If you’ve been unable to open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents in the last week or so — and you’re not sure why — a recent Windows update is the likely culprit. Microsoft has confirmed that its June 9, 2026 update (KB5095051) is causing Office applications to fail silently when opened through certain third-party programs. No error message appears; the app just doesn’t open, which can easily be mistaken for something more serious like a virus.
The issue specifically affects software that opens Office documents on your behalf, such as accounting tools like CCH Engagement or Workpaper Manager, citation managers like Zotero, and dental practice software like Dentrix or Softdent. If you don’t use any of those, you’re unlikely to be affected. Microsoft says a permanent fix is on the way in a future Windows update.
How to check if you’re affected
Affected versions include any Windows computer that installed the June 9, 2026 update (KB5095051) or any later Windows update. If you use a third-party program to open Office documents and Office has stopped responding silently, this is the cause.
The workaround is straightforward: open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint directly from your Start menu or taskbar, then use File → Open to find your document. This bypasses the bug entirely and keeps you working normally while Microsoft prepares the fix.