Can print or make pdf's from MS Word

Question

I am experiencing a persistent issue with Microsoft Word on macOS.

• macOS version: Latest (26.1)

• Microsoft Word version: 16.103 (desktop version in a 365 enviroment)

• Word was reinstalled – no change

• Printer system works normally in all other applications

• In Word, selecting File → Print results in absolutely no response (no dialog, no error)

• Word works perfectly in a newly created macOS test user account

What I have already tried:

1. Reinstalled Microsoft Word
2. Removed all Word-related preference files (plist)
3. Removed and rebuilt the Office Group Containers folder (UBF8T346G9.Office)
4. Deleted Normal.dotm and rebuilt templates
5. Reset macOS print preferences in my main user account
6. Cleared Saved Application State for Word
7. Verified that printing works from every other app (Preview, Safari, Excel, etc.)
8. Verified that Word can print when logged in as a different macOS user

Conclusion:

The issue appears to be caused by a corruption or malfunction inside my primary macOS user profile.

Microsoft Word cannot open the print dialog at all, while the same installation works in a fresh test user on the same Mac. I need assistance diagnosing or repairing the underlying macOS user-level dialog or permission subsystem that is preventing Word from showing the print dialog.

Seems to start after upgrading to 26.1

Is there a wau to solve this without creating a new useraccount on my mac?

Answer 1

Dear @63942577,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Thank you for sharing all the detailed steps you’ve already tried, I can see you’ve put a lot of effort into troubleshooting this issue, and that’s truly appreciated.

Based on what you described, I have personally run a test on my MacBook and I found that my print feature works normally (my Word version is 16.103.1) so the next step I recommend is to remove and re-add your printer. This can often resolve issues where Word cannot open the print dialog.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
2. In the sidebar, scroll down and select Printers & Scanners.
3. In the Printers list on the right, Control‑click your printer and choose Reset Printing System.

Note: If the Printers list is empty, Control‑click the empty area and select Reset Printing System.

After resetting, the Printers list will be blank. You’ll need to add your printers again by clicking the plus (+) button.

You can see more details in here:

Please note that our support is limited to providing guidance based on official Microsoft documentation. Any third-party resources or references shared are intended solely for informational or consultative purposes. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy, reliability, or continued availability of third-party content, and we recommend exercising discretion when referring to such materials.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh14001/mac

https://www.imore.com/how-reset-printing-system-your-mac

Besides that, I found that Word on the web also has Print feature, you can try it: go to File > Print in https://www.office.com or https://www.microsoft365.com/launch/word

Reference: Print a document in Word

If these workarounds cannot help you, please kindly try reinstalling the Word app but this time has a little different:

1.You can uninstall and reinstall it. But you have to reinstall it by downloading Office version from the Microsoft's website, please do not download Word from your MacBook's App Store. (see steps and link below):  

• Go to Applications > select Microsoft Word > choose Move to Trash. 
• Download Word directly from Microsoft instead. 

You can see this link for more details for it: Download, install, or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac

2.If you have already used Word that downloaded directly from the Microsoft's website: 

You can roll back > Uninstall your current version of Word > Go to the "Update history for Office for Mac" page and download the installer package for a stable older version, such as 16.102, 16.101, 16.100, 16.99.  
Finally, if none of the previous steps resolve the problem, I truly appreciate the time and effort you’ve invested in trying every recommended step so far. I know this has been frustrating, and you’ve done everything right. At this point, the issue may be tied to your current macOS user profile rather than Word or macOS itself. The most effective way forward after trying everything is to create a new macOS user account. This isn’t about starting over; it’s about giving you a clean environment so Word can function properly without the corrupted settings that are blocking the print dialog. You can follow this official guide: Add a user on Mac.

I understand these steps takes extra effort, but they are worth to try, please kindly take time and let me know your result in the comment section. Thank you again for your patience and persistence.

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