If the new Outlook, Teams, Microsoft Edge, Adobe Acrobat or the ChatGPT app on a Windows PC suddenly refuses to open and shows “The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b),” the cause is a Microsoft Edge update, version 157.0.4341.42, that installed only partway. It isn’t something your staff did and it isn’t a virus. Windows has a built-in repair that fixes some PCs in a few minutes. If that doesn’t work, or the error comes back, it needs a deeper fix from IT. SWFIT clients can simply open a ticket: we’re already repairing affected PCs remotely.
- Started showing up on November 6, 2026, on some Windows PCs (not all) after Edge updated itself to 157.0.4341.42.
- Breaks Edge and, far more often, the apps that run on Edge’s engine, called WebView2. Edge can open fine while Outlook and Teams don’t.
- Try the built-in repair first. Stop and call IT if it asks for an admin password, doesn’t work, or the error returns.
How do I know it’s this problem?
Three signs together make it very likely:
- The error box shows the exact code 0xc000007b.
- It started on or after November 6.
- More than one program broke at the same time, for example Outlook and Acrobat.
You can also check versions without opening anything. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps and look under Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime. A 157 version on either one points to this update.
Which programs does it break?
Microsoft Edge itself, plus programs that borrow a piece of Edge, called WebView2, to display their screens: the new Outlook, Teams, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, Adobe Acrobat, the ChatGPT desktop app and the Windows Widgets panel. Those apps either show the same error or open to a blank window.
The WebView2 side is the bigger problem. Across the roughly 300 PCs we’ve scanned so far, 117 had a broken WebView2 and 37 had a broken Edge. So “Edge works fine” doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.
The five-minute fix to try
- Save your work. Close Edge and any app showing the error (ChatGPT, Acrobat, Teams, Outlook).
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, go to the Details tab, and end any
msedge.exeormsedgewebview2.exeentries still running in the background. - Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Microsoft Edge, click the three dots next to it and choose Modify, then Repair.
- Let it finish. It downloads a fresh copy of Edge, so the PC needs to be online. Restart when it’s done.
- If Edge opens but Outlook, Teams, Copilot, Acrobat or ChatGPT still won’t, go back to Installed apps and repair Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime the same way.
When should we stop and call IT?
- Windows asks for an administrator password you don’t have.
- The repair finishes and Edge still won’t open.
- It worked, then the error came back a day later.
- Several PCs in the office have it at once.
Why doesn’t the repair always work?
On the broken PCs, Windows expects a 64-bit Edge, but the new version folder was left holding mostly 32-bit files (37 of 48 in the installs we examined, and 38 of 46 in WebView2’s folder). Windows won’t mix the two, so the program never starts. A standard repair or reinstall sometimes looks at that folder, sees files already there, and skips them, leaving the problem in place. The fix that worked for us was moving the bad version folder aside and reinstalling a clean 64-bit copy from Microsoft’s signed installer.
For IT staff and comfortable do-it-yourselfers, we’ve published the repair script we use as a free download: Repair-Edge157 on GitHub. Run it with -CheckOnly first. That mode doesn’t need admin rights and only reports whether Edge or WebView2 is affected. The repair itself renames the bad version folder to <version>.x86bad and reinstalls from Microsoft’s signed 64-bit installer. The README covers the details.
It can also return. An admin in a r/sysadmin discussion about this error, where one organization reported more than 80 affected PCs, said it came back the day after they fixed it. Microsoft’s Edge known issues page didn’t mention it as of November 9.
What SWFIT is doing for clients
We wrote a remote repair that finds the mismatched files in Edge and WebView2, sets them aside and reinstalls cleanly, and we’re scanning every PC we manage for the problem. If you’re a SWFIT client and someone in your office sees this error, open a ticket or call us and we’ll take care of that PC. No need to try the steps above first.
Frequently asked questions
Can we just wait for Microsoft to fix it?
You can, but a PC with this error stays broken until someone repairs it. A later update may not clean up the bad files on its own, and Microsoft hadn’t listed the problem on its Edge known issues page as of November 9.
Is our data at risk?
No. It’s a failed update, not an attack. Your files and email are untouched. The programs just can’t start.
Will the repair wipe our bookmarks?
No. The Repair option reinstalls Edge’s program files and leaves your profile alone, so bookmarks and saved passwords stay put.
Does this affect Macs or phones?
No. It’s specific to Windows PCs.
Not a SWFIT client, and a bad update just took out half your office’s apps? That’s usually a sign nobody is watching updates before they hit your PCs. We’ll do a free review of how patching works in your office. Call (813) 999-0086 or contact us to set it up.
Nick Salem
Southwest Florida IT (SWFIT)
