Read time: 9 minutes
Microsoft Office is a widely used productivity suite that consists of components like Excel, Word, Outlook, etc. However, error code 0xc0000142 is one of the error messages users see when using it to launch one of the applications from the suite. Any disruptions in such applications create a barrier in the performance of the users, and to get rid of the error, there are several methods that you can try.
What are the reasons for Microsoft Office error code 0xc0000142?
The Microsoft error 0xc0000142 “The application was unable to start correctly” pops up when you try to access Microsoft Office, and you will not be able to open a Word file or face Excel not responding errors at times. This error can occur due to:
- Corrupt or damaged system files
- Infection by malware or virus
- Incorrect installation of Microsoft Office
- Registry issues
- DLL files are missing or damaged
- Incompatible Windows version
The common symptoms of the error, “application unable to start correctly 0xc0000142,” include sudden termination of the application when launching Office components or games.
Top Solutions to Fix Office Error 0xc0000142
As we know, this error is caused by corrupted or damaged installation files, but it can be resolved by following some simple steps. Follow the solutions below carefully, and your MS Office Suite will be up and running in no time.
Solution 1: Update Office
If you are encountering the 0xc0000142 error, it is possible that you are using an outdated version of Office. Microsoft regularly releases updates for Office, which can include bug fixes and new features.
To update Office, open any Office application and go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now. Then restart your computer, and then open the Office application again.
Solution 2: Re-register the DLL files with Windows
If updating Office does not resolve the issue, you may need to register the DLL Files with Windows again. To do this,
- On Command Prompt, type the following command (as administrator):
for %I in (%windir%\system32\*.dll) do regsvr32.exe /s %i
- Hit Enter. Later, close Command Prompt and open the Office application again.
Solution 3: Perform a clean boot
If you are still encountering the 0xc0000142 error, it is possible that there is a conflict with another program on your computer. To fix this issue, perform a clean boot. This will start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and programs so that you can identify if another program is causing the issue. To perform a clean boot on Windows 10:
- Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Restart now > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- As your PC has restarted, press 4 or F4 on your keyboard to enter Safe Mode.
- Once in Safe Mode, try opening the Office application again to see if the issue has been resolved.
- If it has, go back to Recovery > Restart and select 8 or F8 to enter Advanced Boot Options > Disable driver signature enforcement.
This will allow you to reinstall any drivers that were disabled during the clean boot process so that your computer can function properly again.
Solution 4: Uninstall and reinstall Office
Another potential solution is to uninstall Microsoft Office from your computer and then reinstall it. To do so:
- In the Control Pane of your PC, click Add/Remove Programs. (or Programs and Features if you are using Windows 7/8/10).
- From there, find Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs and click on Uninstall.
- Then follow the prompts to complete the uninstallation process. Once that is finished, go to official site and download the latest version of Microsoft Office.
- Install it on your system and then restart your machine. Try opening Microsoft Office again and see if the error “application unable to start correctly 0xc0000142” has been resolved.
Solution 5: Office software protection platform
The Office Software Protection Platform is a service that is responsible for validating your Office license. This service needs to be running for Microsoft Office to work properly. To check if the service is running, follow the steps below:
- Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Type in “services.msc” and hit Enter. This will open the Services window.
- Look for the “Software Protection” service and double-click on it to open its properties window.
- Let the “Startup type” is set to “Automatic” and the “Service status” says “Running.” If not, click on the “Start” button to start the service. Once the service has been started, close the Services window, and try opening Microsoft Office.
Solution 6: Repair your office installation
If all these solutions don’t work, you can try repairing your Office installation at last. This will replace any damaged files with fresh copies and may resolve the issue. To repair your Office installation, follow these steps:
- Close all open Office programs.
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type in “appwiz.cpl” and press Enter.
- Find Microsoft Office and click on it.
- Click on Change.
- In the next window, select “Repair” and follow the prompts to complete the repair process.
- Once the repair is finished, try launching your Office program again to see if the error has been resolved.
Troubleshooting made easy with professional tools
Since the error is generic in nature, using manual solution to fix office error 0xc0000142 may consume several hours and requires a skilled person. It can also result in corrupted data. This creates a need for easy-to-use Microsoft Office repair tools that simplify the process without causing data loss. With professional solutions and repairing Office components is quite simplified.
These are advanced utilities designed to repair corrupted, damaged, or inaccessible Word, Excel, and PowerPoint presentations. They can fix all types of errors that might have caused damage or corruption to Office files. Once the repairing process is completed, the data from all the selected files can be saved to new and error-free Office files.
The entire process of repairing damaged Office files using these software is quite simple as they do not demand any expertise. These utilities come with an interactive interface that makes them extremely easy to use by both technical and non-technical users. Moreover, they provide a live preview of all the repaired data before saving it to a new file.
Kernel Data Recovery tools to counter corruption from error 0xc0000142:
- Kernel for Word Repair: Repair and recover Word documents using the Word repair tool that retains formatting, text, and other elements easily. Works best for both short and long form documents and files created from all Word versions.
- Kernel for Excel Repair: Repair damaged or corrupted Excel files with our Excel Repair tool in no time. Fix all Excel error codes and issues like workbook corruption, header issues, shutdowns, exits, and virus intrusions.
- Kernel for PowerPoint Repair: Use the PowerPoint repair tool to recover and retrieve inaccessible, damaged, or corrupted presentations without impacting formatting, slides, or images. Recover files irrespective of the size or severity of the damage.
- Kernel for Access Repair: With our Access Repair solution, you can easily repair MDB and ACCDB files of Microsoft Access using Standard or Template modes. Helps to efficiently restore Macros, Modules & Relational Databases.
Tips to avoid application unable to start correctly 0xc0000142 error
Use the following tips to avoid and fix Microsoft Office error 0xc0000142 in future:
- Use SFC scan (sfc/ scannow) to fix corrupted system files.
- Reinstall or repair Office suite of applications.
- Run the impacted components as administrator to skip permission rules.
- Regularly update Microsoft Office to its latest version.
Final Verdict
With the solution explained above, you can learn how to fix 0xc0000142. We have also given some of the effective tips to avoid the error in this article. Try them out before giving up on your software entirely. Hopefully, one of these methods will help get your computer back up and running so that you can get back to work. Moreover, to save the data from being lost or corrupted, use a professional Office 365 backup tool, which helps you avoid any catastrophe.
Frequently Asked Questions
To prevent seeing the Office error, you need to make sure that you’re using the latest version of your Windows OS. This will help you avoid any bugs or compatibility issues.
SFC scan command helps you repair system files, whether corrupted or missing. Whenever you experience Office apps freezing or crashing during use, run the SFC command to repair unhealthy/ damaged system files.
