Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Fixing Word.

Fixing Word

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated February 1, 2019)

Word includes an esoteric command that allows the program to "fix" itself. This means that you can instruct the program to examine all its components and reload them from the original installation CD-ROMs. In order to start this process in Word, follow these steps:

Press Alt+F8. Word displays the Macros dialog box.
Using the Macros In drop-down list, choose Word Commands. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Macros dialog box.

In the list of Word commands, select the FixMe option.
Click on Run.

This starts the process. You may be prompted by the program to shut certain documents or programs in order for the fixing to finish. Follow the instructions, as prompted.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1232) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Fixing Word.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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What is 1 + 3?

2018-10-04 14:37:45

glnz

Just tried it in Word in Office 365 Home 64-bit, and nothing happened. Nothing interesting is running in Task Manager either.

Was this command deprecated in O365?

Thanks.

2015-03-04 23:00:33

Al Gruber

What if you downloaded the install file and don't have a cd??

2015-02-21 15:03:19

Lee Batchelor

Interesting macro. I'd like to learn more about it, however, I don't see anything on the Internet about it. It's not in the Word help file either (big surprise!). I really need more information before I run this macro. Does anyone know more about it? Thanks.
- Lee

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