Microsoft Word is an essential tool for many people in their day-to-day work, and it can be incredibly frustrating when it suddenly stops responding. This can happen for a variety of reasons, from issues with your computer to problems with the software itself. We’ll walk you through the steps to fix Microsoft Word when it’s not responding.
First, try waiting a few minutes to see if Word responds. Sometimes, Word may appear to be frozen, but it’s actually just processing a large file or performing a background task. If Word hasn’t responded after a few minutes, try the following steps.
The first step is to check whether there are any updates available for Microsoft Word. Open Word and click on “File” in the top left corner. Select “Account” from the left-hand menu, and then click on “Update Options.” Choose “Update Now” to check for updates. If there are any updates available, download and install them, then restart Word and check if the issue is resolved.
If updating Word doesn’t work, try running a repair of the software. In Windows 10, go to “Settings” and click on “Apps & Features.” Find Microsoft Word in the list of apps, click on it, and select “Advanced Options.” From there, select “Repair” and follow the on-screen instructions.
If repairing Word doesn’t work, try disabling any add-ins or plug-ins that may be causing the issue. Open Word and click on “File” in the top left corner. Select “Options” and then click on “Add-ins.” Under “Manage,” select “COM Add-ins” and click “Go.” Deselect any add-ins that are currently selected, and then click “OK.” Close and restart Word to see if the issue is resolved.
If disabling add-ins doesn’t work, try starting Word in Safe Mode. This will disable any add-ins or plug-ins that may be causing the issue. To start Word in Safe Mode, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type “winword.exe /safe” (without quotes) and press Enter. Word will start in Safe Mode, and you can then try opening the file that was causing the issue to see if it works.
If Word still isn’t responding, try disabling any antivirus software that may be interfering with Word. Sometimes, antivirus software can mistakenly identify Word as a threat and prevent it from running properly. Try temporarily disabling your antivirus software and then open Word to see if the issue is resolved.
Another option is to try resetting the Word registry key. This is a more advanced solution and should only be attempted if you have experience with the Windows Registry. Open the Registry Editor by pressing the Windows key + R, typing “regedit” (without quotes), and pressing Enter.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word (assuming you’re using Word 2016) and right-click on the “Word” key. Select “Rename” and add “_old” to the end of the key name. Close the Registry Editor and restart Word to see if the issue is resolved.
If none of these solutions work, you may need to uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Word. Before you do this, make sure you have your product key or account information handy, as you will need it to reinstall Word. To uninstall Word, go to “Settings” and click on “Apps & Features.” Find Microsoft Word in the list of apps, click on it, and select “Uninstall.” Once Word is uninstalled, restart your computer and then reinstall Word using your product key or account information.
In summary, there are many steps you can take to fix Microsoft Word when it’s not responding. Start by checking for updates and running a repair of the software.
