Microsoft PowerPoint is hanging on an update screen, refusing to open, or looping on “Updating” after you installed the latest update. That leaves you blocked from presentations, files, and even basic editing. This guide shows you the fastest fix first, then walks you through the exact steps to get PowerPoint working again.
Quick fix
The most common fix is to fully close every Office process, then run a Microsoft 365 repair. PowerPoint gets stuck when a previous update leaves a bad cache or a half-finished Office component in the background, and a repair clears that out. If you want the shortest path, restart your PC, then use the repair tool in Windows Settings.
Why this happens
PowerPoint gets stuck updating when Office cannot finish replacing old files with new ones. A background Office process, a damaged update cache, or a conflicted add-in leaves PowerPoint waiting on a step that never completes. In some cases, another Office app is holding the same files open, which traps PowerPoint in an update loop.
How to fix it
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Close PowerPoint and every Office app.
Quit PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, and OneNote. Then press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and end any remaining Microsoft Office processes such as PowerPoint, OfficeClickToRun, or OfficeC2RClient. If PowerPoint was stuck because another Office process was still running, opening it again should move past the update screen. -
Restart your PC and try PowerPoint again.
A restart clears the update lock and releases files that Office left open in memory. After Windows starts again, open PowerPoint directly from the Start menu, not from a recent file shortcut. If the splash screen still says updating for more than a minute, go to the next step. -
Run a Microsoft 365 repair.
Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find Microsoft 365 or Office, select the three dots, then choose Modify. Pick Quick Repair first and let it finish, then open PowerPoint and test it. If that does not work, repeat the same path and choose Online Repair; this reinstalls the Office components that get stuck during an update. -
Clear the Office update cache.
Press Windows + R, paste%localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache, and press Enter. Delete the contents of that folder, then reopen PowerPoint. This removes corrupted temporary update files that can keep PowerPoint in an endless “Updating” state. If Windows says the folder is in use, close every Office app again and repeat the deletion. -
Turn off Office add-ins and test PowerPoint.
Open PowerPoint, then go to File → Options → Add-ins. At the bottom, set Manage to COM Add-ins and click Go, then clear every add-in box and restart PowerPoint. A broken add-in can load during startup and block the update process, especially after a fresh Office patch. If PowerPoint opens normally after this, turn the add-ins back on one at a time until the bad one shows up. If you use Outlook as well, the same bad extension can cause other Office apps to stall during startup. -
Reset the Office installation and reinstall if needed.
If PowerPoint still hangs, uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from Settings → Apps → Installed apps, then restart the PC. Download and reinstall Office from your Microsoft account page, sign in, and open PowerPoint again so it can rebuild a clean set of files. This is the final fix when the update itself damaged the local installation beyond what repair can fix.
Common error messages
“Updating Microsoft PowerPoint”
This means PowerPoint never finished swapping in the new program files and is waiting on a blocked Office component.
“We’re sorry, but PowerPoint can’t start”
This points to a damaged installation or a bad add-in stopping PowerPoint before the app window fully loads.
“Something went wrong and PowerPoint wasn’t installed correctly”
This usually appears after a failed Office update and tells you the local Office files need repair or reinstall.
“Please wait while another installation is in progress”
This means Windows thinks Office is still installing in the background, so PowerPoint will not complete its own update until that process is cleared.
When this means it’s a bigger problem
If PowerPoint gets stuck updating on a clean restart, after a successful repair, and on a fresh Office reinstall, the issue is no longer a simple local update glitch. That pattern points to a broken Microsoft account activation, a damaged Windows installer service, or a system-level file permission problem. At that point, stop cycling through the same fixes and contact Microsoft support with the exact message on screen and the steps you already tried.
Helpful answers
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should PowerPoint take to finish updating after you open it?
PowerPoint should move past the update screen within a minute after Windows finishes loading. If it stays on “Updating” longer than that, the update is blocked and not still working in the background. At that point, a restart, repair, or cache clear is the next correct move.
Will repairing Microsoft 365 remove my presentations or other files?
No. Quick Repair and Online Repair fix the Office installation files, not your PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, Excel sheets, or Outlook data. Your files stay where you saved them. The only thing you risk losing is a broken add-in configuration, which you can rebuild after PowerPoint opens normally.
Can I undo the Office add-in changes if PowerPoint starts working again?
Yes. Reopen File → Options → Add-ins, set Manage to COM Add-ins, and turn the boxes back on one at a time. That lets you restore the exact setup you had before while identifying the add-in that caused the startup hang. Leave the bad one disabled once you find it.
What should I do if PowerPoint still says updating after an Online Repair?
Go straight to a full uninstall and reinstall of Microsoft 365 or Office. If the app still loops after that, the problem is no longer a simple Office update issue. The next step is to check for activation or Windows installer problems in Microsoft 365 Activation Problems.
Do I need to close Word, Excel, and Outlook before fixing PowerPoint?
Yes. Closing every Office app prevents one process from holding the same files open while PowerPoint tries to update. Word, Excel, Outlook, and OneNote can all keep Office components locked in the background. If you skip this, PowerPoint can stay trapped on the update screen even after a restart.