How to fix "Bootstrapper has stopped working" error in Windows?

"Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working" means that the setup program of an older Office, usually Office 2010 or Office 2013, crashed while it installed, removed or repaired Office. It is a setup crash, not a licence problem. Start by clearing the compatibility settings of setup.exe and running it as administrator from a local folder.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2, with notes for Windows 7, read against Microsoft's documentation and Microsoft Q&A reports.

What "Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working" means

The window is Windows' standard crash message. It names the program that crashed, and here that program is the Office setup program. In the reports we read on Microsoft Q&A, it is the setup.exe of Office 2010 or Office 2013, during installation, removal or repair.

• Installing: setup crashes before or just after the first screen. This is the case in the reader's question above.
• Uninstalling: you select an Office entry in Programs and Features and the crash window opens instead of the setup wizard. One Microsoft Q&A thread starts this way with an Office 2010 beta.
• Opening an Office app: a Super User report describes the crash when Office Professional Plus 2013 programs were started on Windows 7.

People also search it as Microsoft bootstrapper has stopped working, Bootstrapper stopped working and, in Spanish, Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper dejó de funcionar. The words differ, the crash is the same.

What Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper and bootstrapper.exe are

A bootstrapper is the small program you start first. It checks the PC, then starts the real installer, often a Windows Installer package (.msi). Office 2010 and Office 2013 work this way: setup.exe reads the setup files and starts the .msi packages, and Windows shows it as Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper when it crashes.

What makes Office setup crash, from the most common cause to the rare one

Microsoft has no article that lists the causes. The ranking below comes from the answers that helped most readers on Microsoft Q&A and Super User. It is an order of likelihood, not a statistic.

How to fix Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working

Fix 1 to Fix 3 are quick and solve most reports. Fix 4 removes old Office, Fix 5 tests without background programs, and Fix 6 is the way out when an old Office will not install on a new Windows. Fix 7 is only for the message This package can only be run from a bootstrapper.

Fix 1. Clear the compatibility settings of setup.exe and run it as administrator

5 minutesLow riskEveryone, first, before any registry change.

Windows stores the compatibility mode of a program in the AppCompatFlags key, and the fix most readers found helpful on Microsoft Q&A clears that key. Clearing the setting on setup.exe is the gentle version of the same repair.

1. Copy the whole Office folder from the disc, USB drive or download to a local folder, for example C:\OfficeSetup.
2. Open that folder in File Explorer, right-click setup.exe and select Properties.
3. Open the Compatibility tab. If Run this program in compatibility mode for is ticked, clear it.
4. Select Change settings for all users and clear the same box there, if it is ticked.
5. Select OK. Right-click setup.exe again and select Run as administrator, then Yes.
6. If no compatibility mode was set and you install Office 2010 on Windows 10 or 11, try once with the box ticked and Windows 7 selected.

Step by step, with the compatibility troubleshooter as a last step: How to run a program as administrator or in compatibility mode.

Fix 2. Export and delete the AppCompatFlags registry key

10 minutesRead the warningSetup still crashes after Fix 1, on Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11.

This is the answer on Microsoft Q&A that more than 600 people marked as helpful for the Office 2013 bootstrapper crash. The key holds the compatibility data Windows applies to programs, and stale entries there can break the old setup.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit and select OK. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
2. Paste HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags into the address bar and press Enter.
3. Select File > Export, keep Selected branch, name the file AppCompatFlags-backup and save it on the desktop.
4. Right-click AppCompatFlags in the left pane and select Delete, then Yes.
5. Close Registry Editor, restart the PC and run Office setup again.

The same backup in one command, in an elevated Command Prompt

reg export "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\AppCompatFlags-backup.reg"

Fix 3. Make sure the Task Scheduler service is running

5 to 10 minutesRead the warningSetup still crashes, or a tuning, cleaning or privacy tool has changed services on this PC.

The accepted Super User answer for the Office 2013 crash on Windows 7 fixed it by resetting the Start value of the Schedule service. Users report that the old setup crashes while Task Scheduler is disabled.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find Task Scheduler. Its Status should be Running and its Startup Type should be Automatic.
3. If you are not sure, check it in an elevated Command Prompt. STATE should say RUNNING and START_TYPE should say AUTO_START.

   sc query Schedule
   sc qc Schedule

4. If both are fine, skip the rest of this fix and go to Fix 4.

1. Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Schedule.
2. Double-click Start in the right pane.
3. If Value data is 4, change it to 2 and select OK. Microsoft documents 2 as a service started during system startup and 4 as a service that cannot be started.
4. Close Registry Editor and restart the PC.
5. Check in Services that Task Scheduler now shows Running, then run Office setup again.

Fix 4. Remove the old or half-installed Office first

20 to 45 minutesRead the warningAnother Office was on the PC, a setup stopped halfway, or the crash comes when you uninstall Office.

The accepted answer on Microsoft Q&A for the Office 2013 crash starts by removing the older Office and the traces of the new one, then reinstalling. When setup crashes during removal, its own uninstaller cannot help, so other tools must do it.

1. On Windows 10, open Microsoft's page Fix problems that block programs from being installed or removed, select the Windows 10 tab and Download troubleshooter.
2. Open MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall.meta.diagcab, select Next, then Uninstalling.
3. Pick your Office from the list, select Next and choose Yes, try uninstall.
4. On Windows 11 this troubleshooter is no longer offered. Follow Manually uninstall Office for your version instead.
5. Restart the PC and check Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. No Office entry should be left.
6. Run the new Office setup.exe as administrator, as in Fix 1.

Fix 5. Run setup in a clean boot, with security software paused for one try

15 minutesLow riskA third-party antivirus, a tuning tool or many startup programs run on the PC.

The accepted answer on Microsoft Q&A lists a clean boot as a step for the Office 2013 crash, and a Super User answer removed the antivirus first. A clean boot starts Windows without other companies' services, so nothing can hook into setup.

1. Start Windows in a clean boot. The steps are in the library: How to perform a clean boot in Windows.
2. Pause the real-time protection of your security program for this one try: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment.
3. Run Office setup.exe as administrator from the local folder.
4. Turn the protection back on as soon as setup ends, whatever the result.
5. Undo the clean boot as the procedure describes and restart.

If Office installs only in the clean boot, turn the services back on in small groups to find the one that breaks setup. If it is the security program, ask its maker about the Office installer. Do not leave the protection off.

Fix 6. Install a supported Office instead of Office 2010 or 2013

20 to 40 minutesLow riskOffice 2010 or 2013 will not install on Windows 10 or 11 after Fix 1 to Fix 5, and you have a newer licence or subscription.

Microsoft ended support for Office 2013 on 11 April 2023 and for Office 2010 on 13 October 2020, so no setup fix will come. Microsoft 365, Office 2021 and Office 2024 install with Click-to-Run, which does not use the old bootstrapper.

1. Remove what is left of the old Office with Fix 4.
2. Open Microsoft's page Download and install or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 and follow the link to sign in.
3. Sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the subscription or the newer Office.
4. Select Install and run the downloaded setup file.
5. Wait for You're all set, then open Word and activate.

If the new setup fails with a download error code, our guide to Office error 30182-1011 covers the offline installer.

Fix 7. Run the setup .exe when the message says This package can only be run from a bootstrapper

5 minutesNo riskYou see This package can only be run from a bootstrapper, in any program's installer.

This message means the .msi was opened on its own, while its maker requires its setup .exe to start it. Advanced Installer explains that it appears when the .msi is taken out of the setup .exe or found in a temporary folder.

1. Look in the same folder as the .msi file for setup.exe or a program file with the product's name.
2. Right-click that .exe and select Run as administrator.
3. If you found the .msi in %temp% or in %programdata%\Package Cache, do not run it from there. Download the full installer again from the program's maker.
4. Unpack a .zip download completely before you start setup. Do not run setup from inside the archive.
5. If an uninstall or update shows the message, uninstall the program from Settings > Apps > Installed apps instead of running its .msi.

For administrators who deploy the .msi silently: Advanced Installer says that an InstallShield .msi accepts the property ISSETUPDRIVEN=1. For other packages, a verbose log shows which launch condition blocks it.

For IT staff only, in an elevated Command Prompt

msiexec /i YourPackage.msi ISSETUPDRIVEN=1
msiexec /i YourPackage.msi /l*v C:\Temp\setup.log

If Office setup is still crashing: where the real cause is written

The crash window gives no reason. Windows and Office setup each keep a record, and both are worth reading before you ask for help.

1. Press Win + R, type eventvwr.msc and press Enter.
2. Open Windows Logs > Application and select Filter Current Log in the right pane. Tick Error and select OK.
3. Find the Error at the time of the crash whose details name setup.exe. Note the Faulting module name and the Exception code.
4. Press Win + R, type %temp% and press Enter. Sort by Date modified, newest first.
5. Open the newest setup log files written at the time of the crash and read the last lines before they stop.

• A faulting module from a security or tuning program points to Fix 5.
• A faulting module from Windows, such as ntdll.dll, tells little on its own. Try Fix 2 and Fix 4 again in that order.
• On a work PC, send the Event Viewer details, the setup log and the Office version to your IT department.

How to avoid the bootstrapper crash the next time you install Office

Most reports start with an old setup on a PC that a tuning tool has changed, or with leftovers of an earlier Office. These habits avoid both.

Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper?

It is the setup program of an older Office, the setup.exe on the disc or in the download folder. It checks the PC and then starts the Windows Installer packages that install Office. Windows shows the name Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper when that program crashes. It is not a virus and not a separate program you need to install. If you see a file with a similar name in an odd place, check its digital signature in Properties.

How do I fix Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper has stopped working on Windows 7?

The same fixes apply on Windows 7, and most reports come from Windows 7 with Office 2013. Clear the compatibility mode of setup.exe and run it as administrator, then export and delete the AppCompatFlags key, then check that the Task Scheduler service starts automatically. The Super User answer that solved it on Windows 7 reset the Start value of the Schedule service. Keep in mind that Windows 7 support ended on 14 January 2020 and Microsoft 365 apps are not supported on it.

Can I still install Office 2013 or Office 2010 on Windows 10 or Windows 11?

Setup can still run, and the reports we read show Office 2013 setup on Windows 10. But Microsoft ended support for Office 2013 on 11 April 2023 and for Office 2010 on 13 October 2020. There are no fixes and no security updates for them any more. If the bootstrapper crash stays after Fix 1 to Fix 5, the practical answer is a supported Office, such as Microsoft 365 or Office 2024, installed with Click-to-Run.

What does This package can only be run from a bootstrapper mean?

It means you started an .msi file directly, while the program's maker wants its setup .exe to start it. The .msi checks for that and stops. It often happens when the .msi was found in a temporary folder or taken out of the setup file. Run the setup .exe from the same download, or download the full installer again. The message is the same whatever the wording you search, such as this program can only be run from a bootstrapper.

Is bootstrapper.exe a virus?

Usually not. Many installers name their first stage bootstrapper.exe, and game launchers and developer tools use the word too. Check the file: right-click it, select Properties and open Digital Signatures. A valid signature from the program's maker is reassuring. A file without a signature that starts on its own from a random folder deserves a malware scan with Microsoft Defender. Never download a standalone bootstrapper file from a download site to fix Office.

Is it safe to delete the AppCompatFlags registry key?

It is safe if you export it first, which is why Fix 2 starts with a backup. The key holds compatibility data that Windows keeps for programs, such as a compatibility mode you set on an old program. Deleting it resets those settings, so an old program may need its compatibility mode set again. If something misbehaves, double-click the exported .reg file to put the key back.

Why does the bootstrapper error appear when I open Word or Excel?

An Office app can start setup in the background to finish its configuration or repair itself, and that setup can crash with the same window. A Super User report describes exactly this with Office Professional Plus 2013 on Windows 7. The fixes are the same: Fix 2 and Fix 3 first, then a repair or a clean reinstall of Office with Fix 4.

Where can I download Microsoft Setup Bootstrapper?

There is no separate download, and you do not need one. The bootstrapper is the setup.exe that comes with your Office, on the disc or in the files you downloaded with your product key. A file offered under that name on another website is not from Microsoft and may be unsafe. For a supported Office, download setup from your Microsoft account, as Fix 6 describes.

I see a bootstrapper error in a game or another program. Does this guide apply?

Only partly. Messages such as TP bootstrapper not working, Eraser setup bootstrapper or a bootstrapper crash handler come from other programs that use the same word for their first stage. Fix 1 and Fix 5 still help with many installers: clear compatibility mode, run as administrator, test in a clean boot. For anything else, use the program maker's own support, because the cause is in their software, not in Office.