Microsoft Office error code 147-0: how to fix it
Error 147-0 appears when the Click-to-Run update of Microsoft 365 or Office was interrupted, so Office will not start. Restarting the PC and waiting a few minutes fixed the one case documented. If it persists, repair Office with Quick Repair, then Online Repair.
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What it means
When you open Word, Excel or any other Office app, it first shows "Updating Microsoft 365 and Office, please wait a moment…". If that screen hangs for a few minutes and ends with "Unable to start Microsoft 365 and Office. Error Code: 147-0", the Click-to-Run updater did not finish its job.
This code is thinly documented. The details here rest on one opened report: a Windows 11 Home PC with Microsoft 365 that was shut down or put to sleep in the middle of an Office update, which left the installation incomplete. What works for you may depend on your setup. The fixes below go from gentlest to most invasive.
Symptoms and causes
You are likely dealing with this problem if:
- Opening any Office app shows "Updating Microsoft 365 and Office, please wait a moment…".
- After a few minutes the message changes to "Unable to start Microsoft 365 and Office. Error Code: 147-0".
- All Office apps are affected, not just one.
The usual causes, most common first:
- Update interrupted by shutdown, sleep or power loss
- The PC was turned off or went to sleep while Office was updating, leaving the installation incomplete. This is the only cause with a concrete report behind it.
- Update left unfinished or damaged
- Any other reason the update stalls can leave Office in the same state, where it refuses to launch until the update completes or the installation is repaired. The exact trigger varies and is not documented for this code.
How to fix it
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.
1.Restart the PC and let the update finish
If the update was simply cut short, a fresh start often lets it complete. This fixed the one documented case.
- Save any other work, then restart Windows from Start > Power > Restart.
- Open an Office app and wait a few minutes on the "Updating" screen without closing it or putting the PC to sleep.
2.Run a manual update once Office opens
Makes sure the interrupted update is fully applied.
- In any Office app, go to File > Account.
- Click Update Options > Check for Updates, and keep the PC awake until it finishes.
3.Repair Office
Microsoft's built-in repair tool fixes damaged Office files, which can be left behind by a failed update.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Microsoft 365, open its menu and choose Modify. Menu names can differ slightly between Windows versions; Microsoft's Repair an Office application page lists the steps for each.
- Choose Quick Repair and follow the prompts. Try Office again afterward.
- If it still fails, repeat and choose Online Repair. This needs a stable internet connection and takes longer.
4.Uninstall and reinstall Office
Last resort when repair does not clear the error.
Before you start: Make sure you can sign in with the Microsoft account tied to your Office license before you remove anything. Your documents are not part of the app, but back up anything important first.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, choose Microsoft 365 and select Uninstall.
- Reinstall Office by signing in to your Microsoft account on the official Microsoft site.
Check that it worked
- Word, Excel and other Office apps open without the 147-0 message.
- Under File > Account, Office shows an up-to-date version after Check for Updates.
If it still fails
- Contact Microsoft Support through your Microsoft account and mention error 147-0 and the repair steps you tried.
Sources
- Repair an Office applicationOfficial · Microsoft Support
- Unable to start Microsoft 365 and Office, error code 147-0 · mysysadmintips