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0xc00001426 troubleshooting steps2 sources linked

Office error 0xc0000142: use the documented startup repair

Microsoft defines this as DLL initialization failure and provides an Office-specific repair procedure. Start with Office updates or the administrator, then repair the suite; the older protection service is not present in every Office version.

By Glitchary · Updated · 2 min read

The short version

  1. 01Confirm the error occurs while starting an Office application on Windows.
  2. 02Ask the administrator to update Office when the organization manages updates.
  3. 03For an unmanaged installation, run the documented Office Automatic Updates task.
  4. 04Use Office's Modify > Online Repair procedure, allowing for repair of the whole suite.
  5. 05Check Office Software Protection Platform only if the installed Office version provides that service.
  6. 06Use Microsoft's version-specific reinstall route if the earlier Office remedies fail.

Raw message

0xc0000142 — STATUS_DLL_INIT_FAILED

Likely causes

  • DLL initialization fails during application startup.
  • Microsoft's Office-specific update, installation or applicable protection-service checks may resolve the startup failure.

Confirm the application before using Office's procedure

Microsoft's NTSTATUS table calls 0xc0000142 STATUS_DLL_INIT_FAILED. The repair route here is its dedicated Office startup article; it is not a universal fix for every app showing the same code. That article names a fix in Office Version 2102 or later. Use current Office updates, or ask the administrator when updates are managed.

Microsoft: STATUS_DLL_INIT_FAILED definitionMicrosoft: error 0xC0000142 when starting Office

Update Office, then use the suite repair

The manual update route opens Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Office and runs Office Automatic Updates 2.0. If updating fails, choose the Office product in Windows' installed apps and select Modify > Online Repair. Microsoft notes that this repairs the whole suite, even if only Word or Excel failed.

Microsoft: error 0xC0000142 when starting Office

Keep the service check specific to older versions

If Office Software Protection Platform is listed in Services, Microsoft's procedure checks Automatic startup and Running status. Newer Office versions may not have that service; skip that step when absent. Its final route uninstalls and reinstalls the applicable Office version, preserving documents. The linked article states the current uninstall-tool limitations.

Microsoft: error 0xC0000142 when starting Office

Sources and review notes

Checked on . The status meaning is from Microsoft; all repair steps here are scoped to the Office article. Checking the application and distinguishing a historical minimum version from current updates are editorial guidance. Other applications need their publisher's initialization investigation. Glitchary is independent of Microsoft.

Tags

windowsoffice0xc0000142dll-init-failedwordexcelstartuprepair