You click a button in Word, and instead of the expected action, you see the error: “There was a problem sending the command.” This error typically occurs when Word cannot communicate with other programs or with its own internal components, often due to a corrupted add-in, a damaged Data key in the Windows Registry, or a conflict with an external program such as an email client or a PDF tool. This article explains why the error appears and provides several methods to resolve it, from disabling add-ins to repairing the Office installation.
Key Takeaways: Fixing the “There Was a Problem Sending the Command” Error
- Disable COM add-ins in File > Options > Add-ins > Manage COM Add-ins > Go: Third-party add-ins often interfere with Word’s command handling and cause this error.
- Rename the Word Data registry key under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word: A corrupted Data key is a primary cause of the command-sending failure.
- Run Office Repair via Control Panel > Programs and Features > Microsoft 365 > Change > Quick Repair: Repairs missing or corrupted Word files that trigger the error.
Why Word Shows the “There Was a Problem Sending the Command” Error
The error “There was a problem sending the command” is not a generic Word crash. It signals a failure in Word’s ability to issue a command to another program or to its own internal automation system. Common triggers include:
Corrupted COM add-ins. COM add-ins are small programs that extend Word’s functionality. When one of these add-ins is damaged or incompatible with your version of Word, it can block command transmission.
Damaged Word Data registry key. The Windows Registry stores settings for Word under the Data key. If this key becomes corrupted, Word may fail to send commands properly.
Conflicts with email or PDF programs. Programs such as Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, or third-party PDF tools often register themselves as command handlers in Word. When these registrations are broken, the error appears when you try to use features like Mail Merge, Send to Mail Recipient, or Create PDF.
Damaged Normal.dotm template. The global template Normal.dotm stores default styles and macros. A corrupted Normal.dotm can interfere with command execution.
Steps to Fix the “There Was a Problem Sending the Command” Error
Method 1: Disable COM Add-Ins
- Open Word in Safe Mode
Press and hold the Ctrl key while you double-click the Word icon. When prompted, click Yes to open Word in Safe Mode. If the error does not appear in Safe Mode, a COM add-in is the likely cause. - Open the COM Add-Ins dialog
In Word, go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom of the window, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins from the dropdown list and click Go. - Disable all COM add-ins
In the COM Add-Ins dialog, clear every checkbox to disable all add-ins. Click OK. - Restart Word normally
Close Word and reopen it without holding Ctrl. If the error is gone, one of the disabled add-ins was the cause. Re-enable add-ins one by one, restarting Word each time, until you find the problematic add-in. Leave that add-in disabled.
Method 2: Rename the Word Data Registry Key
- Close Word completely
Make sure all Word windows are closed. Check Task Manager to ensure no Winword.exe processes are running. - Open Registry Editor
Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control. - Navigate to the Word Data key
In Registry Editor, go to the following path:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word
If you use an older version of Office, replace 16.0 with 15.0 for Office 2013 or 14.0 for Office 2010. - Rename the Data key
Right-click the Data key (not the Word key) and select Rename. Type Data.old and press Enter. - Start Word
Open Word. Word will create a new Data key with default settings. If the error is resolved, the old Data key was corrupted. You can delete the Data.old key after confirming the fix works.
Method 3: Run Office Repair
- Open Programs and Features
Press Windows key + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter. - Select your Office installation
In the list of installed programs, find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office (your version). Right-click it and select Change. - Choose Quick Repair
In the window that opens, select Quick Repair and click Repair. Follow the on-screen instructions. This repair does not require an internet connection and takes a few minutes. - Test Word
After the repair completes, open Word and attempt the action that previously caused the error. If the error persists, run an Online Repair from the same dialog. Online Repair is more thorough but requires a stable internet connection.
Method 4: Reset the Normal.dotm Template
- Close Word
Exit Word completely. - Locate the Normal.dotm file
In File Explorer, paste the following path into the address bar and press Enter:%appdata%\Microsoft\Templates - Rename the template
Right-click Normal.dotm and select Rename. Type Normal.old and press Enter. - Start Word
Open Word. Word will create a fresh Normal.dotm with default settings. Your custom styles and macros will be lost, but this resolves template corruption.
If Word Still Shows the Error After the Main Fix
Word Shows the Error When Sending an Email
If the error appears when you click File > Share > Email or use Mail Merge to Outlook, the issue is often with Outlook’s command-line registration. Repair Outlook by running its own Quick Repair via Control Panel > Programs and Features. Alternatively, set Outlook as your default email client in Windows Settings > Apps > Default apps.
Word Shows the Error When Creating a PDF
If the error appears when you use File > Export > Create PDF/XPS, a third-party PDF add-in may be interfering. Disable all COM add-ins as described in Method 1. If that does not help, uninstall any third-party PDF tools and use Word’s built-in PDF export only.
Word Shows the Error After a Windows Update
A recent Windows update may have changed permissions or broken a file association. Run the Office repair as described in Method 3. If the error persists, perform a System File Checker scan: open Command Prompt as administrator, type sfc /scannow, and press Enter. Restart your computer after the scan completes.
Quick Fix Methods Compared
| Method | Complexity | Time Required | Data Loss Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disable COM add-ins | Low | 5 minutes | None |
| Rename Word Data registry key | Medium | 5 minutes | Low (resets some Word settings) |
| Run Office Quick Repair | Low | 10 minutes | None |
| Reset Normal.dotm template | Low | 2 minutes | Medium (loses custom styles and macros) |
The “There Was a Problem Sending the Command” error in Word is almost always caused by a corrupted add-in, a damaged registry key, or a broken file association. You can now disable COM add-ins, rename the Word Data registry key, run an Office repair, or reset the Normal.dotm template to fix the issue. If the error occurs only with specific actions like sending email or creating PDFs, check the corresponding program’s settings and repair it separately. As a final step, consider running the Office Online Repair, which replaces all Word program files without affecting your documents.