Office 365 Word & Powerpoint apps disappeared

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Office 365 Word & Powerpoint apps disappeared

imd6662

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#322707 14-Sep-2025 15:38

On my laptop today I find that the Word and Powerpoint apps have disappeared and the associated file extensions (docx and pptx) no longer link to anything. Excel is still there though.

Any clues? Is this somehow related to some sort of forcefeeding of Copilot?

gehenna

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#3414933 14-Sep-2025 16:48

What have you done to troubleshoot? I found some default app settings changed after my most recent update so I had to set up defaults for pdf and web browser again. Have you tried to repair the installation using the installer?

richms

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#3414935 14-Sep-2025 17:02

Any updates in progress? I do recall seeing my icons revert to default ones when something was upgrading a while back, came back again when updates were done.

Richard rich.ms

imd6662

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#3414940 14-Sep-2025 17:54

I can't even find the installer!

gehenna

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#3414950 14-Sep-2025 19:57

imd6662:

I can't even find the installer!

Download it. Run it. Repair the install. Job done.

ANglEAUT

altered-ego
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#3414956 14-Sep-2025 20:23

imd6662:

On my laptop today I find that the Word and Powerpoint apps have disappeared ...

I heard of the Outlook icon disappearing. Windows Updates pending a reboot. After the reboot, the icon was back, pinned to the Taskbar.

Please keep this GZ community vibrant by contributing in a constructive & respectful manner.

imd6662

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#3414961 14-Sep-2025 21:56

Thanks for the suggestions. Reinstallation worked.

But I think it's time to get off the MS wagon.

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gehenna

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#3415010 14-Sep-2025 22:28

It happens, it's not really a reason to upend your digital life.

imd6662

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#3415139 15-Sep-2025 13:52

I think it's more a case of trying to salvage a simple digital life from a tsunami of unasked for complexity and obfuscation. At $180 per year too!

I actually don't want to do anything with MS Office except from time to time update documents which are 10 or more years old.

I certainly don't want to floundering around troubleshooting presumably trivial problems like this simply because I don't recognise them any more.

gehenna

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#3415148 15-Sep-2025 14:40

Good luck with the alternatives then. For all their faults, the M365 and Windows ecosystem is about as reliable as it gets. You can jump to Linux and other office alternatives, but don't expect it to be smooth sailing. You can use Google Docs and similar services, but don't expect it to be cheap. There's compromises whichever way you go. This is computing in 2025.