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How to Fix "Something Went Wrong" Error in Microsoft 365

Applies toMicrosoft 365WordExcelPowerPoint
4 min fix Updated 20 Jul 2026

By , 10+ years in IT support and helpdesk How these guides are checked

Quick Answer

Open any Office app, go to File > Account, click Sign out, restart the app, and sign back in to refresh your authentication token.

Checked against Microsoft 365 Roadmap, Office release notes - Current Channel and between 5 Aug 2026 and 12 Sep 2026. Nothing published in that period has been linked to this guide.

Estimated Time to Fix: 4 minutes

Summary ​

This article guides you through fixing the generic "Something went wrong" error that often appears when opening or signing into Microsoft 365 applications.

Symptoms ​

  • You open Word, Excel, or Outlook and receive a pop-up saying "Something went wrong."
  • The error might include error codes like 1001 or 30015-11.
  • The application closes immediately or prevents you from editing documents.

Before You Start ​

  • None required.

Instructions ​

Before you repair anything, confirm the problem is yours. If colleagues around you are seeing the same error at the same moment, this is a service incident rather than your installation — follow What to Do When Microsoft 365 Is Down instead, because a repair during an outage costs you an hour and fixes nothing.

1. Sign Out and Sign Back In ​

This error is usually a stale sign-in token, and signing out discards it.

  1. Open any Microsoft 365 application that is still functioning (e.g., Word).
  2. Click on File in the top left corner, then click Account (or Office Account).
  3. Under your user information, click Sign out.
  4. Restart your computer.
  5. Open the application again and click Sign in. Enter your work email and password.
  6. If the "Something went wrong" pop-up comes back as soon as the app opens, the sign-in token was not the cause. Continue to Step 2.

2. Run the Microsoft 365 Quick Repair ​

Quick Repair rebuilds the Office installation without touching your files or settings.

  1. Click the Start button, type Settings, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to Apps > Installed apps (or Apps & features).
  3. Scroll down and locate Microsoft 365 in the list.
  4. Click the three dots (or click on the app directly in Windows 10) and select Modify.
  5. Select Quick Repair and click Repair.
  6. Wait for the process to finish, then try opening your applications again.
  7. If the pop-up still appears after the repair finishes, the fault is with your account rather than the installation. Raise a ticket with the exact error code from the pop-up (1001 or 30015-11, for example), which apps it appears in, and the date it started.

3. Verify Success ​

Open the app that was failing and confirm it loads without the pop-up.

  1. Open the application that was previously showing the error. It will now load normally without the pop-up.

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

Do not select "Online Repair" unless "Quick Repair" fails. Online Repair takes significantly longer and may require you to reinstall or completely re-activate your Microsoft 365 license.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Error code 1001 appears specificallyCorrupt identity cacheHow to Submit an Effective IT Support Ticket
Error says "Account Error: There are problems with your account"Expired passwordHow to Set Up Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) to change your password.

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Frequently asked questions

What causes the 'Something went wrong' error (1001)?
Error 1001 is a common authentication bug. It occurs when Windows is confused about which Microsoft account it should use to verify your Office license.
What if signing out doesn't fix it?
You may need to repair the installation. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Microsoft 365, click the three dots, select Modify, and run a Quick Repair.