Magic Fix: Microsoft Word Keeps Freezing with 7 Hacks

admin 2 weeks agoLast Updated: April 16, 2025

139 6 minutes read

Microsoft Word keeps freezing? There are lot of people who deal with this frustrating issue. Doesn’t matter if you’re using Office 365, Word 2019, & running it on Windows 10 or 11. You can get random freezes, crashes or “Microsoft Word not responding” message can disturb your workflow.

Well, the good news is that you don’t have to be a techie to fix it. In this expert guide, we’ll discuss simple troubleshooting tips, advanced fixes, and preventive hacks to keep Word running smoothly—forever!

Table of Contents

Why Does Microsoft Word Keeps Freezing? (Root Causes Explained)

Before jumping into fixes, let’s uncover why this keeps happening.

1. Software Conflicts and Background Processes

Programs running in the background can hog memory, causing Word to freeze when opening documents or during edits.

2. Corrupted Word Templates (especially normal.dotm)

A corrupted global template file (normal.dotm) is one of the top reasons Word 2019 hangs on startup or acts buggy.

3. Outdated Office Version or Missing Updates

Running an outdated Office build or skipping Windows updates can introduce compatibility issues, especially in Office 365 crashing scenarios.

4. Faulty Add-ins or Plugins

Add-ins like Grammarly or EndNote often cause Office programs to keep freezing, particularly if they clash with the core Word functions.

5. Low RAM or CPU Overuse

Insufficient system memory or high CPU usage can delay document actions, causing the Word app to become stuck or unresponsive.

6. Printer Driver Conflicts

A poorly configured default printer or broken driver can surprisingly lead to Word not responding when saving or printing.

Quick Fixes You Should Try First (No Tech Skills Needed)

Most of the time few fixes are simpler. If your Microsoft Word keeps freezing, don’t worry—start with below easy steps. They’re easy, safe, and often solve the problem in minutes. You don’t need to be an IT expert to perform these.

1. Restart Everything

Let’s begin with the classic solution—restarting. It might sound too simple, but many freezing issues go away just by rebooting your system. First, close Word. If it’s not responding, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), right-click on “Microsoft Word,” and hit End Task. Once done, restart your PC completely. This clears up temporary glitches, refreshes memory usage, and helps in case Word is stuck or frozen due to background conflict.

2. Use Task Manager to End Background Word Processes

Sometimes, even after closing Word, it keeps running silently in the background. These hidden processes can lock up memory or conflict with a fresh launch. Open Task Manager → go to the Processes tab → Look for WINWORD.EXE or “Microsoft Word.”
Right-click and choose “End Task.”
This trick is especially useful when Word won’t reopen or freezes on startup.

3. Start Word in Safe Mode

Safe Mode allows Word to start without any third-party add-ins, extensions, or templates that may be causing the crash.
To do this:

Press Windows + R, type winword /safe, and hit Enter.
If Word opens successfully in Safe Mode, the issue is almost certainly caused by a faulty add-in or corrupted template.
This method is a lifesaver when you’re unsure why Word freezes when opening a document.

4. Check for Microsoft Office Updates

An outdated version of Microsoft Word or Office can be the root of random freezing. Microsoft releases regular patches to fix bugs, improve performance, and handle compatibility with new Windows updates.
To update Office:

Open Word → Go to File → Account → Click on Update Options → Select Update Now
This is crucial if you’re running Office 365 or Word 2019, especially on Windows 11, where outdated compatibility can trigger repeated Word not responding errors.

5. Clear the Recent Documents List

It might surprise you, but corrupted or oversized recent files can prevent Word from launching properly. When you open Word, it tries to preload that list, and if one of those files is broken, it can lead to Word hanging or crashing.
To clear it:

Open Word → Go to File → Open → Recent Documents
Right-click on the file you don’t need → Select Remove from list
You can also turn off the feature altogether from Options → Advanced → Display → Set recent documents to 0 temporarily.

These quick fixes often work like magic. They don’t require advanced knowledge, but they reset the core operations of Word, helping eliminate temporary faults that make Word freeze, crash, or become unresponsive.

Next, we’ll move into deeper waters with powerful, advanced solutions that target persistent issues for good.

Advanced Solutions to Stop Microsoft Word Freezing Forever

If the quick methods didn’t work, here’s how to fix the root problem like a pro:

1. Disable Unnecessary Add-ins

Go to File → Options → Add-ins → COM Add-ins → Go
Uncheck Grammarly, Mendeley, or any other add-ins you don’t use.

Many times, COM Add-ins cause Word freeze or random shutdowns.

2. Repair Microsoft Office

Head to Control Panel → Programs → Microsoft Office
Click Change, then select Quick Repair first
If that fails, go for Online Repair

👉 Use the Office 365 repair tool to resolve deeper system file issues.

3. Delete or Rename normal.dotm

This template auto-loads whenever Word launches. A corrupt version can crash Word immediately.

Steps to Fix:

Press Win + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates
Rename normal.dotm to normal_old.dotm
Restart Word—it’ll generate a fresh, clean template.

4. Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers

Go to Device Manager → Print queues → Right-click your printer → Update driver.

🖨️ A faulty print spooler can affect Word functions, especially during print commands.

5. Check Windows Updates and Compatibility

Always keep your OS and Office versions aligned. Also, try running Word in compatibility mode if issues persist.

Clean Boot and Conflict Testing

Still stuck? Try isolating external software issues.

How to Perform a Clean Boot:

Open Run → Type msconfig
Under Services tab → Check “Hide all Microsoft services” → Click “Disable All”
Restart your PC

This clean environment helps you pinpoint third-party software conflicts. If Word starts slowly only under certain user profiles, test in a guest account or new user account.

Special Scenarios: When Word Freezes Only in Specific Cases

Not all Word freezes are equal. Let’s tackle the tricky ones:

1. Freezes While Opening a Specific Document

Try Open → Browse → Click dropdown on Open → Open and Repair
Or go to View → Draft Mode before opening the file.

2. Freezes When Saving or Printing

Change the save format to .rtf or .pdf
Set the default printer to Microsoft XPS Document Writer

3. Freezes After Running Macros

Go to Developer Tab → Macros → Disable All Macros
Reset macro security settings under Trust Center Settings

Using Microsoft Support Tools & Alternatives

Sometimes, built-in tools can go a long way.

1. Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA)

A free tool that scans for issues and auto-fixes Office bugs.
Download SaRA from Microsoft

2. Command Line Office Repair

Open Command Prompt as admin and run:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\OfficeClickToRun.exe /repair

3. Try Microsoft Word Online

Preventing Microsoft Word from Freezing in Future

Let’s make sure you never deal with this again.

Auto-Update Office: Enable auto-updates to receive performance fixes.
Clean System Junk: Run Disk Cleanup or CCleaner monthly.
Use a Lightweight Antivirus: Heavy security apps can slow or block Word. Opt for Microsoft Defender or lightweight antivirus.
Store on the Cloud: Using OneDrive integration ensures backups and prevents data loss if Word crashes.

FAQs: Microsoft Word Freezing Issues Answered

Q1: Why does Microsoft Word keep freezing on Windows 11?
It’s often due to outdated add-ins, normal.dotm issues, or printer driver conflicts.

Q2: How do I fix Microsoft Word not responding without losing data?
Use Open and Repair, then disable add-ins. Try opening in Safe Mode.

Q3: Is it safe to delete normal.dotm?
Yes! Word will auto-generate a new one, fixing many template-related freezes.

Q4: Can too many add-ins slow down Word?
Absolutely. Especially memory-heavy ones like Grammarly, EndNote, or citation tools.

Q5: How do I open a corrupted Word document?
Use Open and Repair, or convert it to .RTF or .PDF to extract content.

Also Read: Laptop Maintenance: Essential Tips for Long-lasting Performance

Conclusion

Microsoft Word freezing on Windows 10, 11, or Office 365 doesn’t have to ruin your productivity. From simple restarts to SaRA repair tools, we’ve covered both easy and advanced solutions.

👉 Remember to disable unused add-ins, keep Office updated, and monitor normal.dotm to avoid recurring issues.

Still facing trouble?
💡 Get expert remote support now and wave goodbye to Word crashes—forever!