There are many instances when Microsoft Word could crash or freeze, like while opening a document, saving a document, printing a document, etc. This tutorial shows how to deal with a Microsoft Word crash or freeze.
Good to know: check out these time-saving tips for Microsoft Word.
Content
- Common Fixes to Try
- Word Crashes or Freezes When Printing a Document
- Word Freezes or Crashes When Exporting a Document to a PDF
- Word Freezes or Crashes When Saving And Opening a Document
- Word Crashes or Freezes When Copying and Pasting
Common Fixes to Try
There are multiple ways that Microsoft Word will crash or freeze. First, try these common solutions:
Check for Windows Update
Bugs in the Windows operating system can be responsible for various issues. Check for Windows Updates and install them if available.
Open Windows Settings, and go to the Windows Update page. Click on the Check for updates button. If there are available updates, download and install them.
Repair Office
Some of your Office files could be corrupted, but you can repair Microsoft Office from the Control Panel.
Open the Control Panel, click on the Uninstall a program option, then select the Microsoft Office application. Right-click on Office, and select Change. Select Repair, click Next, then select Online Repair, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Update Office
An outdated version of Microsoft Office may have bugs, so you should check for available updates.
Open Microsoft Word, click on Account -> Update Options -> Update Now.
Word Crashes or Freezes When Printing a Document
If Microsoft Word crashes or freezes while printing a document, the issue may be with your printer driver or an add-in. Try these solutions to fix this issue.
Restart Microsoft Word
Sometimes this issue can occur due to minor bugs that can be fixed by restarting Microsoft Word. Close Microsoft Word completely, then reopen it.
Reinstall the Printer Driver
An outdated or corrupted printer driver can cause this problem, and reinstalling the printer driver is the best option.
Open the Device Manager, and expand the Print queues drop-down. Right-click on the printer driver, and select Uninstall device.
Open Windows Settings, and click on Bluetooth & devices -> Printers & scanners. Select your printer, and click the Remove button.
Also remove your printer from Bluetooth. Open Windows Settings, and go to Bluetooth & devices -> Printers & scanners. Select your printer, and click Remove.
Restart your computer, then download and install the latest version of the printer driver from the official website of your printer manufacturer.
Run Printer Troubleshooter
You can also run a built-in printer troubleshooter to fix printing problems on your Windows computer.
Go to Windows Settings. Click on System -> Troubleshoot -> Other Troubleshooters. Click on the Printer -> Run button.
Save or Export the Word file as a PDF
We also suggest you save or export your Word file as PDF, then print it later.
Open that file, and go to the File tab. Click Save As. Select a location where you will save the document. Select PDF in the Save as type drop-down menu, and click Save.
Alternatively, export the Word file as a PDF.
Open the Word file, and click on the File tab -> Export -> Create PDF/XPS button. When a pop-up window opens, select PDF in the Save as type drop-down, then click the Publish button.
Print the Document With Add-ins Disabled
If Microsoft Word keeps crashing or freezing while printing a document due to a third-party add-in, disable all add-ins.
Launch Word, and select Options -> Add-ins. Select COM Add-ins in the Manage drop-down, and click Go.
Uncheck all the boxes, and click OK to all the add-ins, then print the document. If the issue does not occur this time, enable the add-ins one by one and try printing the document again each time you enable one to find the problematic add-in.
Word Freezes or Crashes When Exporting a Document to a PDF
If Microsoft Word freezes or crashes when exporting a document to a PDF, the problem may be associated with your printer, printer driver, or the Word file itself. If the solutions above for printing crashes don’t help, try these options.
Use the Microsoft Print to PDF Option
You can use this feature as an alternative to save your Word file as a PDF.
Open the Word file. Go to File -> Print. Click on the drop-down under the Printer option, and select Microsoft Print to PDF.
Check Other Word Documents
Export another Word document to see if it freezes. If not, your previous Word document could be corrupted. In this case, copy the entire content from that Word file and paste it into a new Word file.
Word Freezes or Crashes When Saving And Opening a Document
If Microsoft Word crashes or freezes while saving or opening a document, use these suggestions to fix this issue.
Open Word as an Administrator
The problem could be occurring due to permission issues with Microsoft Word. Try running Microsoft Word as an administrator.
Click on the Windows search bar, and type “word.” Right-click on Word in the search results, and select Run as administrator. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
Disable Protected View
You can also try disabling Protected View.
Type “microsoft word” in the Windows search bar, and click Open. Click the File tab -> Options. Select Trust Center from the Word options, then click the Trust Center Settings button on the right side. Select the Protected View category, and deselect all the checkboxes on the right side. Click OK to save the changes.
Word Crashes or Freezes When Copying and Pasting
Use these fixes if Microsoft Word crashes or freezes when copying or pasting content.
Paste as a Plain Text
Paste the text without formatting.
Right-click anywhere in the Word document, and click the Keep text only option.
Open Document in Safe Mode
Close Microsoft Word, and open it in Safe Mode. Click on Windows Search, and type “microsoft word.” Press and hold the Ctrl key, then click Microsoft Word in the search results. Click Yes in the confirmation box. Copy or paste the text in Safe Mode.
If the issue does not appear in Safe Mode, an add-in is causing this problem. Follow the steps mentioned above to identify the problematic add-in.
Temporarily Disable Your Antivirus
Your antivirus may be conflicting with Microsoft Word and causing it to freeze or crash every time you paste text into it.
To confirm this, disable your antivirus, then paste text into the document. If there is no issue, add the Microsoft Word executable file to the exception list of your antivirus. Refer to the official support website of your antivirus for the procedure.
The freezing or crashing issues with Microsoft Word may occur in different scenarios. If you encounter such a problem, apply the fixes mentioned here. If you’re still struggling with Word, consider converting your document to a Google Doc.
Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Deeksha Gola.
Deeksha is a tech enthusiast and loves writing articles related to technology. Previously she has worked with Electronics Arts as a Tech Support Assistant and helped many gamers troubleshooting and fixing game errors. Playing Guitar is her hobby.
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