Before You Begin

This guide covers solutions for Microsoft Office 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365). While many troubleshooting steps apply to older versions, some features and settings may differ. Always ensure your Office applications are updated to get the latest bug fixes and security improvements.

Quick Fixes for Common Office Issues

Microsoft Office Applications Overview

Word

Document creation and editing

Excel

Spreadsheets and data analysis

PowerPoint

Presentations and slideshows

Outlook

Email and calendar management

OneNote

Note-taking and organisation

General Microsoft Office Issues

Office Applications Won't Start

If an Office application won't launch or crashes during startup, try these solutions:

1. Run in Safe Mode: Hold the Ctrl key while launching the application. If it opens successfully, the issue is likely with an add-in or extension.
2. Repair Office installation:

• Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features

• Select Microsoft Office from the list

• Click Change > Online Repair (or Quick Repair for a faster but less thorough option)

• Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog

• Type the appropriate command for the application you're troubleshooting:

• For Word: winword /r

• For Excel: excel /r

• For PowerPoint: powerpnt /r

• For Outlook: outlook /resetnavpane

Caution

Before uninstalling Office, ensure you have your product key (for perpetual license versions) or your Microsoft account credentials (for Microsoft 365) readily available for reinstallation.

Office Activation Problems

Issues with Office activation or licensing are common after system changes or reinstallation:

1. Verify your subscription status: For Microsoft 365 users, check if your subscription is active by going to account.microsoft.com/services.
2. Run the Activation Troubleshooter:

• Open any Office application

• Go to File > Account

• Click "Troubleshoot" under Product Information

• Close all Office applications

• Open Command Prompt as administrator

• Navigate to the Office installation folder (typically C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16 or similar)

• Run cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus to check status

• Run cscript ospp.vbs /rearm to reset licensing

Office Updates Not Working

Keeping Office updated is essential for security and functionality, but update issues can occur:

1. Check your internet connection: Ensure you have a stable connection for downloading updates.
2. Manually check for updates:

• Open any Office application

• Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now

• Open Command Prompt as administrator

• Run these commands in sequence:

Microsoft Word Problems

Formatting Issues

Word formatting problems can be frustrating when creating or editing documents:

1. Fix inconsistent formatting:

• Select the problematic text

• Press Ctrl+Space to clear formatting

• Apply the desired formatting freshly

• Show formatting marks by clicking the paragraph symbol (¶) in the Home tab

• Look for section breaks (displayed as double lines with "Section Break" text) or page breaks

• Delete unwanted breaks by selecting them and pressing Delete

• Select the table

• Go to Table Tools > Layout > AutoFit > AutoFit Contents (or Window)

• For persistent issues, consider converting the table to text (Table Tools > Layout > Convert to Text) and recreating it

• Right-click the image

• Select "Wrap Text" and choose the appropriate option (e.g., "In Line with Text" for the most stable placement)

• For precise positioning, select "Position" and adjust as needed

• Select the affected paragraphs

• Right-click and select Paragraph

• Adjust spacing in the Spacing section

• Uncheck "Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style" if needed

Tip

When dealing with complex formatting issues, it's sometimes easier to create a new document and copy content in sections rather than trying to fix a severely corrupted document. Copy the content without formatting (using Paste Special > Unformatted Text) and reapply formatting in the new document.

Document Recovery and Repair

If Word crashes or you encounter a corrupted document, try these recovery methods:

1. Use AutoRecover:

• Restart Word after a crash

• Check the Document Recovery pane that appears

• Select the most recent version of your document

• Go to File > Open

• Navigate to your document

• Click the dropdown arrow on the Open button

• Select "Open and Repair"

• Go to File > Open

• In the file type dropdown, select "Recover Text from Any File (.)

• Select your damaged document and open it

• Press Windows key + R

• Type %temp% and press Enter

• Look for files with names similar to your document

Word is Slow or Freezing

Performance issues in Word often have specific causes that can be addressed:

1. Disable hardware graphics acceleration:

• Go to File > Options > Advanced

• Scroll to the Display section

• Uncheck "Disable hardware graphics acceleration"

• Large images: Compress or resize them (right-click > Compress Pictures)

• Extensive tables: Consider splitting large documents with many tables

• Complex formatting: Simplify styles and avoid nested tables

• Go to File > Options > Save

• Adjust the AutoRecover time or disable "Save AutoRecover information" if it's causing slowdowns

• Close Word

• Press Windows key + R

• Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and press Enter

• Rename Normal.dotm to Normal.old

• Restart Word (it will create a new Normal.dotm file)

Microsoft Excel Problems

Formula Errors

Excel formulas can be powerful but often cause confusion when they don't work as expected:

1. Fixing #NAME? errors:

• Check for typos in function names (e.g., "SOM" instead of "SUM")

• Verify that referenced ranges are properly named

• Ensure required add-ins are enabled for specialised functions

• Check that the formula uses the correct data types (e.g., don't try to perform math on text)

• Look for hidden spaces or non-printing characters

• Ensure dates are properly formatted when used in calculations

• Use the IFERROR function to handle division by zero: =IFERROR(A1/B1, "Cannot divide by zero")

• Or use IF to check for zero before dividing: =IF(B1=0, "Cannot divide by zero", A1/B1)

• This typically occurs when a formula references a cell that has been deleted

• Use Undo (Ctrl+Z) immediately after deleting cells if possible

• Recreate the formula with valid cell references

• Go to Formulas > Error Checking > Circular References to find them

• Break the circular chain by modifying one of the formulas

• Consider restructuring your calculations to avoid interdependencies

Common Excel Error Codes

Performance Issues with Large Spreadsheets

Excel can slow down significantly with large or complex workbooks:

1. Minimise calculation frequency:

• Go to File > Options > Formulas

• Change Calculation Options to "Manual" rather than "Automatic"

• Press F9 to calculate manually when needed

• Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules

• Look for rules that apply to entire columns/rows and limit their scope

• Right-click on a PivotTable

• Select PivotTable Options

• Under the Data tab, uncheck "Refresh data when opening the file"

Data Import and Connectivity Issues

Excel often experiences problems when connecting to external data sources:

1. Fix Power Query connection problems:

• Go to Data > Get Data > Data Source Settings

• Select the problematic connection and click "Edit Permissions"

• Update credentials or modify privacy levels as needed

• Verify your connection string is correct

• Check that you have network access to the database server

• Ensure necessary drivers are installed (e.g., ODBC drivers)

• When importing CSVs, use Data > From Text/CSV and specify the correct delimiter

• For files with mixed data types, use the Text Import Wizard to specify column formats

• Ensure your internet connection is stable

• Check if the website's structure has changed (breaking the query)

• Try recreating the query from scratch

Tip

For regular data imports, consider using Power Query (Get & Transform) instead of traditional methods. It provides better data transformation capabilities and is often more reliable for complex imports.

Microsoft PowerPoint Problems

Presentation Display Issues

Problems with slide display during presentations are common, especially with multiple displays:

1. Fix presenter view problems:

• Press Alt+F5 to start the presentation in presenter view

• Press the 'Display Settings' button in presenter view to swap displays

• Configure displays in Windows (Windows key + P) before starting the presentation

• Use only standard fonts or embed fonts in your presentation

• To embed fonts: File > Options > Save > Check "Embed fonts in the file"

• Ensure the video is compatible with PowerPoint (MP4 format works best)

• Check "Play Full Screen" option in the video settings

• Compress media to reduce file size: File > Info > Compress Media

• Go to Design > Slide Size to match the presentation to the display aspect ratio

• Choose "Maximise" when prompted about scaling content

• Simplify complex animations that may lag on slower computers

• Go to File > Options > Advanced > Disable hardware graphics acceleration if animations are glitching

Presentation File Size Issues

Large PowerPoint files can be difficult to share and may cause performance problems:

1. Compress images:

• Select any image in your presentation

• Go to Picture Format > Compress Pictures

• Choose "Apply to all pictures in this file" and select the appropriate resolution

• Go to File > Info > Compress Media

• Choose the appropriate quality setting for your needs

• Go to View > Slide Master

• Delete unused slide layouts (right-click > Delete Layout)

• Click Close Master View when done

• Go to File > Save As and create a copy

• Before saving, click Tools > Save Options and uncheck "Embed fonts in the file"

Slide Master and Template Problems

Issues with slide layouts and design consistency often stem from Slide Master problems:

1. Fix formatting inconsistencies:

• Go to View > Slide Master

• Make changes to the master slide (top thumbnail) to affect all slides

• Adjust specific layouts as needed

• In Slide Master view, go to Colors in the Edit Theme group

• Create a custom theme or select a different theme

• In Slide Master view, select the layout with issues

• Use the Insert Placeholder dropdown to add missing placeholders

• Resize or reposition existing placeholders as needed

• In Slide Master view, click Fonts in the Edit Theme group

• Select an appropriate font theme or create a custom one

Microsoft Outlook Problems

Email Sending and Receiving Issues

Email communication problems are among the most common Outlook issues:

1. Fix "Cannot send email" errors:

• Verify your internet connection is working

• Check your outgoing mail server settings in Account Settings

• Ensure your account password is current

• Verify outgoing (SMTP) port and encryption settings

• Check incoming mail server settings (POP3/IMAP)

• Verify incoming mail port and encryption settings

• Run Test Account Settings in Account Settings to diagnose issues

• For Microsoft 365 accounts, check your internet connection

• Send/Receive > Send/Receive Groups > Define Send/Receive Groups

• Adjust the frequency of automatic send/receive

• Update your password in Account Settings

• Verify your account requires authentication for outgoing mail

• Enable "Remember password" if it's not saved

• Go to Send/Receive > Work Offline to uncheck it

• If an email is still stuck, switch to the Outbox folder

• Delete or edit the problematic email

Caution

When troubleshooting Outlook email issues, be careful not to confuse IMAP and POP3 settings. Using incorrect settings can lead to lost or duplicated emails. If unsure, contact your email provider for the correct settings.

Outlook Performance Problems

Slow or unresponsive Outlook behavior often has specific causes that can be addressed:

1. Reduce mailbox size:

• Empty the Deleted Items folder regularly

• Archive old emails: File > Info > Cleanup Tools > Archive

• Set up Auto-Archive: File > Options > Advanced > AutoArchive Settings

• Rebuild the search index: Control Panel > Indexing Options > Advanced > Rebuild

• Ensure your Outlook folders are included in the index

• Go to File > Options > Add-ins

• Select "COM Add-ins" from the Manage dropdown and click Go

• Uncheck add-ins one by one to identify problematic ones

• Close Outlook

• Run the Inbox Repair Tool (SCANPST.EXE) found in your Office installation folder

• Select your PST file and click "Start" to scan and repair it

• Close Outlook

• Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles

• Click "Add" to create a new profile and set it as the default

Calendar and Meeting Issues

Problems with Outlook's calendar and scheduling features can disrupt your workflow:

1. Fix meeting invitation problems:

• Ensure your time zone settings are correct: File > Options > Calendar > Time zones

• Check if you have permission to send invitations on behalf of others

• Verify all recipients have valid email addresses

• For modified recurring meetings, be clear about updating just one occurrence or the series

• If some occurrences disappear, check for conflicts with all-day events

• Recreate problematic recurring meetings from scratch if necessary

• Go to Send/Receive > Update Folder

• For shared calendars, verify you still have access permissions

• Check if synchronisation with mobile devices is enabled

• Ensure reminders are enabled: File > Options > Calendar > Check "Default reminders"

• Verify your computer's date and time settings are correct

• Check if "Dismiss All" was inadvertently clicked for multiple reminders

General Office Performance Optimisation

Improving Office Speed

These general tips can help improve performance across all Office applications:

1. Update Office regularly: Ensure you have the latest updates with bug fixes and performance improvements.
2. Disable unused add-ins: Remove or disable add-ins you don't need in each application.
3. Optimise graphics settings:

• Go to File > Options > Advanced > Display

• Disable hardware graphics acceleration if it's causing issues

• Go to File > Options > Save

• Adjust AutoRecover settings (5-10 minutes is a good balance)

File Management Best Practices

Good file management can prevent many common Office problems:

1. Use appropriate file locations:

• Avoid storing files in temporary folders or deep folder hierarchies

• Use OneDrive for Microsoft 365 users to enable AutoSave and version history

• Keep local paths short (avoid extremely long folder paths)

• Create backup copies of important files regularly

• Use different backup locations (cloud and local)

• Keep previous versions of critical files

• Use modern formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) instead of legacy formats

• Consider PDF for file sharing when editing isn't needed

• Use template files (.dotx, .xltx, .potx) for standardised documents

• Periodically review and delete temporary files

• Archive old, rarely accessed files

• Split large files into smaller, more manageable ones

Tip

Enable AutoSave for Microsoft 365 users by saving files to OneDrive or SharePoint. This feature automatically saves your work every few seconds, helping prevent data loss from crashes or power outages.

Reminder

These guides are provided as general information only. Your specific issue may require professional diagnosis. If you're uncomfortable performing any steps, please book a support session.