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Word "Not Responding": what it means and how to fix it

Short answer

"Microsoft Word is not responding" means Word has stopped reacting to Windows because it is stuck on a task. Wait one to two minutes first, since it often recovers. If it doesn't, close it and start it in safe mode (hold Ctrl while opening Word). If it works in safe mode, an add-in is the cause. Turn add-ins off in File > Options > Add-ins.

What this message means

Windows adds "(Not Responding)" to the title bar, or shows the "Microsoft Word is not responding" dialog, when Word stops handling input for about five seconds. Word has not necessarily crashed. It is often busy with something slow: loading an add-in, saving to OneDrive or a network drive, laying out a long document full of images or tracked changes, or asking an offline default printer for page settings. If the task finishes, Word comes back. If Word is stuck in a loop or waiting on something that never answers, it stays frozen until you close it. The same freeze happens on Mac, where Word shows a spinning wheel and "Not Responding" in Force Quit.

Common causes

CauseHow to tell
A faulty or outdated add-in (common ones: Grammarly, Adobe PDFMaker, Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, antivirus add-ins)Word freezes when it opens or every time you do a certain thing, but works normally when you start it in safe mode (winword /safe).
A large or damaged documentOnly one file makes Word hang, usually one with many images, tables, tracked changes or comments. Other documents and new blank documents work fine.
Saving or opening over OneDrive, SharePoint or a network driveThe freeze happens during save or AutoSave, or while opening a file from a mapped drive or synced folder, and it's worse on slow Wi-Fi or VPN. A copy saved on your desktop behaves normally.
An offline, removed or badly behaved default printer driverWord hangs when it opens, when you switch to Print Layout, or when you press Ctrl+P, and your default printer is a network printer that is switched off or no longer exists.
A corrupted Normal.dotm template or damaged Word settingsEvery document hangs, including new blank ones, even in safe mode or after you turn off all add-ins. It often starts after a crash or a forced shutdown.
Outdated or damaged Office installation filesExcel, Outlook or PowerPoint also freeze or crash, or the problem began right after an update that didn't finish.

How to fix it

1. Wait, then close Word safely

  1. Give Word one to two minutes, especially if you were saving, printing or opening a big file. Don't click repeatedly, because clicks queue up and slow it down more.
  2. If it recovers, save right away with Ctrl+S (Windows) or Command+S (Mac).
  3. If it stays frozen on Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, select Microsoft Word, and click End task.
  4. On Mac, press Command+Option+Esc, select Microsoft Word, and click Force Quit.
  5. Reopen Word. If a Document Recovery pane appears on the left, open each recovered version and save the one you want under a new name.

2. Start Word in safe mode and turn off add-ins

Word for Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows 10 and 11

  1. Close Word. Press Windows key + R, type winword /safe and click OK. (Or hold Ctrl while you double-click the Word shortcut, then click Yes.)
  2. Open the document that was freezing. If Word works in safe mode, an add-in or startup customization is the likely cause.
  3. Close safe mode and start Word normally. Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
  4. Next to Manage, select COM Add-ins and click Go. Clear every checkbox and click OK.
  5. Restart Word. If the freeze is gone, turn the add-ins back on one at a time, restarting Word each time, until the freeze comes back. Leave that add-in off and update or remove it.
  6. Also check Manage > Disabled Items > Go for add-ins Word has already disabled on its own.

3. Move the file to your computer and rescue a problem document

  1. If the file lives on OneDrive, SharePoint or a network drive, copy it to your Desktop and open the local copy. If that works, the connection or sync is the cause.
  2. To rescue a document that always freezes, open a new blank document (File > New > Blank document).
  3. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click the arrow next to Object and choose Text from File.
  4. Select the problem file and click Insert. This brings in the content without the damaged final paragraph mark that stores some document settings.
  5. Save the new document under a new name and work from it.

4. Set a working default printer

Windows 11: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.

  1. Close Word.
  2. Open Settings and go to Printers & scanners (path above for your Windows version).
  3. Turn off Let Windows manage my default printer.
  4. Select Microsoft Print to PDF or Microsoft XPS Document Writer, then click Set as default.
  5. Start Word. If the freeze is gone, remove and reinstall your real printer's driver from the manufacturer's site before setting it back as default.

5. Reset Word's template and settings

Windows paths shown. On current Microsoft 365 for Mac, Normal.dotm is in ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Templates.

  1. Close all Office apps.
  2. Press Windows key + R, paste %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and press Enter.
  3. Rename Normal.dotm to OldNormal.dotm. Word creates a fresh one the next time it starts. (You lose custom styles and macros stored there, but you can copy them back from the old file.)
  4. If Word still hangs, press Windows key + R, type regedit and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data.
  5. Right-click Data, choose Export and save it to the Desktop as a backup. Then right-click Data again, choose Delete and confirm.
  6. Start Word. It rebuilds the settings with defaults, which clears your recent files list and some options.

6. Update and repair Office

Windows 11: right-click Start > Installed apps > ... next to Microsoft 365 > Modify. Windows 10: right-click Start > Apps and Features > Microsoft 365 > Modify.

  1. In any Office app, go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now and let it finish. On Mac, open Word and choose Help > Check for Updates.
  2. If Word still freezes, close all Office apps and open the Modify screen (path above for your Windows version).
  3. Choose Quick Repair and click Repair. It runs offline in a few minutes.
  4. If that doesn't help, repeat and choose Online Repair. It reinstalls Office, needs internet, and takes longer.
  5. Restart the computer when the repair finishes.

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Still not fixed?

Test in a new Windows user account or a different Mac user. If Word works there, the problem is in your user profile, so moving to the new profile is often faster than more troubleshooting. On Mac, also start the Mac in Safe Mode, which stops background utilities. Word works there means security software or a login item is interfering. On a work or school computer, contact IT, because antivirus policies, managed add-ins or network drives are often the cause and you may not be able to change them yourself. For a personal Microsoft 365 subscription, Microsoft's support site offers chat help, and you can also uninstall Office completely with the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant and then reinstall it.

Questions people ask

How do I save my document when Word is not responding?

Wait a few minutes first, because Word often recovers and you can press Ctrl+S. If you have to force it closed, reopen Word and check the Document Recovery pane, or go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.

Why does Word keep freezing when I type?

Freezes while typing usually come from an add-in that checks text as you go (grammar tools, citation managers) or from AutoSave syncing a large file to OneDrive. Start Word in safe mode to test. If it runs smoothly, turn off COM add-ins one at a time.

Will I lose my work if I click "Close the program"?

You lose any changes since the last save or AutoRecover snapshot, which Word takes every 10 minutes by default. Files saved to OneDrive or SharePoint with AutoSave on usually lose only the last few seconds.

Why is Word not responding but Excel and other apps work fine?

That points to something Word-specific: a Word add-in, the Normal.dotm template, Word's settings, or one particular document. Work through safe mode, the add-ins check, and a Normal.dotm reset before repairing all of Office.

How do I fix Word not responding on a Mac?

Force quit with Command+Option+Esc, update Word from Help > Check for Updates, and move Normal.dotm out of ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Templates. If it still hangs, start the Mac in Safe Mode to rule out background apps.

Sources

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