Files>options>add ons?

Question

My word has been really delayed, even when i open a new doc. i found this thread here --> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5398903/word-has-a-delay-in-responding saying i need to do file>options then add ons. i then found out that on mac, its actually word>prefences instead when i realised i could not locate "options" under file.

However, after looking at word>prefrences, nothing for add-ons comes up? i really just need to stop my word from being delayed but cant find anything online for this for mac it seems.

Answer 1

A primary cause of performance degradation is a need for updates to macOS, Office, or both as well as any add-ins which may be installed. Unless you've installed any add-ins, though, that shouldn't be an issue.

If you provide the present Version Numbers of both macOS & Office it can be determined which updates may be required.

Another common cause is corrupt fonts which can be addressed by using the Apple Font Book app.

It may help to run Apple's Disk Utility — First Aid on the startup volume.

Other factors could be involved but these points should be addressed first. It's pointless to go chasing after add-ins if you haven't installed any.

Answer 2

Dear Eva

Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A forum regarding this issue. I understand how confusing this can be, many users run into the same challenge because the steps for Word on Windows and Word on Mac are quite different. I’m here to help clarify things for you.

The thread you referenced applies to Word on Windows, which is why you couldn’t find the same options on your Mac. On Word for Mac, add-ins are managed differently:

• Insert > Add-ins > My Add-ins for Office Store add-ins

• Tools > Templates and Add-ins for global templates and third-party add-ins

Please try removing any unnecessary add-ins using these options. I also found a helpful thread that many users have used: Uninstalling a plug-in on Word for Mac Just note that this was posted in 2023, so some steps may differ slightly in 2025.

Additionally, you might want to reset the Normal.dotm template by quitting Word > Search for Normal.dotm in Finder > Delete it (Word will recreate a fresh one).

One more thing to keep in mind: if your document has more than 100 pages or includes complex elements, Word may respond slowly, this can be expected behavior if your device’s resources are limited, as layout and pagination require extra processing.

If the issue persists, could you please share:

• Your macOS version
• Your Word version
• The license type you’re using

As a temporary workaround, you might also try Word Online to see if performance improves.

Hope this information helpful.

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