Are you tired of Microsoft Word freezing, too? Sometimes, when you try to save a file, you'll notice that Microsoft Word keeps freezing. After some time, this might as well become a recurring problem. Many users face this issue when they're working with complicated, large files.
Microsoft Word keeps freezing for documents with multiple elements like charts, diagrams, and more. These interruptions can make it difficult for you to work efficiently. While that can be annoying, there are ways to overcome Microsoft Word frozen issues. Through this blog, you'll understand how you can overcome Microsoft Word freezing issues while saving or working on a particular document.
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In this article
Part 1: Why Does Microsoft Word Keep Freezing When it Saves?
If you're wondering why my Word Document keeps freezing, while saving it, you would have to look into several options. Some of the common reasons why MS Word freezes are as follows:
- Large document sizes: When a document has too many components, like images, tables, and other formatting styles, it overloads the program. This causes issues in the file and eventually crashes or freezes when you try to use it.
- Corrupted Files: One of the common reasons why Microsoft Word keeps freezing is that the files may be corrupted. Damaged documents can prevent the software from functioning normally. As a result, you will have to use a third-party tool to replace or repair the corrupted file and then use it.
- Outdated software: If you are using an older version of Word, it may not be compatible with the operating system. You must regularly update the software to fix the bugs. This also allows the software to function normally.
- Poor add-ins: You must be extremely mindful of add-ins, especially when you're using third-party ones. These add-ins may be poorly optimized in Microsoft Word, thereby interfering with its functionality. You will have to resolve these conflicts manually to fix the issue.
- Lack of system resources: Microsoft has particular requirements for CPU and RAM to function normally. If your system doesn't meet those requirements, Microsoft Word will eventually freeze, and under certain circumstances, it could crash completely.
Part 2: Some Solutions to Microsoft Word Keep Freezing and Crashing
Some key solutions to Microsoft Word Keeps freezing and crashing issues include:
- Restarting the MS Word.
- Restarting your PC before using the function.
- Uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Word from your device.
- Changing the Word Processor.
Part 3: Methods to Fix the Microsoft Word Keep Freezing When Saving
Now that you're aware that Microsoft Word keeps freezing, you will have to look for potential ways to fix it as well. Whether changing your system configurations, making some fixes with MS Word, or repairing the files, you'll have to look for potential ways to fix it.
Below are some of the common ways to fix Microsoft Word freezing:
3.1 Close Microsoft Word forcefully
Closing Microsoft Word forcefully in the initial stages may be unnecessary. However, it will help to remove the computer instantly from the lagging stage. Nonetheless, you must use the Task Manager to close the software forcefully.
Below are the steps to close Microsoft Word forcefully to fix Microsoft Word frozen:
Step 1: Use your keyboard to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete buttons regularly.
Step 2: Numerous options will appear; choose Task Manager.
Step 3: Visit the Processes or Applications tab under the Task Manager window.
Step 4: Browse through all the options to check for the Word application or a system that may be the main reason behind the freezing.
Step 5: Right-click on the specific Word Application or process. Click on the End Task option at the bottom right corner of the dashboard.
Step 6: Wait for some time. Visit the document and open it again. Check whether the freezing issue has been resolved or if the file is still freezing.
3.2 Disable Add-ins
Third-party add-ins can be too much for the Word document to handle. They can interfere with the document, leading to its freezing. Disabling the third-party add-ins can often be helpful for closing Microsoft Word.
Follow the steps given below to disable add-ins to prevent Microsoft Word freezing:
Step 1: Open the Run Windows and run Microsoft Word in Safe Mode.
Step 2: Visit the File tab once Microsoft Word runs in Safe Mode.
Step 3: Click on the Options button.
Step 4: To access the Word Options window, click the "Add-ins" option. Then, select the downward-facing icon. This will open the Manage drop-down menu. From all the available options, choose COM Add-ins and then hit the Go button.
Step 5: Remove or cancel all the add-in options. Choose the save your settings option.
Step 6: Now, you must exit Safe Mode and then run Word normally again. This is one of the most effective approaches to fixing the Word freezing issue.
3.3 Repair your Word document
If Microsoft Word keeps freezing and not responding correctly, you must repair the document. This will require you to use third-party software. You must resort to this method if you have fixed the issue in your system but it persists.
Repairing Word documents can be efficient as it will help to fix the problem once and forever. However, if you're using third-party software, you must choose highly secure software that does not pose any risk to your documents.
Follow the steps given below to repair the files directly:
Step 1: Launch MS Word on your computer and visit the Open tab. Click the Browse option to navigate and open the corrupted document to be repaired.
Step 2: Open the new dialog box and click on the document that freezes often. Click on the arrow down in the Open box. Choose the Open and Repair option in the drop-down menu. The document will open on your device after being repaired.
3.4 Move the File to Another Drive
Sometimes, Microsoft Word freezes because of the drive. Hardware issues, whether on a local computer hard drive or an external hard drive, can make it difficult for the documents stored in it to open properly. Sometimes, these hard drives may have bad sectors present in the location where the particular Word program or document will be stored.
Poor interface of the drive can be a severe issue preventing proper functioning. Therefore, you must prefer moving your file to another hard drive or cloud storage. This should help to fix the problem. After moving the file, you must check the hard disk's health and determine its functioning. If there are any additional documents in the hard drive, it will eventually lead to file corruption.
3.5 Run Word in Safe Mode
If Microsoft Word runs properly in Safe Mode, it means that some specific items in your system are interfering with it. Therefore, you'll have to completely uninstall any newly installed programs.
However, if Microsoft Word's document doesn't run efficiently in Safe Mode, it means that there are some problems with the Word program. Therefore, you will have to reinstall it again. You should check this method only for Microsoft versions 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2018.
Before adopting any particular fixes for Microsoft Word keeps freezing issues, you must run the document in Safe Mode. Below are the steps to do so:
Step 1: Launch the Run program on your computer. In the 'Open:' section, type winword /safe. Click on the Ok button. You can also double-click on the Word shortcut on your desktop. Once you get the prompt, tap the Yes button on the window to enter the Word Safe mode.
Step 2: Save your file as prompted on the screen and then exit from Safe Mode. Wait for some time, and then restart your MS Office application on the system and open any file to check if the problem still exists.
3.6 Increase Your Computer's Operating Memory
You may want to increase your computer's operating memory to understand the answer to why does Word keep freezing. One of the easiest answers to why Word keeps freezing is that your computer's operating memory is low.
The computer's memory may sometimes not be enough to support a particular program. As a result, Word will keep crashing. Moreover, if you do not upgrade your system's operating memory, the lags and delays will likely be there for a long time.
To fix the operating memory, you should upgrade the system hardware. It is advisable to consult professionals and check what hardware you should upgrade. Usually, upgrading RAM and storage capacity plays an important role in preventing crashes by expanding storage.
3.7 Repair Word File to Avoid Microsoft Word Crash With Repairit
Corrupted Word files need to be repaired to ensure they can work smoothly and not lead to Microsoft Word freezing. Wondershare Repairit is a reliable tool that helps to repair corrupted files using advanced algorithms. Repairit can repair all documents with just a few clicks, whether images, documents, or videos.
Repairit has a very user-friendly interface, allowing beginners to use it. Regardless of why the files were corrupted, Repairit can repair all the damaged files for unreadable content, unrecognizable formats, different files, formats, and so much more. It is an easy fix for fonts, hyperlinks, headers, and more.
You can download Wondershare Repairit for free from the website for your macOS and Windows OS. Once the software is downloaded and installed in your system, you need to follow the steps given below to work with Repairit:
Step 1: Launch Wondershare Repairit on your system. Click the More Types Repair option on the left side. Select File Repair from all the available options.
Step 2: In the next window, click the '+Add' button to upload the corrupted Word files to be repaired. You can also drag and drop the files from your system to the software. Once you have imported all the respective documents to be repaired, click the Repair button on the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Step 3: You'll be notified on the screen after the documents are repaired. Before saving the files, click the Preview button to check if they are repaired properly. After previewing, click the Save button to export the repaired files to your computer.
The potential solutions of repairing corrupted Microsoft word file online free.
Part 4 Bonus Tip: Recover Corrupt Word File With Recoverit
If Microsoft Word keeps freezing while saving the files, there's a chance that some of the unsaved changes will be lost forever. Moreover, the corrupt files are likely to create more nuisance, as you won't be able to get your data back. So, can you recover the corrupt Word file? You must use Wondershare Recoverit.
Wondershare Recoverit is a beginner-friendly file recovery tool that can recover all types of data, such as files, images, videos, and more. It is available for free download from the official website and is compatible with Windows and macOS devices. It can also recover corrupted Word files from your computer, external storage devices, USB flash drives, and more.
You must install Recoverit in your system before you use it. Once that is done, here's how you can recover the corrupt Word file with Recoverit:
Step 1: Launch Wondershare Recoverit on your system and browse the Hard Drives and Locations section. Select the hard drive under which the corrupted Word file is located.
Step 2: Once you select the hard drive, Wondershare Recoverit will begin scanning it to recover all the files stored in it. If you did not find the file after the first scan, click on All-around Recovery to initiate a deep scan. The software will use advanced algorithms to find the file. This may take a couple of minutes, depending on the size of the data stored in the hard drive.
Step 3: You can filter out the results by applying filters from the top section. Since you're looking for a Word document, set your filter as a Word document. Wondershare Recoverit results will show all the recovered Word files. Get a preview of the file to ensure that the recovered file is the one you're looking for. Click the Recover button, select the new location to recover the corrupted file, and click the Save button.
Part 5: Checklist for Good Document Habits?
If you are tired of Microsoft Word keeps freezing issues, you will also have to adopt the proper steps to fix it. But wouldn't it be good if you could prevent it from happening? Adopting good document habits can play an essential role in fixing the issues.
Some of the key things to do to prevent Microsoft Word freezing issues are as follows:
- Always save your files to prevent data loss. You should use external hard drives or cloud storage to create an additional copy of your files. So, even if your system files are lost, your externally saved files will be intact.
- If you connect an external hard drive to your computer, use the Safely Remove Hardware option. This will ensure the device's safe removal and prevent data loss.
- You must ensure that the power supply is working properly. Many people lose their important work because of sudden power failures.
Conclusion
If Microsoft Word keeps freezing while saving the files, you must adopt the proper methods to fix them. Repairing the files can often be a solution if the problem lies within the computer. Now, while fixing the Microsoft Word frozen issues, there's a high risk of losing some of the files. What can be done? You'll have to use Wondershare Recoverit to recover the corrupted or lost files. As long as you're using the right steps, you shouldn't face any problems in fixing Microsoft Word freezing issues and getting your document back.
FAQ
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1. Why does Microsoft Word freeze whenever I try to save a document?
If your Microsoft Word is too large and includes some add-ins, the software will freeze while trying to save the document. Moreover, the document may be corrupted in some cases, preventing the software from functioning correctly and eventually freezing. -
2. Could an add-in be causing Microsoft Word to freeze when saving?
Yes, add-ins are often one of the most common causes of Microsoft Word freezing issues. If you are using any third-party add-ins, these are likely to interfere with the capacity of your software. -
3. How can I fix Microsoft Word freezing while saving a file?
You can adopt numerous methods to fix Microsoft Word freezing while saving the file. These include:- Forcefully closing Microsoft Word.
- Disabling third-party add-ins.
- Running the MS Word in Safe Mode.
- Moving the file to another drive.
- Repairing the MS Word.
- Increasing the operating memory of the computer.
