then reinstall.

 

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