Top 7 Ways to Fix Microsoft Office Stuck on Getting Things Ready in Windows 11

Is the Microsoft Office installation stuck on the ‘we’re getting things ready’ screen? Worry not; you’re not alone in this situation. Many users have complained about Microsoft Office getting stuck with this error during the installation or update process. 

Fortunately, it’s a very common issue and can easily be resolved. Without that, Microsoft won’t complete installing the Office productivity suite on your computer. This post will explore quick ways to fix Microsoft Office stuck on getting things ready in Windows 11. 

1. Check Your Connection

Microsoft Office downloads some files from the internet to complete its installation on your computer. However, if your computer is connected to a weak internet connection, the installer will fail to reach Microsoft Office servers and get stuck on the ‘we’re getting things ready’ screen. To check for this possibility, test the internet speed of your system. 

If the result shows your connection is weak or unstable, try basic fixes like restarting the router, switching to a different DNS server, or turning off any active VPN. However, if none of that fixes works, check out our dedicated guide on fixing a slow internet connection on Windows PC. 

2. Run the Installer With Administrative Rights

Many applications, including Microsoft Office, require administrative permissions to complete the installation. When it is not provided, you become prone to different issues, including the one in question.

So, launch the Microsoft Office installer with administrative rights and check if it resolves the error. To do that, right-click the Microsoft Office installer and choose ‘Run as administrator’ option. When a User Account Control prompt shows up, click Yes to install the Office with administrative rights. 

3. Run Microsoft Office in Compatibility Mode

Another quick way to fix the error is to run the installer in compatibility mode. Doing this will be helpful if Microsoft Office is facing compatibility issues on your computer. You can run Microsoft Office in compatibility mode by following these steps:

Step 1: Right-click on the Microsoft Office installer and choose Properties from the context menu. 

Step 2: Switch to the Compatibility tab. 

Step 3: Check the ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for’ box and choose Windows 8 from the drop-down menu. 

Step 4: Click Apply and OK buttons to save the changes. 

4. Try Quick Repair

Microsoft offers an effective repair tool you can use to repair most Microsoft Office issues. You can also use it to fix Office installation stuck on the ‘we’re getting things ready’ error. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu. 

Step 2: Type Control Panel in the search bar and press Enter. 

Step 3: Choose Uninstall a program. 

Step 4: Right-click on Microsoft Office and choose Change. 

Step 5: Choose Quick Repair and click Repair. 

Step 6: Click Repair.

Microsoft will now try every possible way to resolve the installation error. If this solution didn’t help, check out the next one. 

5. Clear Office Cache Files

The error can also appear due to corrupt cache files from the previous installation of Microsoft Office. You will have to clear the cache files to fix the issue. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run tool. 

Step 2: Type %appdata%/Microsoft in the search bar and click OK. 

Step 3: Open the Office folder.

Step 4: Select everything inside the Office folder using the Control + A keyboard shortcut, and then press the Shift + Delete keyboard shortcut to permanently delete the selected files. 

Next, restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

6. Use Microsoft Support and Recovery Tool

Microsoft Support and Recovery Tool is a dedicated tool by Microsoft that scans and offers the best solution for any Office problem. You can use it by following the below instructions:

Step 1: Use the below link to download Microsoft Support and Recovery Tool. 

Download Microsoft Support and Recovery Tool

Step 2: Open the downloaded folder and double-click on SaraSetup.exe file. 

Step 3: Choose ‘Office & Office Apps,’ and click Next. 

Step 4: Select the problem you’re facing and click Next. 

The Microsoft Support and Recovery Tool will scan your computer and suggest fixes that might help you fix the installation error. 

7. Reinstall Microsoft Office

If the ‘we’re getting things ready’ error still appears every time you try to launch Microsoft Office, you are left with no option other than to reinstall Microsoft Office. To do that, follow the below instructions: 

Step 1: Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu. 

Step 2: Type Control Panel in the search bar and press Enter. 

Step 3: Control Panel and choose Uninstall a program. 

Step 4: Right-click on Microsoft Office and choose Uninstall. Then, restart your computer. 

Step 5: Head towards Microsoft Office official website using the below link and log in with your credentials. 

Microsoft Office Official Website

Step 6: Click the Install Office button, download the setup file, and go through the installation instructions. 

After the installation completes, you will see you are no longer facing the ‘we’re getting things ready’ error. 

Repairing Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is a great tool to improve your productivity. However, you won’t be able to use it if it gets stuck on the ‘we’re getting things ready’ screen during the installation or update process. Fortunately, you can quickly eliminate this error using the above fixes.

Meanwhile, you might be looking for a dedicated guide for fixing all kind of Microsoft Office issues.