Why is Microsoft Word not responding on Mac

Microsoft Word may stop responding on Mac for several underlying reasons, most of which are related to how your system handles memory, software, or file structures. Identifying the root cause is the first step if you want to fix Microsoft Word not responding on Mac without risking losing any unsaved data.

The most common reasons behind Microsoft Word failure include:

• Limited system memory. When your Mac is low on RAM, large Word documents or multiple background apps can overwhelm the system, causing Word to unexpectedly freeze.
• Incompatible software. After a macOS or Microsoft Office update, mismatched versions can lead to crashes during startup or while editing.
• Corrupted Word preferences or documents. Damaged .plist files or incomplete AutoRecovery saves often prevent Word from promptly opening or responding.
• Problematic plugins or add-ins. Third-party extensions, especially older ones, may block Word's normal operation or interfere with startup tasks.

What to do if Word is not responding on Mac

If Word keeps crashing on your Mac, start by force-quitting the app to remove any frozen processes. You can then restart your device to clear temporary system glitches and check for available Word updates since older versions often crash due to bugs or macOS incompatibility. Disable any third-party plugins that might interfere with Word's startup.

Open Word in Safe Mode to bypass add-ins and isolate the issue. You can also delete Auto Recovery files or reset Word preferences to remove corrupted settings. These steps will usually resolve most issues without requiring an app reinstall and are safe to try, even if you're not tech-savvy.

1. Force quit Word

If Microsoft Word freezes and won't respond to any commands, the fastest solution is to force quit the app. Our experts suggest this step before anything else because it closes the unresponsive process without the need to restart your Mac. You can do it through the Apple menu or Activity Monitor. Many users look for ways to download Word for Mac for free, but all versions are at risk of occasional freezes. It’s therefore good to know how to force quit safely.

Follow these steps to force quit Word on Mac:

1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select Force Quit from the dropdown.
3. Select Microsoft Word from the list of open apps.
4. Click Force Quit, then confirm.
5. If that doesn't work, open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities.
6. Search for "Word", select the process, and click the (×) button to force it to close.

2. Disable Add-ins

Some Word add-ins, especially older or third-party ones, can cause freezing or slow performance. Our team often identifies these as hidden causes behind repeated crashes and disabling them helps you determine if one is to blame. If Word starts behaving normally after this step, you've likely found the culprit.

To disable add-ins in Word on Mac:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to Tools > Templates and Add-ins from the top menu.
3. In the dialog box, uncheck all active add-ins.
4. Click OK to confirm and close the window.
5. Restart Word and check if it works more effectively.
6. If it does, re-enable add-ins individually to find the faulty one.

3. Remove Auto Recovery Folder

When Word crashes frequently, it might be trying to load a corrupt Auto Recovery file. Our experts often use this fix when documents keep hanging at startup and deleting this folder won’t erase your saved work. Instead, it only removes temporary backup files that can trigger launch errors. This method also helps if you want to stop a Microsoft AutoUpdate on your Mac from reloading these problematic files.

To safely remove the Auto Recovery folder:

1. Open Finder.
2. From the top menu, click Go > Go to Folder.
3. Type: /Users/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery
4. Press Return to open the folder.
5. Select all files and move them to Trash.
6. Restart Microsoft Word.

4. Clear cache and temporary files

Over time, Microsoft Word accumulates temporary data, logs, and cached files that can clutter your system and reduce performance. Our experts often recommend clearing these Office-related files when Word starts lagging or freezing during simple actions like saving or scrolling.

To clear Word's cache and temp files on Mac:

1. Open Finder.
2. In the top menu, click Go and choose Go to Folder.
3. Enter ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Caches and click Go.
4. Select the contents, then drag them to Trash.
5. Repeat the process for ~/Library/Caches and locate any Microsoft or Office-related folders.
6. Empty the Trash and restart Microsoft Word.

5. Update Word on Mac

If Word is crashing regularly or certain features simply aren't working, running an outdated version could be the reason why and is an issue our team sees frequently. This is because macOS updates can create incompatibilities with older Office versions and the easiest fix is to keep your apps up to date. You can do this using either the App Store or Microsoft AutoUpdate.

To update Word via the App Store:

1. Open the App Store on your Mac.
2. Click Updates in the left sidebar.
3. If you see Microsoft Word listed, click Update next to it.

To use Microsoft AutoUpdate:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. In the top menu, click Help > Check for Updates.
3. The AutoUpdate tool will open. Select Automatically Download and Install.
4. Click Update to install the latest version.

6. Open Microsoft Word in Safe Mode

Launching Word in Safe Mode is a great way to test if add-ins or corrupted settings are causing issues. In this mode, Word runs with the minimum required resources: no templates, no plug-ins, and no AutoRecovery interference. Our experts use this method to isolate and identity the problem when Word won't start or crashes on launch.

To open Word in Safe Mode on Mac:

1. Shut down Microsoft Word completely.
2. Hold the Shift key on your keyboard.
3. While holding Shift, open Word from your Applications folder or Dock.
4. Release the Shift key once Word finishes loading.

7. Reset Word preferences

When nothing else works—if Word keeps crashing, opens blank, or behaves erratically—resetting your preferences can help. This method deletes corrupted preference files, forcing Microsoft Word to create fresh ones. Our team usually uses this fix when persistent errors resist updates and Safe Mode. Be aware that this will reset toolbars, custom styles, and recent documents lists.

To reset Word preferences on Mac:

1. Quit Microsoft Word if it’s open.
2. Open Finder, then click Go > Go to Folder in the top menu.
3. Enter ~/Library/Preferences and click Go.
4. Locate files named com.microsoft.Word.plist and com.microsoft.Office.plist.
5. Move both to your Desktop (you can delete them later if things work).
6. Relaunch Word to generate new preference files.

Can you recover unsaved Word documents on Mac

Yes, you can often recover unsaved Word document on Mac—even if the app froze or crashed before you hit Save. The good news is that Microsoft Word has a built-in AutoRecover feature that quietly saves your work every few minutes in the background. If Word crashes, it usually reopens with a recovery panel showing any unsaved versions.

If you don't see this, don't panic. You can still manually check the AutoRecovery folder: open Finder, click Go > Go to Folder, and paste this path: ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery

You'll likely find backup versions of your document that you can open and save.

Another way to recover an unsaved Word document on Mac is by searching for temporary files. These are sometimes created during editing and can survive a system crash. Open Finder and look for files that begin with "~Word Work File". Even retrieving partial content is better than starting over. If all else fails, third-party recovery tools can scan your drive for recently lost files and it’s absolutely worth double-checking before you start rewriting anything.

Conclusion

When you run into the issue of a Word document not responding on Mac, it can quickly derail your workflow, especially if you're in the middle of something really important. Fortunately, there are clear steps you can take: force quitting Word, disabling problematic add-ins, clearing cached data, updating the app, or resetting preferences. In many cases, you can also recover unsaved work thanks to AutoRecover or temporary files. Each method we've shared helps you isolate the cause and get Word running smoothly again.

For ongoing stability, our experts recommend using MacKeeper's Smart Uninstaller. That's how you remove every leftover file and background item that can trigger issues later. If Word or other apps freeze, hang, or fail to update correctly, cleaning up unnecessary system clutter can make a huge difference. With just a few clicks, you can wipe out traces of old apps and give your Mac a healthier, more reliable foundation for smooth operating.

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