How to Fix We Are Sorry But Word Has Run Into An Error?

Why does the We Are Sorry but Word Has Run Into an Error happen?

Are you seeing the error message: "We’re sorry, but Word has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Word will need to be closed as a result. Would you like us to repair now?" when trying to open Microsoft Word? This issue often appears after updating Word to a newer version. During the update, Word may switch to compatibility mode, which can cause problems.

Don’t worry — we’ll walk you through some quick and easy fixes to solve this error. But first, let’s understand why this happens. Then, we’ll show you how to fix the issue and recover any lost Word documents.

Since this error occurs due to compatibility conflicts during upgrades, resolving it involves adjusting these settings. Here’s how to fix it step by step.

How to fix error message Word Has Run Into an Error?

To fix Word Has Run Into an Error, you will have 4 methods. 

Fix 1. Turn Off Problematic Add-ins

Sometimes, add-ins (extra features) cause this error. You can often fix it by turning off the add-in causing trouble. Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1. Open Add-in Settings: Open Word. Go to File > Options.

Step 2. Manage Add-ins: In the Word Options window, click Add-ins.

Step 3. View Installed Add-ins: Look for the "Manage" section near the bottom. Select COM Add-ins and click the Go... button. This shows all currently active add-ins.

Step 4. Test Add-ins Individually: Uncheck the box next to one add-in. Click OK and restart Word to see if the error is gone.

If the error stops, you've found the problematic add-in. You'll need to keep it disabled or contact its developer for an update. If the error continues, repeat steps 1-4, unchecking a different single add-in each time.

Fix 2. Repair corrupted Word documents online

If you see the We Are Sorry But Word Has Run Into An Error message, your Word documents may have been corrupted. To fix it, you can corrupted Word file recovery online. Recovery Toolbox is a great online tool for repairing corrupted or damaged Word files. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you repair Word files with Recovery Toolbox:

Step 1. Visit Recovery Toolbox's official page. Enter your email address and click "SELECT FILE" to upload the damaged Word files.

Step 2. Click "NEXT STEP" to proceed. Wait for the tool to repair your files; you can estimate the time required by checking the process bar.

Step 3. Once the repair is complete, you can preview the repaired files or download a demo.

Note: You can't use this online tool for free; it will charge you based on the size of your file or how hard it is to fix.

Fix 3. 

Fix 2. Turn off the Compatibility Mode in Word

As explained earlier, this error often occurs because Word automatically switches to compatibility mode during an Office update. To fix this, you’ll need to disable compatibility mode by following these steps:

Step 1. Right-click the Word shortcut on your desktop to select Properties.

Step 2. Move on to the Compatibility section, then make sure to uncheck the Run this program in compatibility mode for option. Then click OK.

Bonus tip: How to recover corrupted or lost Word files?

If you're seeing the error message “We’re sorry, but Word has run into an error” and your Word files are corrupted or lost, don’t worry—there are ways to get them back. One effective method is to use professional data recovery software like AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery. This tool is especially useful if your Word files were damaged by viruses, malware, system crashes, or were accidentally deleted or not saved properly.

AOMEI Partition Assistant is reliable and beginner-friendly. It can recover Word documents as well as files from Excel, PowerPoint, and recover deleted items in Office 365. It even helps in complex situations, like restoring data after formatting a disk or recovering files from a drive that can’t be unlocked.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Conclusion

The error message “We’re sorry, but Word has run into an error” often happens after Office updates due to compatibility issues or faulty add-ins. Luckily, you can fix it with simple methods like disabling add-ins, turning off compatibility mode, or repairing your Word installation. If your documents are corrupted or lost, tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery can help you safely recover your files. With the right steps, you can resolve the error and restore your important documents quickly and easily.