Issues with Microsoft word editing

Question

Hello,

I am in the middle of trying to edit a manuscript. Up until page 72, I had no issues. I was able to make comments, move to the next line by hitting return or using the down arrow. However, when I got to the end of page 72, I went to go to the next page and it brought me to the final page in the document--pg 254. I am not sure what is happening. I've updated word. I've changed settings. I've saved the document and pasted it into a new one. Nothing is working.

This is how I make a living. If I cannot read a complete manuscript, it will be problemtic.

Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question. I completely understand how stressful it is to have Microsoft Word suddenly stop behaving correctly in the middle of editing a manuscript. Since this work is essential for your livelihood, it’s absolutely important that the document scrolls and responds the way it should, and I’m here to help you get this resolved.

The issue you’re describing, where Word jumps from page 72 directly to page 254, often happens when hidden formatting becomes corrupted or when a section break, collapsed outline level, or damaged paragraph marker prevents Word from navigating the document correctly. Even if Word is updated, certain document‑level issues such as damaged pagination, tracked changes overload, large comment threads, or a corrupted page break can cause Word to skip pages or fail to display the document in the correct order.

To fix this, switching to Draft View can reveal hidden section breaks or corrupted elements that are not visible in Print Layout. Clearing or replacing the paragraph mark at the bottom of page 72 often restores normal navigation. Turning off Track Changes temporarily can also help if the file has accumulated a large number of edits that slow down pagination. Opening the document in Safe Mode gives Word a clean environment and can confirm whether an add‑in or damaged formatting block is causing the jump. If the content was pasted from other sources over time, converting the entire manuscript to plain text and reapplying formatting may resolve deeper corruption, but this should only be done as a last step once the affected page is isolated.

To help pinpoint the cause, may I ask whether you see any section breaks, continuous breaks, or change‑tracking indicators at the end of page 72 when switching to Draft View?

Please feel free to reply with what you find or with any new details that come up—I’m here to help ensure you can continue working through your manuscript without further interruption.

 

Best Regards,

Noel

Answer 2

It sounds like you are experiencing a navigation issue in Microsoft Word that could be related to a few different factors. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Check for Corruption: Sometimes, documents can become corrupted. Since you mentioned that you pasted the content into a new document, ensure that the new document is not also experiencing the same issue.
2. Disable Add-Ins: If you have any add-ins enabled, they might be causing unexpected behavior. You can disable them by going to the File menu, selecting Options, and then Add-Ins. Disable all add-ins and see if the issue persists.
3. Start Word in Safe Mode: This can help determine if the problem is related to settings or add-ins. To start Word in safe mode, hold down the Ctrl key while starting Word, or run winword.exe /safe from the Run dialog.
4. Check for Updates: Ensure that your version of Word is fully updated. Sometimes, bugs are fixed in newer updates.
5. Reset Normal Template: If the issue persists, consider renaming your Normal.dotm template, which can sometimes resolve strange behaviors in Word. You can find it in the %userprofile%\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates directory.
6. Check Document Formatting: If the document has complex formatting or a lot of tracked changes, it might slow down or behave unexpectedly. Try accepting or rejecting changes to simplify the document.

If none of these solutions work, you may want to consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for more specialized assistance.

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References:

• How to troubleshoot damaged documents in Word
• Word slows or stops responding if there are excessive tracked changes or comments