If Word is acting glitchy and abnormal, resetting it might be necessary. Although Microsoft doesn’t provide a “reset” button to bring Word’s user options and registry settings back to default, a couple of fairly simple solutions are available.

Running Microsoft’s Easy Fix Wizard

The first (and easiest) solution is to run Microsoft’s Easy Fix Wizard that automatically resets Word’s user options and registry settings for you. To find the Wizard, go to the “Here’s an Easy Fix” section of Microsoft’s Troubleshooting page. Select “Download” and, once finished, open the application. Note that all Office applications must be closed for the Wizard to work. The Easy Fix window will appear. Read the basic information and select “Next.” Let the Wizard run through its troubleshooting process. When it’s finished, select “Close.” Now, the user options and registry settings are reset. The next time you open Word, you’ll be prompted to run through the setup process.

Reset Using the Registry Editor Utility

While we recommend the aforementioned method, you can manually reset the options and settings in Word using the Registry Editor. Standard Warning: Registry Editor is a powerful tool and misusing it can render your system unstable or even inoperable. This is a pretty simple hack and as long as you stick to the instructions, you shouldn’t have any problems. That said, if you’ve never worked with it before, consider reading about how to use the Registry Editor before you get started. And definitely back up the Registry (and your computer!) before making changes. First, press Windows Key + R to open the “Run” window. Next, type Regedt32.exe and select “OK.” This opens the Registry Editor Utility. Navigate to the location of the key you want to delete. The key appears in the following file path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\ Note that “16.0” in the file path might be different depending on which version of Office you’re using. If you’re using Office 2013, you need to look for “15.0.” Microsoft provides a comprehensive list of key locations if you need further help. Next, select the key you want to delete. Once selected, click on Edit > Delete. You’ll then be asked if you’re sure you want to delete the key. Click “Yes” to confirm; then the key will be deleted. That’s all there is to it. The next time you run Word, it will take you through the setup process. READ NEXT

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• How to Reset Microsoft Office (Word) to Default Settings

By Alisa | Follow |
Last Updated September 14, 2022 If your Microsoft Office products are not working properly, you can reset Microsoft Office settings to default to see if it helps. 2 ways for how to reset Microsoft Word to default settings are also provided. To recover deleted or lost files for free, MiniTool Power Data Recovery helps. On This Page :

• How to Reset Microsoft Office Settings
• How to Reset Microsoft Word to Default Settings – 2 Ways
• Free Office Recovery Software to Recover Deleted/Lost Files
• Bottom Line

If your Microsoft Office products like Word or Excel have problems, you can try to reset Microsoft Office settings to see if it can help fix the issues. Also learn how to reset Microsoft Word to default settings in 2 ways.

How to Reset Microsoft Office Settings

• Press Windows + S to open the Windows Search dialog.
• Type office in the search box, right-click Office app and select App settings.
• Click the Reset button under the Reset section to reset Microsoft Office. It will reinstall Microsoft Office and revert to default settings.

Alternatively, you can also go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16 in File Explorer. Right-click the OSPPREARM.exe file and select Run as administrator. Click Yes in the UAC window to reset Microsoft Office settings.

How to Reset Microsoft Word to Default Settings – 2 Ways

If you want to restore Microsoft Word to its default settings, you can try the 2 ways below. Way 1. Rename the Normal.dotm file

• Close all Microsoft Office programs.
• Press Windows + E to open File Explorer. Click the View tab and click Options. Click View tab and tick Show hidden files, folders, and drives under Hidden files and folders. Click OK to save the settings.
• Next, press Windows + R to open the Windows Run dialog.
• Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates in the Run dialog and press Enter.
• Find and right-click the Normal.dotm file and select Rename. Change the file name as Normal.old. After you rename the file, Microsoft Word will have to create a new file with its original factory settings.
• After this, you can follow the operation above to hide the hidden files and folders again if you want.

Way 2. Reset Microsoft Word to default settings with Registry

• Press Windows + R, type regedit in the Run dialog, and press Enter to open Windows Registry.
• For Office 2016/2019/365, navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word.
• Select the Word key and press Delete to delete the key.
• Close Registry Editor and restart your computer. Open Word again and it should be reset to default settings.

Note: Editing the registry can be risky, it’s advised you back up your Windows registry before you do some edits.

Free Office Recovery Software to Recover Deleted/Lost Files

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Bottom Line

This post offers a guide for how to reset Microsoft Office settings and how to reset Microsoft Word to default settings. For more computer tips and tricks, please visit MiniTool News Center.

About The Author

Position: Columnist Alisa is a professional English editor with 4-year experience. She loves writing and focuses on sharing detailed solutions and thoughts for computer problems, data recovery & backup, digital gadgets, tech news, etc. Through her articles, users can always easily get related problems solved and find what they want. In spare time, she likes basketball, badminton, tennis, cycling, running, and singing. She is very funny and energetic in life, and always brings friends lots of laughs. Skip to main content This browser is no longer supported. Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.

How to reset user options and registry settings in Word

• Article
• 05/05/2022
• 7 minutes to read

• Applies to:

  Microsoft Word

In this article

Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, see Description of the Microsoft Windows registry.

Summary

This article describes various methods that you can use to reset user options and registry settings in Microsoft Office Word. There are two basic types of options that you can define in Word:

• Options that affect the way that the program operates. The information for this kind of option is generally stored in the Microsoft Windows registry.
• Options that affect the formatting or the appearance of one or more documents. The information for this kind of option is stored in templates or documents.

When you troubleshoot unusual behavior in the program or a document, first determine whether the problem might be caused by formatting, options, or settings. If the behavior occurs in multiple documents, we recommend that you try to reset Microsoft Word to the program’s default settings.

How to reset user options and registry settings in Word

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk. To manually reset a registry key, you must first delete it. Important Always export a registry key before you delete it. This step is important because you may have to restore the functionality that’s provided by the key.

1. Exit all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Open Registry Editor.
3. Locate and select the registry key that you want to delete. Refer to the Main locations of Word settings in the Windows Registry section.
4. Select File > Export, type a file name for the backup copy of the key, and then click Save.
5. Make sure that the key that you just exported is selected, and then click Delete on the Edit menu.
6. When you are prompted to respond to one of the following messages, click Yes:
   • Are you sure you want to delete this key?
   • Are you sure you want to delete this key and all of its subkeys?
7. Exit Registry Editor.

After you delete a registry key and restart the program, Word runs the Setup program to correctly rebuild the registry key. If you want to rebuild the registry key before you run the program, repair your installation by following the steps in Repair an Office application.

More Information

Main locations of Word settings in the Windows Registry

You can reset some Word settings, such as the Word Data and Options keys in the Windows registry.

Word key

Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word Word 2013 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word Word 2010 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word The Data and Options key are the most frequently changed areas.

Data key

Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data Word 2013 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word\Data Word 2010 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Data This key contains binary information for «most recently used» lists, including the most recently used file list and the most recently used address book list. This key also contains «Track Changes» settings and «Edit» settings.

Options key

Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options Word 2013 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word\Options Word 2010 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Options This key stores the options that you can set from Microsoft Word. The options are in two groups: default options and optional settings. Default options are established during the setup process. You can change them by modifying options in Word. These options may or may not appear in the registry.

Wizards key

Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Wizards Word 2013 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word\Wizards Word 2010 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Wizards All wizard defaults are stored in this key. These settings are created the first time that you run a wizard.

Common key

Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common Word 2013 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common Word 2010 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common This key is used by other Microsoft programs, such as the Office programs. These settings are shared between programs. Changes made in one program’s settings also appear in the other program’s settings.

Shared Tools key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools This key contains the paths for all Windows utilities. (The path may include utilities such as Equation, WordArt, and MS Graph.) Paths for graphics filters and text converters are also registered in this location.

Templates and add-ins

Global Template (Normal.dotm)

To prevent formatting changes, AutoText entries, and macros that are stored in the global template from affecting the behavior of Word and documents that are opened, rename your global template (Normal.dotm). Renaming the template lets you quickly determine whether the global template is causing the issue. When you rename the Normal.dotm template in Word 2007 or later, you reset several options to the default settings. These options include custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. We strongly recommend that you rename the template instead of deleting the Normal.dotm template. If you determine that the template is the issue, you will be able to copy the custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries from the Normal.dotm template that’s renamed. Certain types of configurations may create more than one Normal.dotm template. These situations include cases where multiple versions of Word are running on the same computer or cases where several workstation installations exist on the same computer. In these situations, make sure that you rename the correct copy of the template. To rename the global template file, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Open Command Prompt.
3. Run the following command:ren %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm OldNormal.dotm

When you restart Word, a new global template is created that contains the Word default settings.

Add-ins (WLLs) and templates in the Word and Office Startup folders

When you start Word, the program automatically loads templates and add-ins that are located in the Startup folders. Errors in Word may be the result of conflicts or problems with an add-in. To determine whether an item in a Startup folder is causing the problem, you can temporarily empty the folder. Word loads items from the Office Startup folder and the Word Startup folder. To remove items from the Startup folders, follow these steps:

1. Exit all instances of Word, including Microsoft Outlook if Word is set as your email editor.
2. Open the Office startup folder.
3. Right-click one of the files that’s contained in the folder, and then click Rename.
4. After the file name, type .old, and then press Enter. Note the original name of the file. You may have to rename the file by using its original name.
5. Start Word.
6. If you can no longer reproduce the problem, you have found the specific add-in that causes the problem. If you must have the features that the add-in provides, contact the vendor of the add-in for an update.If the problem isn’t resolved, rename the add-in by using its original name, and then repeat steps 3 through 5 for each file in the Startup folder.
7. If you can still reproduce the problem, open the %AppData%\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP folder.
8. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each file in this Startup folder.

COM add-ins

COM add-ins can be installed in any location, and they are installed by programs that interact with Word. To view the list of COM add-ins in Word, see View, manage, and install add-ins in Office programs. If add-ins are listed in the COM Add-Ins dialog box, temporarily turn off each add-in. To do so, clear the check box for each listed COM add-in, and then click OK. When you restart Word, Word doesn’t load the COM add-ins.

Summary of Word options and where they are stored

In the following table, «Template» refers to either the Normal.dotm template or a custom template.

Setting name	Storage location
AutoCorrect-Formatted text	Normal.dotm
AutoCorrect-Shared entries	.ACL files user.acl
AutoSave path	Registry
AutoText	Template
Company name	Winword.exe
Custom keystroke assignments	Template
Font substitution	Registry
Macros	Template/document
Picture editing	Registry
Print data forms	Document
Snap to grid	Registry
Styles	Template/document
Toolbars	Template/document
User info	Registry
View toolbars	Template
View/toolbar	Template
Document Parts	Template

AutoCorrect lists are shared between Office programs. Any changes that you make to the AutoCorrect entries and settings when you are in one program are immediately available to the other programs. Additionally, Word can store AutoCorrect items that are made up of formatted text and graphics. Information about AutoCorrect is stored in various locations. These locations are listed in the following table.

AutoCorrect information	Storage location
AutoCorrect entries shared by all programs	.ACL file in the %appdata%\Microsoft\Office folder
AutoCorrect entries used only by Word (formatted text and graphics)	Normal.dotm
AutoCorrect settings (correct two initial capitals, capitalize names of days, replace text as you type)	Registry
AutoCorrect settings used only by Word (corrects accidental usage of CAPS LOCK key, capitalizes first letter of sentences)	Registry

Summary

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, see Windows registry for advanced users. This article describes various methods that you can use to reset user options and registry settings in Microsoft Office Word. There are two basic types of options that you can define in Word. These options are as follows:

• Options that affect the way that the program operates. (The information for this kind of option is generally stored in the Microsoft Windows registry.)
• Options that affect the formatting or the appearance of one or more documents. (The information for this kind of option is stored in templates or documents.)

When you troubleshoot unusual behavior in the program or in a document, first determine whether the problem might be caused by formatting, options, or settings. If the behavior occurs in multiple documents, we recommend that you try to reset Microsoft Word to the program’s default settings.

How to reset user options and registry settings in Word

If you prefer to reset user options and registry settings in Microsoft Word yourself, go to the «Let me fix it myself» section.

Let me fix it myself

WARNING: Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk. To manually reset a registry key, you must first delete it. IMPORTANT: Always export a registry key before you delete it. This step is important because you may have to restore the functionality that is provided by the key. Follow these steps.

1. Exit all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Click Start > Run, type «regedit», and then click OK.
3. Expand the appropriate folders to locate the registry key that you want to delete. Refer to the «Main locations of Word settings in the Windows Registry» section below.
4. Click to select the key that you want to delete.
5. Use one of the following methods, as appropriate for your operating system:
   1. In Microsoft Windows 2000: Click Registry > Export Registry File on the Registry menu, type a file name for the backup copy of the key, and then click Save.
   2. In Windows XP and later versions or in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and later versions: Click File > Export, type a file name for the backup copy of the key, and then click Save.
6. Ensure that the key that you just exported is selected, and then click Edit > Delete.
7. When you are prompted to respond to one of the following messages, click Yes:Are you sure you want to delete this key? or Are you sure you want to delete this key and all of its subkeys?
8. Exit the Registry Editor.

After you delete a registry key, and then you restart the program, Word runs the Setup program to correctly rebuild the registry key. If you want to rebuild the registry key before you run the program, repair your installation by following the steps in the «Repair Word (Office)» section.

More Information

Main locations of Word settings in the Windows Registry

You can reset some Word settings, such as the Word Data and Options keys in the Windows registry, by using the troubleshooting utility that is contained in the Support.dot template.

Word key

Word 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word
Word 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word
Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word
Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word
Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word
Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word
Word 2000: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word Changes made to this HKEY_CURRENT_USER key are mirrored in the following keys for Word 2003, for Word 2002, and for Word 2000: Word 2003: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word Word 2002: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word Word 2000: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word The difference between the «HKEY_CURRENT_USER» location and the HKEY_USER» location is that the first applies only to the current user of the system, and the second is the default location for all users. However, Word entries are the same for both locations. Therefore, any change that is made to one location is automatically reflected in the other location. NOTE: For the rest of this section, all references to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER tree apply also to the HKEY_USERS tree, except for the 2007 Microsoft Office 2007 programs and where otherwise noted. The Data key and the Options key are the most frequently changed areas.

Data key

This key contains binary information for «most recently used» lists, including the most recently used file list and the most recently used address book list. This key also contains «Track Changes» settings and «Edit» settings. Word 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data
Word 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word\Data
Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Data Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Data Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Data
Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Data
Word 2000: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data

Options key

This key stores the options that you can set from Microsoft Word, either by changing menu options or by running the Registry Options Utility. For more information, see the «Use the Registry Options Utility» section. The options are in two groups: default options and optional settings. Default options are established during the setup process. You can change them by modifying options in Word. (To modify options in Word, click Options on the Tools menu.) These options may or may not appear in the registry. Word 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options
Word 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word\Options
Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\Options
Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options
Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options
Word 2000: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Options

Wizards key

All wizard defaults are stored in this key. These settings are created the first time that you run a wizard. Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Wizards Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Wizards
Word 2000: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Wizards

Common key

This key is used by other Microsoft programs, such as the Office programs. These settings are shared between programs. Changes made in one program’s settings also appear in the other program’s settings. Word 2016: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common Word 2013: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common Word 2010: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common Word 2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common Word 2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common Word 2002: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common Word 2000: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common

Shared Tools key

This key contains the paths for all Windows utilities. (The path may include utilities such as Equation, WordArt, and MS Graph.) Paths for graphics filters and text converters are also registered in this location. Word 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, 2002 and 2000: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools

Repair Word (Office)

Word can detect and repair problems associated with Setup. This feature uses the Windows Installer to correct problems with missing files and to repair registry settings. You can use the following methods to repair or reset Word files and values:

• Method 1: Use the «Detect and Repair» feature
• Method 2: Repair Word in Maintenance Mode Setup
• Method 3: Reinstall Word (Office)

Method 1: Use the «Detect and Repair» or «Microsoft Office Diagnostics» feature

NOTE: This method is the least aggressive mode of repair. If this method does not resolve the problem, you may still have to use one of the other methods. To run the Detect and Repair feature in Word 2003 and in earlier versions of Word, click Detect and Repair on the Help menu in Word. The Detect and Repair feature fixes and repairs Word. All files, registry entries, and optional shortcuts for all Office programs are verified and repaired. If you run Detect and Repair from Word, all other Office programs are also checked. This feature performs only a checksum. The Detect and Repair feature can also restore the Word program shortcuts on the Start menu. To restore the Word program shortcuts, click Help > Detect and Repair, and then check the Restore my shortcuts while repairing box. If Detect and Repair does not correct the problem, you may have to reinstall Word. The Reinstall feature in the Maintenance Mode popup window performs the same action as Detect and Repair, except that Reinstall copies a file when the files are of equal versions. Detect and Repair does not copy over the file when the installation file has the correct version and checksum. NOTE: The Detect and Repair feature does not repair damaged documents or damaged data keys in the registry or in the Normal template. If a file that Word uses at Startup is missing, the Windows Installer automatically installs that file before it starts the program. In Word 2010, repair Word or the installed Office suite in Control Panel. In Word 2007, run the Microsoft Office Diagnostics feature. To do this, click the Microsoft Office button, then click Word Options > Resources > Diagnose.

Method 2: Repair Word in Maintenance Mode setup

NOTE: This method is a moderate mode of repair. If this method does not resolve the problem, you may still have to reinstall Word. The Maintenance Mode Setup process is similar to the process found in earlier versions of Word. The Maintenance Mode Setup process allows you to repair, add or remove features, and remove the program. «Repair» is a feature in Maintenance Mode that finds and then fixes errors in an installation. To perform a Maintenance Mode repair, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Use one of the following methods, depending upon your operating system:
   1. In Windows 7 or Windows Vista: click Start, and then type «add or remove» .
   2. In Windows XP or Windows Server 2003: click Start, and then click Control Panel.
   3. In Windows 2000: click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
3. Open Add or Remove Programs.
4. Click Change or Remove Programs, click Microsoft Office (Microsoft Office Word) or the version of Office or Word that you have in the Currently installed programs list, and then click Change.
5. Click Repair or Repair Word (Repair Office), and then click Continue or Next.
6. In Word 2003 and in earlier versions of Word: click Detect and Repair errors in my Word installation or click Detect and Repair errors in my Office installation, then check the Restore my Start Menu Shortcuts box, and then click Install.

Method 3: Reinstall Word (Office)

NOTE: This method is the most aggressive mode of repair. This mode resets Word to its default settings, except for settings that are stored in your global template (Normal.dot or Normal.dotm). To do this in Word 2003 and in earlier versions of Word, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Use one of the following methods, depending upon your operating system:
   1. In Windows 7 or Windows Vista: click Start, and then type «add or remove».
   2. In Windows XP or Windows Server 2003: click Start, and then click Control Panel.
   3. In Windows 2000: click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
3. Open Add or Remove Programs.
4. Click Change or Remove Programs, click Microsoft Office (Microsoft Office Word) or the version of Office or Word that you have in the Currently installed programs list, and then click Change.
5. Click Repair Word (Repair Office), and then click Next.
6. Click Reinstall Word (Reinstall Office), and then click Install.

For more information about Word 2007 or Word 2010, see How to install the individual 2007 Office features or to repair the installed 2007 Office programs.

Templates and add-ins

Global Template ( Normal . dotm or Normal . dot )

To prevent formatting changes, AutoText entries, and macros that are stored in the global template (Normalm.dot or Normal.dot) from affecting the behavior of Word and documents that are opened, rename your global template (Normal.dotm or Normal.dot). Renaming the template lets you quickly determine whether the global template is causing the issue. When you rename the Normal.dotm template in Word 2007 or later or the Normal.dot template in Word 2003 and in earlier versions of Word, you reset several options to the default settings. These include custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. We strongly recommend that you rename the template instead of deleting the Normal.dotm template or the Normal.dot template. If you determine that the template is the issue, you will be able to copy the custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries from the Normal.dot template that was renamed. Certain types of configurations may create more than one Normal.dotm template or Normal.dot template. These situations include cases where multiple versions of Word are running on the same computer or cases where several workstation installations exist on the same computer. In these situations, make sure that you rename the correct copy of the template. To rename the global template file, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Click Start > Run, type «cmd», and then click OK.
3. Type the following command, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:
   1. Word 2002 and Word 2003: «ren %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dot OldNormal.dot»
   2. Word 2007 and Word 2010: «clean %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm OldNormal.dotm»
4. Press Enter.
5. Type «exit», and then press Enter.

When you restart Word, a new global template (Normal.dot) is created that contains the Word default settings.

Add-ins (WLLs) and templates in the Word and Office Startup folders

When you start Word, the program automatically loads templates and add-ins that are located in the Startup folders. Errors in Word may be the result of conflicts or problems with an add-in. To determine whether an item in a Startup folder is causing the problem, you can temporarily empty the folder. Word loads items from the Office Startup folder and the Word Startup folder. To remove items from the Startup folders, follow these steps:

1. Exit all instances of Word, including Microsoft Outlook if Word is set as your email editor.
2. Use one of the following methods, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:
   1. Word 2013: Click Start > Run, then type «%programfiles%\Microsoft\Office\Office15\Startup\», and then click OK.
   2. Word 2010: Click Start > Run, then type «%programfiles%\Microsoft\Office\Office14\Startup\», and then click OK.
   3. Word 2007: Start > Run, then type «%programfiles%\Microsoft\Office\Office12\Startup\», and then click OK.
   4. Word 2003: Start > Run, then type «%programfiles%\Microsoft\Office\Office11\Startup\», and then click OK.
   5. Word 2002: Start > Run, then type «%programfiles%\Microsoft\Office\Office10\Startup\», and then click OK.
3. Right-click one of the files that is contained in the folder, and then click Rename.
4. After the file name, type «.old», and then press Enter.IMPORTANT: Important Note the original name of the file. You may have to rename the file by using its original name.
5. Start Word.
6. If you can no longer reproduce the problem, you have found the specific add-in that causes the problem. If you must have the features that the add-in provides, contact the vendor of the add-in for an update.
7. If the problem is not resolved, rename the add-in by using its original name, and then repeat steps 3 through 5 for each file in the Startup folder.
8. If you can still reproduce the problem, click Start > Run, type «%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup», and then click OK.
9. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each file in this Startup folder.

COM add-ins

COM add-ins can be installed in any location, and they are installed by programs that interact with Word. To view the list of COM add-ins in Word 2010: click the Microsoft Office button, click Options, and then click Add-Ins. To view the list of COM add-ins in Word 2007: click the Microsoft Office button, click Word Options, and then click Add-Ins. To view the list of installed COM add-ins in Word 2003 and in earlier versions of Word, follow these steps:

1. Click Tools > Customize.
2. Click the Commands tab.
3. In the Category list, click Tools.
4. Drag the COM Add-Ins command to a toolbar.
5. Click Close.
6. Click the new COM Add-Ins button to view the COM add-ins that are loaded together with Word.

If add-ins are listed in the COM Add-Ins popup window box, temporarily turn off each add-in. To do this, uncheck the box for each listed COM add-in, and then click OK. When you restart Word, Word does not load
the COM add-ins.

Use the Registry Options utility

You can use the Registry Options Utility to examine and change Word settings in the Windows registry. The Registry Options Utility is located in the Support.dot template. NOTE: The Support.dot template is not included in Word 2007 or later versions. For more information about the Registry Options Utility, see How to change Word options in the Windows registry for Word 2003.

Summary of Word options and where they are stored

NOTE: In the following table, «Template» refers to either the Normal.dot template or a custom template. AutoCorrect lists are shared between Office programs. Any changes that you make to the AutoCorrect entries and settings when you are in one program are immediately available to the other programs. Additionally, Word can store AutoCorrect items that are made up of formatted text and graphics. Information about AutoCorrect is stored in various locations. These locations are given in the table below.

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