Error 0xC0000142 when you start an Office application

You might get Error 0xC0000142 when you start an Office application. To help you resolve this, try the following solutions. We've listed the most common solutions first for you to try.

Solution 1 - Update Office

Make sure Office is updated to Version 2102 (Build 13801.20808) or later. If you're not setup for automatic updates do the following:

Note

If your IT admin manages Office updates, you may not be able to do the steps below. Contact your admin for help with this error. If you're the admin and need help managing updates in your organization, go to Choose how to manage updates.

  1. In the search box on the taskbar type Task Scheduler.
  2. Expand the Task Scheduler Library and select Microsoft > Office.
  3. In the middle window find Office Automatic Updates 2.0. Right-click it and select Run.

If updating Office this way doesn't work, try the other options below.

Solution 2 - Repair Office from the Control Panel

To get to the repair tool in Windows 10 or 11:

  1. Right-click the Start button  and in Windows 11 select Installed apps, or in Windows 10 select Apps and Features on the pop-up menu.

  2. Select the Microsoft Office product you want to repair and select Modify. If you don't have any options, select the three dots on the side.

    Note

    This will repair the entire Office suite even if it's just one application you want to repair such as Word or Excel. If you have a standalone app installed, then search for that application by name.

  3. In the How would you like to repair your Office Programs window, select Online Repair > Repair to make sure everything gets fixed. (The faster Quick Repair option is also available, but it only detects and then replaces corrupted files.)

  4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the repair.

Solution 3 - Run Windows update

Check that you're running the latest version of Windows. For more information, go to Install Windows Update.

Solution 4 - Ensure the Office Software Protection Platform is running

  1. In Windows, type Services in the search bar and open the app.

  2. In the list of Services, look for a service called Office Software Protection Platform, right-click and select Properties.

    Note

    If Office Software Protection Platform isn't listed, you're on a newer version of Office that doesn't use this service. Proceed to the next recommendation.

  3. Confirm that the Startup type is set to Automatic and Service status is set to Running.

  4. If Service status says Stopped, select Start to start the service.

Solution 5 - Uninstall and reinstall Office

Tip

Uninstalling Office only removes the Office applications from your computer, it won't remove any of the files, documents, or workbooks you created using the apps.

Use the uninstall troubleshooter to uninstall Microsoft 365, Office 2021, Office 2019, or Office 2016 from your Windows PC.

  1. Select the button below to start the uninstall troubleshooter.

    Uninstall

  2. Click Open if you get a pop-up window indicating This site is trying to open Get Help.

  3. Follow the prompts on the remaining screens and when prompted, restart your computer.

  4. Select the steps for the version of Office you want to install or reinstall.
    Microsoft 365 | Office 2024 | Office 2021 | Office 2019 | Office 2016

Important

  • The uninstall troubleshooter currently can't uninstall Office 2024.
  • Run the troubleshooter on the same Windows PC with the Microsoft 365 or Office product you want to uninstall.
  • You need to be on Windows 10 or higher to run the troubleshooter.

Tip

If the Microsoft 365 uninstall troubleshooter doesn't completely uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from your PC, you can try to manually uninstall Office.