Insufficient memory or disk space. Word cannot display the requested font

Question

Just using word is causing this error to appear over and over for the entire team. Not just my own laptop. What could be causing this issue?

Office 365, Microsoft word basic usage causes this to continuously freeze up the program.

Answer 1

There are a number of possible causes for that error message besides those related to fonts. For additional information, see https://www.thewindowsclub.com/word-has-insufficient-memory-fix and similar articles from reputable publications.

Answer 2

For multiple users seeing “There is insufficient memory or disk space. Word cannot display the requested font” and freezes in Word across Office 365, the most likely causes in the provided material are:

1. Missing or inaccessible fonts on Windows

• After Windows upgrades, some fonts are moved into optional features and are not installed by default. When Word or other Office apps try to use these fonts, the error appears.
• Incorrect permissions on C:\Windows\Fonts can also cause this issue and will persist across upgrades.
• Because this is affecting the whole team, a common Windows image, group policy, or permissions change on the Fonts folder is a strong candidate.

Recommended checks/actions for IT/admins:

1. Verify fonts and permissions on one affected machine, then compare across the fleet:
   • Open Command Prompt as administrator.
   • Run:

          icacls C:\Windows\Fonts
     

   • Compare the output to the documented default permissions for the Fonts folder. If they differ, restore them to the defaults centrally (for example via script or GPO) so Word can access fonts correctly.
2. Confirm that required fonts (especially those used in your standard templates/documents) are actually installed on the devices. If the environment was upgraded from older Windows versions, enable the relevant optional font features on Windows 10/11 and redeploy as needed.
3. Excessive GDI usage or complex documents

• Word 2013 and later can hit the maximum number of GDI objects when opening documents with thousands of complex text boxes or embedded objects. When that limit is reached, Word may freeze, crash, or show the same “insufficient memory or disk space…font” error.
• If the team is working with very complex templates or documents (heavy use of text boxes, shapes, or embedded content), those files can trigger the error on multiple machines.

Recommended checks/actions:

1. Identify whether the error appears only with specific documents or templates (for example, a corporate template with many text boxes or graphics). If so:
   • Simplify those templates/documents by reducing the number of text boxes and complex shapes.
   • Test opening the same files after simplification.
2. Ensure Office is fully updated on all machines so any fixes for GDI-related issues are applied.
3. Third‑party add‑ins or software conflicts

• Certain third‑party add‑ins (for example, PDF tools or other COM add‑ins) can cause Word to show this error when opening documents or starting the application.
• If the same add‑in is deployed to all users, it can cause a team‑wide issue.

Recommended checks/actions:

1. Start Word in Safe Mode on a test machine (hold Ctrl while starting Word, then choose to start in Safe Mode) and see if the error still occurs during basic usage.
   • If the error disappears in Safe Mode, disable non‑Microsoft add‑ins and re‑enable them one by one to find the culprit.
2. If a specific third‑party product (for example, a PDF maker) is installed on all machines, temporarily disable or uninstall it and test Word again.
3. Actual low disk space or system resource issues

• The error text mentions memory and disk space; in some cases, genuine low disk space or resource exhaustion can prevent Word from opening or rendering documents.
• This is less likely if it affects many users simultaneously, but should still be checked centrally.

Recommended checks/actions:

1. Verify that affected machines have sufficient free disk space on the system drive.
2. Use the built‑in Disk Cleanup tool to remove temporary and unnecessary files:
   • Select Search, type Disk Cleanup, and open it.
   • Select the system drive (typically C:).
   • Select categories such as Windows Update files, Temporary Internet Files, Recycle Bin, Temporary files, etc., then select OK and confirm deletion.
3. Ensure no other processes are consuming excessive memory or GDI resources (for example, many Office documents or graphics‑heavy apps open at once).

Because this is impacting the entire team, focus first on shared causes: Windows image/font configuration (including Fonts folder permissions), shared Office templates with many text boxes/objects, and any organization‑wide add‑ins. Once one machine is fixed by adjusting fonts/permissions or disabling a problematic add‑in, apply the same change across the environment.

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References:

• Error messages opening Office documents when fonts are missing from the machine
• Description of the Word 2013 hotfix package (Word-x-none.msp): October 8, 2013
• You receive an error message or the program stops responding when you save a document in Word
• You receive an error message when you try to open an Office document
• Word does not save changes or you receive an error message in an Office program after you install Adobe Acrobat 7.0
• March 9, 2021—KB5000802 (OS Builds 19041.867 and 19042.867)