Word 2024, Windows 11: "not responding" freezes computer for a minute, then snow, then normal, is it OneDrive auto save problem?

Question

My Word Documents (.docx) all have the problem of a periodic freeze with "not responding" display at top. The freeze ends with a snowy screen, then a blink out, then opens on a nearby page. I've tried the installed apps quick and longer fixes for Office. I suspect the problem is caused by OneDrive's automatic save function. Please advise.

Answer 1

I get how annoying that can be when you’re in the middle of working and Word suddenly freezes like that.

What’s happening is usually tied to how Word handles real-time saving and rendering, and OneDrive’s AutoSave can sometimes cause delays if the document is large or the sync process slows down.

When Word tries to push changes to the cloud, it can lock up for a moment, and the snowy screen you see is often a graphics refresh glitch.

A good first step is to turn off AutoSave for a while and see if the issue goes away or pause OneDrive syncing from the system tray to rule out network-related delays.

Also, go into Word’s settings under File > Options > Advanced and enable “Disable hardware graphics acceleration,” because that often fixes the white screen flicker.

Make sure your graphics drivers and Windows updates are current too.

If the freezes stop when AutoSave is off, then it’s definitely a sync issue, and you can keep using OneDrive but switch to manual saves or adjust sync settings.

Does your document have lots of images or tracked changes?

And do you notice if this happens more when your internet connection is busy?

Regards,
Aron

Answer 2

The issue you're experiencing with Word 2024 freezing and displaying "not responding" could potentially be related to several factors, including OneDrive's auto-save feature. While the context provided does not specifically confirm that OneDrive is the cause, it is known that interruptions in file access, such as those caused by network issues or problems with mapped drives, can lead to similar symptoms in Office applications.

To troubleshoot this issue, consider the following steps:

1. Check Network Drives: If you are using OneDrive or any mapped network drives, ensure they are accessible and not causing delays. Disconnect any problematic drives to see if that resolves the issue.
2. Disable Auto-Save: Temporarily disable OneDrive's auto-save feature to determine if it alleviates the freezing problem. You can do this in the Word settings under the Save options.
3. Update Office: Make sure that your Office installation is up to date, as updates often include fixes for performance issues.
4. Disable Hardware Acceleration: If the problem persists, you might want to disable hardware acceleration in Word. This can be done through the Options menu in Word under the Advanced settings.
5. Check Graphics Drivers: Ensure that your graphics drivers are updated, as outdated drivers can cause performance issues in Office applications.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, further investigation into the specific configurations of your system may be necessary.

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References:

• Some Office applications are not responding
• Microsoft Office stops responding when you try to open or save a file