My Word keeps freezing (Word for Mac)

Question

Hello,

I have Word 16.85 provided through my university. I have noticed this consistently in the passed few days. Every time I select my text and then try to change the bullet, my whole software across all the Word Windows freezes, the 'Microsoft Error Reporting' background app pops up and appears in the applications dock, and the window says it is unresponsive. I then have to either force quit or restart my entire device.

I did my research and it says to reinstall the latest AutoUpdate which I did, but that did nothing. I then completely reinstalled the entire Microsoft suite which 2 days later it has returned. I can't keep reinstalling the suite because I have limited downloads through my educational institution. I have contacted IT support from my university and they are unable to help but provide temporary solutions that makes my desktop app useless.

For context I have the latest MacBook pro, the device software is up to date with the latest IOS and my word says it doesn't need updating.

Please help, I have exams in 2 weeks and every time it freezes it deletes all my recent work and takes a minimum of 4 hours to find a solution (normally reinstalling the entire Microsoft suite).

Answer 1

THANK YOU!! I thought I was going crazy. Had done a bunch of A/B testing prior to finding this thread.

The 'without Teams' link didn't work for me, but the other link did, so again, thank you so much!!

Answer 2

Can confirm the same issue with Microsoft Office 16.85. Apple Macbook pro M1's ranging from 8GB-16GB of ram. Microsoft word crashes with little usage(s) of the computer but once a user starts typing on a document the program eventually freezes in under 20mins with an office 365 subscription

Answer 3

There was a bug. Microsoft is investigating. So you still get the hang?

Answer 4

Hello,

I'm sorry to hear about the frustrating issues you're experiencing with Word 16.85 on your MacBook Pro. Here are a few steps that might help resolve the problem without needing to frequently reinstall the Microsoft suite:

1. Check for Conflicting Applications: Sometimes, other applications running in the background can conflict with Word. Try closing all other applications and see if the issue persists.
2. Safe Mode: Restart your Mac in Safe Mode (hold the Shift key while booting up). This can help to determine if third-party software is causing the problem.
3. Delete Word Preferences:
   • Close all Microsoft Office applications.
   • In Finder, go to ~/Library/Preferences/ and look for files that start with com.microsoft.Word.
   • Move these files to the trash.
   • Restart Word and see if the issue is resolved.
4. Font Cache: Corrupted font cache can cause issues with Word. To reset the font cache:
   • Open the Terminal app (found in Applications > Utilities).
   • Enter the following command: sudo atsutil databases -remove.
   • Restart your Mac.
5. Test in a New User Account: Create a new user account on your Mac (System Preferences > Users & Groups) and see if Word works correctly when logged into this new account. This can help determine if the issue is specific to your current user account.
6. Disable Add-ins: Sometimes, add-ins can cause Word to crash.
   • Open Word.
   • Go to Tools > Templates and Add-ins.
   • Disable any add-ins and see if this resolves the issue.
7. Update macOS and Office: Make sure both your macOS and Microsoft Office are up to date. Sometimes updates contain fixes for these types of issues.
8. Backup and Restore: Ensure you regularly backup your work. Use OneDrive or another cloud service to avoid losing your progress. Auto-save and frequent manual saves can also minimize data loss.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, consider the following:

• Contact Microsoft Support: If your university IT support is unable to help, contacting Microsoft directly might provide a more permanent solution.
• Alternative Software: For immediate needs, consider using an alternative word processor like Google Docs temporarily, especially with exams approaching.

I hope one of these solutions helps to resolve your issue swiftly. Best of luck with your exams!

Best regards, Alon Mark

Answer 5

Microsoft is aware of this issue and is investigating.