Apps · Repair guide

How to fix Microsoft Word not responding

Error messageMicrosoft Word (Not Responding)

9 fixes, easiest first3 min readUpdated November 2026

Quick fix

Give Word a minute, then end it in Task Manager and reopen it to use Document Recovery. If it keeps crashing, start it with winword /safe; if that works, turn off add-ins one at a time.

What it means

"Not Responding" means Word has stopped reacting, usually because it is busy with a large document, held up by an add-in, missing updates, or struggling with a damaged file. If only one document causes it, the file is the likely problem; if every document does, Word or Office needs attention. Word's Document Recovery often saves the work you had open.

Common causes

  • Word is busy with a large or complex document
  • A faulty or outdated add-in
  • Missing Office or Windows updates
  • A damaged document
  • Damaged Office program files
  • A damaged Normal template (Normal.dotm)

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01Wait, then close Word and recover your workEasy

  1. Give Word a minute or two, especially with a large document or when saving to a network or cloud folder.
  2. Press Alt + Tab to look for a hidden dialog box waiting for an answer.
  3. If Word is still frozen, right-click Start, select Task Manager, select Microsoft Word and choose End task.
  4. Open Word again. If the Document Recovery pane appears, open the newest version of your file and save it.
  5. On a Mac: press Option + Command + Esc, select Word and choose Force Quit.

Why it helps: A long task or hidden prompt is often the cause, and Document Recovery keeps the work you hadn't saved.

02Test with a different documentEasy

  1. Open a different Word document, or create a new blank document.
  2. If other documents work fine, the problem is probably the one document; go to the Open and Repair fix.
  3. Also try Excel or PowerPoint. If they misbehave too, the problem is likely Office or Windows, not Word alone.
  4. Restart the PC before moving on.

Why it helps: Knowing whether one file or all of Word is affected tells you which fix to use.

03If documents are on a network or cloud folder, save a copy locallyEasy

  1. Close Word, then in File Explorer copy the document to your Downloads folder. (Documents and Desktop are often backed up by OneDrive, so they may not count as local.)
  2. Open the copy from Downloads and see whether Word still freezes.
  3. If the copy works, the slowdown is the connection to the original folder. Check your internet or network, or OneDrive sync.
  4. To avoid two different versions, keep working in just one copy and copy it back to the original folder when you are done.

Why it helps: Word can stop responding while it waits on a slow network or cloud location.

04Install Office and Windows updatesEasy

  1. In Word, go to File > Account, then select Update Options > Update Now. If you only see Enable Updates, select it first.
  2. Open Settings > Windows Update, select Check for updates, install everything and restart.
  3. On a Mac: in Word choose Help > Check for Updates, then select Update.

Why it helps: Microsoft fixes many crashes and freezes through updates.

05Start Word in safe modeEasy

  1. Close Word.
  2. Press Windows + R, type winword /safe and select OK.
  3. Or hold Ctrl while you double-click the Word shortcut, and select Yes when asked about safe mode.
  4. If Word works in safe mode, an add-in or startup setting is the likely cause; go to the next fix.
  5. To leave safe mode, close Word and open it normally.

Why it helps: Safe mode starts Word without add-ins and custom settings, so you can see whether they cause the problem.

06Turn off add-ins one at a timeMedium

  1. With Word open (safe mode is fine), go to File > Options > Add-ins.
  2. Next to Manage, choose COM Add-ins and select Go.
  3. Clear the check box for one add-in and select OK.
  4. Close Word and open it normally. If it works, that add-in was the cause; leave it off and check its maker's site for an update.
  5. If not, repeat with the next add-in. Also check Word Add-ins in the same Manage list.

Why it helps: Add-ins load inside Word, so a broken one can freeze or crash the whole app.

07If one document causes it, use Open and RepairMedium

  1. Make a copy of the document first.
  2. In Word, go to File > Open > Browse.
  3. Select the document once to highlight it.
  4. Select the arrow on the Open button and choose Open and Repair.
  5. If it opens, save it under a new name. If not, create a blank document and use Insert > Object > Text from File to bring in its contents.
  6. As a last resort, in the Open dialog set the file type to Recover Text from Any File (*.*). This keeps the text but loses formatting and pictures.

Why it helps: Word can often fix or rescue the contents of a damaged document.

08Repair Microsoft 365Medium

  1. Close all Office apps.
  2. Right-click Start and select Installed apps.
  3. Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office, select the three dots next to it and choose Modify.
  4. Choose Quick Repair and select Repair. This repairs the whole Office suite, not just Word.
  5. If that doesn't help, run it again and choose Online Repair, which is more thorough but takes longer, then restart the PC.

Why it helps: Repair replaces damaged Office program files without touching your documents.

09Reset Word's Normal templateAdvancedResets settings

  1. Warning: this removes your custom default styles, macros and other changes saved in Word's Normal template. Your documents are not affected.
  2. Close Word.
  3. Press Windows + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates and select OK to open the Templates folder in File Explorer.
  4. Right-click Normal.dotm (it may show as just Normal), choose Rename and change the name to Normal-old.
  5. Open Word. It creates a fresh Normal template automatically. To undo, close Word, delete the new Normal.dotm and rename the old one back.

Why it helps: A damaged Normal template loads every time Word starts and can make it crash or freeze.

Check it's fixed

  • Word opens normally (not in safe mode) and stays responsive.
  • The document that caused trouble opens, edits and saves without freezing.
  • Word no longer shows "Not Responding" in its title bar or in Task Manager.

When to get help

If Word still crashes after a repair and with all add-ins off, or several Office apps fail, contact your IT team or Microsoft support. On a work PC, add-ins and updates may be managed by your organization.

Questions

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

Wait a few minutes first, since Word may finish what it is doing. If you must close it, Word normally offers your unsaved work in the Document Recovery pane the next time it opens.

Why does Word only freeze with one document?

That document is probably damaged or very complex. Try Open and Repair, or copy its text into a new document.

Will repairing Office delete my documents?

No. Office repair only fixes program files. Your documents and files are not changed.

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