How to Fix the Microsoft Office Error 0x80041015 on Windows
The Microsoft Office error 0x80041015 can occur when the users are trying to install Office, activate it, or simply access it.
Below, we take a detailed look at what this error is, and how can you get rid of it once and for all.
What Is the 0x80041015 Office Error?
The error 0x80041015 is accompanied by a message that says “Sorry, we ran into a problem while trying to install the product key. If this keeps happening, you should try repairing your office product. System error.”
According to theofficial Microsoft documentation, this error typically occurs if you have activated the Office product before installing the May public update. You might also encounter it if you are attempting to add another Office product or reinstall an existing one after the release of the May update.
1. Use the Office Activation Troubleshooter
This fix is specific to the users who are facing the error 0x80041015 while trying to activate Office.
Microsoft has developed an Office Activation troubleshooter that specifically helps with errors that prevent users from activating their Office installations.
It works by checking the current activation status of your Microsoft Office installation. Once that has been determined, the troubleshooter will perform a series of diagnostic tests to identify the underlying problem.
After identifying the problem, it will list down the potential solutions and recommendations you can perform manually or fix the issue itself.
Here is how you could run it:
Apply the fixes suggested by the troubleshooter and check if the issue is resolved.
2. Repair Office
You can also attempt to repair the Office installation, which will fix any corruption errors or inconsistencies that might be leading to the problem. Microsoft offers two repair options for Office; Quick Repair and Online Repair.
Here is how to proceed:
Wait for the process to complete and check if the problem is resolved.
3. Update Microsoft Office Click-to-Run
This is an official fix released by Microsoft for this specific Office error.
Updating Microsoft Office Click-to-Run will address known issues and vulnerabilities in the software. These updates also often include compatibility enhancements for new operating system updates, which can fix the problem at hand.
However, this fix requires you to access any Office program (for example Word) to proceed. That means if you cannot access Office components at all, it’s possible to move to the next method listed below. Alternatively, you can try booting into Safe Mode and launching any Office application there.
Follow these steps to proceed:
Hopefully, upon reboot, you will no longer face the error 0x80041015.
4. Temporarily Disable Antivirus
If you are using a third-party security program on your computer, there is a chance that it is conflicting with the Office processes, leading to the issue at hand.
To check if this is the case in your situation, we recommend temporarily disabling the antivirus and checking if that makes any difference. Simply right-click on the antivirus icon in the taskbar and chooseDisable until the computer is restarted.
Once it is disabled, perform the action that was initially triggering the error. If the problem was being caused by the antivirus, this should fix it. In case it does, this might be a good time toswitch to another, more reliable security program. You can also enable Windows Defender’s Virus & threat protection feature to help you safeguard your system from unwanted software and malware.
5. Install Office in Safe Mode
If you are facing an installation error, it might be because a background process or service is interfering with the Office installation process.
If you have quite a few background processes running actively, we recommend disabling them one by one using Task Manager. While you are at it, shut down any apps or programs you are currently using as well.
Once done, check if the problem is resolved.
If not, you canboot into Safe Modeand try installing Office there. This state launches Windows with a set of minimal drivers and programs, which can help determine if another process (most likely third-party programs) is causing the problem due to conflicts.
If you manage to proceed with the installation in Safe Mode, uninstall any recently installed programs as they might be leading to the issue.
Run Office Again on Windows
Microsoft Office has become an essential part of our daily lives, especially when it comes to managing work. Hopefully, the steps listed above will help you fix the Office error 0x80041015 for good. However, if you have exhausted all the available solutions and are still facing the problem, report it to the official Microsoft Support team with the necessary details. Till they offer an official fix, you can try any of the free Office alternatives.
Need a free but mighty Microsoft Office 365 alternative? Here are the best office suites to consider.
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