Microsoft Word stopped Working in the middle of a paper and I can't print or save.

The reference to add-ins in the error message suggests that this is related to an add-in that you are running. See https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/word/issues-when-start-or-use-word#option6 , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/word/issues-when-start-or-use-word#option7 and https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/word/issues-when-start-or-use-word#option5.

This is why I hate using this site - This is not several different issues requiring multiple fixes; this was one issue with multiple symptoms that I suspect had something to do with the computer running some background operation. It all happened at once, it doesn't have anything to do with a graphics card or some setting that isn't set correctly, or any write permission to save a file. WORD CRASHED for no apparent reason other than I suspect the computer tried to start something up like "windows update" or something in the background (i did not approve any restart). I find it hard to believe that I've seen this issue so many times listed and there is still no solution or explanation for what causes it. FYI, I let my computer sit overnight and when I came back, it had restarted and my word file was opened to the last saved point so I just had to retype the last 5 pages that I saved by taking pictures of them with my phone. Word worked perfectly fine from them on. There is a bug in the operating system or word that is causing this, and if you guys would just listen to people like me trying to tell you what's going on, you might actually solve the problem instead of throwing out random solutions to irrelevant problems. BTW, when you go to my "add-ins" I don't even have any downloaded.

Hi Kingcoe76,

We haven't heard from you, so we assume that your issue has already been addressed. We will not be monitoring this thread moving forward so, if you need further assistance, please create a new thread to discuss these concerns by clicking this link: Create a new question (microsoft.com)Thank you for understanding.Regards,Froilance T.Microsoft Moderator

Hi Kingcoe76,

I understand your sentiments and we hope for your cooperation. Some issue appears to be easy but challenging to resolve. That that is exactly the reason why we tend to provide variety of troubleshooting steps as we understand that a troubleshooting step that works on one user may not be applicable for another user.

If you suspect that your operating system could be one of the factors that's causing this issue, you can try to contact Microsoft Live Support directly, or Create a new question (microsoft.com) under Windows metadata so this will be taken care of by one of our Windows moderators.

Also, have you tried the suggestions that @Stefan have suggested? Do let us know how it goes and we'd be more than happy to assist you further. Thanks @Stefan for sharing your inputs.

Sincerely

Froilance T.

Microsoft Moderator

Hi Kingcoe76,

Thanks for writing us here in Microsoft Community.

I understand you're experiencing issues with Microsoft Word. Based on the symptoms you've described, it sounds like there may be a problem with the add-ins that are installed in your Word application.

I'd like to verify the following.

1. May I know what Office license are you using? Is it Microsoft 365 Personal/Family, Business, Enterprise, or Education?
2. Can you check and see if the same issue is also happening on other Office applications such as PowerPoint, or Excel?
3. When did this issue start and what was recent changes made prior?
4. Can you check on your other devices, if you have extra, to check if the issue persists on another machine?
   • If it's not, it's possible that the issue is device specific only.

Here are some steps we can initially perform based on you initial description.

1. Flickering and Unformatting:

• The flickering and unformatting behavior could be related to several factors:
  • Hardware Graphics Acceleration: Disable hardware graphics acceleration in Word settings.
    • Go to File > Options > Advanced.
    • Under Display options, uncheck the Disable hardware graphics acceleration checkbox.
    • Click OK and restart Word.
  • Add-ins or Customizations: Check if any add-ins or customizations are causing conflicts. Try starting Word in Safe Mode (hold down Ctrl while starting Word) to see if the issue persists.
  • Update Word: Ensure Word is fully updated. Go to File> Account> Update Options> Update now.

2. Greyed-Out Ribbon:

• If most of your ribbon options are greyed out, it might be due to:
  • Protected View: Check if the document is in Protected View. If so, click Enable Editing at the top of the document.
  • Customization Issues: Reset ribbon menu settings to default:
    • Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
    • Use the Resetdrop-down menu and select Reset all customizations.
    • 
    • Review the other settings if necessary, and then repeat step 5. See image below. Note: This will reset Word to its default settings.

3. Error Saving the File:

• The error message you’re encountering might be due to:
  • File Corruption: The document might be corrupted. Try saving it with a different name or in a different location.
  • Permissions: Ensure you have write permissions for the folder where you’re saving the file.
  • Printer Troubleshooting: Check if your default printer is set correctly. Try printing another document or saving as PDF using a different printer.

4. “We’re Starting the Add-ins Runtime”:

• This message indicates that an add-in or customization is being loaded.
• You can try:
  • Checking if Outlook is set as the default mail application.
  • Running the printer troubleshooter to troubleshoot printing issues.

Remember to save a local copy of your document as a workaround. If these steps don’t resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for personalized assistance.

1. Open this link Contact Us - Microsoft Support.
2. It will ask you to sign in to the personal account that your Microsoft 365 subscription is associated with.
3. Once you've logged in to your account. It will ask you to choose a product.
4. Choose "Office".
5. Then select "Get Home Service"
6. You need to provide the problem you have or you can write there, "Microsoft Word stopped Working in the middle of a paper and I can't print or save."
7. At the bottom of the page. Select the "Contact Support" option.
8. Select "Microsoft 365 and Office"
9. In the Category, you can choose Technical Support and confirm.
10. It will ask you to choose a support option. It's up to you if you want to change the locale.
11. Then select "Chat with a support agent in your web browser."
12. It will automatically direct you to live support.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have question or clarifications.

Sincerely

Froilance T.

Microsoft Moderator