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How to fix Exit Code 3?

Alton Alexander
By Alton AlexanderUpdated on June 4th, 2022

Exit code 3 is a generic error code that indicates a problem with the application. This error code can be caused by a number of different issues, ranging from corrupt files to incorrect permissions. In most cases,exit code 3 indicates that the application is not able to start correctly. This can be due to a number of factors, such as missing files or incorrect settings.

Users typically search for a solution by asking about:

  • error code 3
  • exit code 3

1. Restart the computer

  1. Close all open programs.
  2. Click on the "Start" button.
  3. In the "Search programs and files" box, type "cmd" and press "Enter."
  4. At the command prompt, type "reboot" and press "Enter."
  5. After the computer restarts, log in to Windows and check for any updates.

2. Update the drivers

  1. Locate the device that is causing the issue and right-click on it
  2. Select Update Driver
  3. Browse to the driver file that you downloaded and select it
  4. Click on the Next button
  5. Select the location on your computer where you want to install the driver
  6. Click on the Finish button
  7. Restart your computer

3. Reinstall the program

  1. Open Programs and Features by clicking the Start button, typing Programs and Features, and clicking Programs.
  2. On the Programs and Features screen, under the list of installed programs, click on the Microsoft Office icon.
  3. On the Office ribbon, click on the Reinstall tab.
  4. On the Reinstall tab, under the list of programs, click on Microsoft Office 2016.
  5. On the Office 2016 screen, under the list of programs, click on Microsoft Office 2016 Click on the More Options button.
  6. On the More Options screen, under the list of programs, click on the Install button.
  7. On the Install Microsoft Office 2016 screen, under the list of programs, click on the Uninstall button.
  8. On the Uninstall Microsoft Office 2016 screen, under the list of programs, click on the Remove button.
  9. On the Remove Microsoft Office 2016 screen, under the list of programs, click on the Finish button.
  10. After the program has been uninstalled, click on the Start button, type Microsoft Office 2016 and press Enter.
  11. On the Microsoft Office 2016 screen, under the list of programs, click on the Microsoft Office 2016 button.
  12. On the Microsoft Office 2016 screen, under the list of programs, click on the File tab.
  13. On the File tab, under the list of files, click on the Open button.
  14. On the Open Microsoft Excel 2016 File screen, under the list of files, click on the Microsoft Excel 2016 file that was previously saved.
  15. On the Microsoft Excel 2016 screen, under the list of files, click on the File tab.
  16. On the File tab, under the list of files, click on the Save As button.
  17. On the Save As Microsoft Excel 2016 File screen, change the filename to fixexitcode3.xlsx.
  18. After the filename has been changed, click on the Save button.
  19. On the Save Microsoft Excel 2016 File screen, under the list of files, click on the Close button.
  20. On the Close Microsoft Excel 2016 File screen, under the list of files, click on the Exit button.

4. Run the program as an administrator

  1. Open a command prompt as an administrator
  2. Change directory to the location of the program you want to fix
  3. Run the program with the /fix parameter
  4. If the program fails, follow the error message to determine where the problem is
  5. Fix the problem and rerun the program with the /fix parameter
  6. If the program still fails, follow the error message to determine where the problem is
  7. Fix the problem and rerun the program with the /run parameter

If the answers above didn't work then you should also try:

  1. Disable the antivirus software
  2. Check for compatibility issues
  3. Repair the registry
  4. Reset the computer