Sue Wayne
December 22, 2022 • Archived to:Solve Mac problems• Proven solutions
"Why does my Microsoft Word on Mac keep crashing? I've tried to solve it multiple times but I can't fix the problem or recover my lost Word documents."
This is a request we received recently from one of the users of MS Word on Mac. As you know, MS Word is part of the Office suite developed by Microsoft. Besides Windows, it is also available for Mac and offers various utility functions. However, there are times when Word on Mac keeps crashing and users are unable to use the features or even save their existing files.
Don't worry! The problem is quite common and can be easily fixed. In this guide we explain whyMicrosoft Word keeps crashing on Macand how to fix this problem in 8 different ways. In addition, we also discuss the howRecover Word Documentsafter a crashed Mac. Let's get started and start a quick fix for MS Word on Mac.
- Part 1: Why Does Microsoft Word Keep Crashing on Mac?"
- Part 2: How to fix "Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac"
- Part 3: How to Recover Corrupted Word Documents on Mac?
Part 1: Why does Microsoft Word keep crashing on Mac?
Before we discuss issues to fix thatMicrosoft Word Mac crashesproblems, it is important to note what may have caused the problem in the first place. This way you can understand why Word keeps crashing on Mac and even avoid it in the future.
- Most of the time, MS Word crashes itself due to a bug in the tool's office suite. Most likely the application could not be installed.
- You may be running an old or incompatible version of Word on your Mac.
- If you are using pirated MS Word application, it might be corrupted as well.
- Sometimes the Mac does not grant permissions to third-party apps (like Word) which causes them to work incorrectly.
- The source drive where MS Word was installed may also be damaged.
- The MS Word application location may have been moved to a different location.
- The application previously crashed or was closed during processing, causing it to become corrupted or corrupted.
- There is a possibility that MS Word has been infected with malware.
Video Tutorial How To Fix Microsoft Word Crashing On Mac?
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Part 2: How to fix "Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac"?
The good news is that most of these problems can be easily solved if we choose the right approach. Ideally you can fix itMicrosoft Word keeps crashingproblems with these solutions.
1. Check the disk name
A bad disk name is one of the most common problems for Word to malfunction. This is because Mac offers a more flexible way of naming the disk while Windows has certain limitations. You may also need to change the disk name to fix this. This is how you can check and rename hard drive on Mac to make it compatible with Word.
- Just click the Apple logo in the top left corner of the desktop and open the Applications tab. Go to the Utilities section to open the Disk Utility window.
- Select your Mac's hard drive on the left and view its name and other details on the right (under the Partitions tab).
- Make sure the unit has a name and starts with a letter. While it can contain numbers, it cannot contain only numbers or special characters. Make the necessary changes to rename the hard drive.
Once the disk is renamed, you can restart your Mac and try accessing MS Word again.
2. Clean the AutoRecover folder
As you know, autosave is a MS Word built-in feature that automatically saves the document running in the background. It allows us to recover our files if they are lost or closed unexpectedly. But sometimes the AutoRecovery folder can conflict with the application itself, causing it to become corrupt. So, you can clean it to fix Word on Mac that keeps crashing.
- To get started, just launch Finder on your Mac and click Go > Go to Folder from the menu.
- Now copy the path "~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/" to your Mac (without the quotes).
- Clicking Go will open the AutoRecovery folder on your Mac. From here you can easily delete the autosaved files to keep the folder clean.
3. Reset Word preferences
Sometimes the reasonMicrosoft Word Mac crashesIt could also be the wrong settings in the app. To fix this, you can reset the settings completely and try restarting Word.
- First, select the Word icon on the desktop and go to the Word > Preferences option in the menu.
- When Word's Preferences tab opens, from here click on the File Locations icon.
- This will open the File Locations feature on the screen. Click on the "User Templates" option and select "Reset".
- You can also click the "Change" button to preview it. Here you see a "normal" file. You can cut and paste it somewhere else (e.g. on your desktop) or just move it to the trash.
After resetting Word preferences, restart the apps and check whether it fixes MS Word crashing on Mac or not.
4. Save the Word document to another location
In addition to the MS Word application, there may be an issue with your Mac storage. in addition. For example, if a particular partition or sector on the hard drive has become corrupted, you should try saving your documents elsewhere. This will help you avoidWord crashes on Macor also avoid losing your important files.
See also: If you're having trouble with your Mac's storage, learn more8 Ways to Free Up and Manage Mac Storage.
- 2 minutes to read.
- First, open the MS Word application on your Mac and try to open the file. If you're lucky, you might be able to open the file without the Word application crashing.
- Quickly go to the File menu and click on the "Save As" option.
- Now navigate to the location where you want to save your Word document and give it the required name.
Alternatively, you can also copy your MS Word file and simply paste it somewhere else.
5. Download and install Word updates
As mentioned earlier, one of the reasons behind Microsoft Word Mac crashing might be an old version of the application. If the MS Word application has not been updated for a while, you may face Mac compatibility issues. The best way to fix MS Word crashing on Mac is to update it. It not only fixes Microsoft Word Mac that keeps crashing but also makes the application more secure by installing the necessary patches.
- Just launch the Word app on your Mac and go to Help > Check for Updates in the menu.
- From here you can enable the automatic update option if you wish. Make the appropriate selection and click the Check for Updates button again.
- In no time, MS Word will connect to your server and check for recent updates. Since it will notify you about it, just select the update and click the "Install" button.
- Now you can wait for a while while Word installs the update and reboots to a stable version at the end.
6. Create another user account on the Mac
Although it may sound surprising, you can face problems with your user account on Mac as well. For example, the account you sign in with may be blocked from using certain apps, or there may be conflicts with some commands. To avoid and fix this problemMicrosoft Word keeps crashing on Mac, just create another account on your system.
- To get started, go to the Apple desktop icon and visit System Preferences.
- Here, click on the "Users and Groups" sections. When the appropriate window opens, click the lock icon at the bottom to make some changes.
- You must enter your admin password to continue. Then click the "+" icon to add a new account.
- Just enter the basic details of the new account (like type, name, etc.) and click the "Create User" button at the end.
- If you want, you can create a different password for the new account and also link it to the same iCloud account.
At the end you can log out of the current account and log in to the new account. Now try to open MS Word and see if it solves the problem or not.
7. Boot Mac into Safe Mode
Just like Windows, you can also boot Mac system in safe mode. Safe Mode is mainly used for troubleshooting and automatically enables several secondary processes. This way you can check if there is any problem with the MS Word application itself or with the Mac system. Here’s how to start and fix your Mac in Safe ModeMicrosoft Word crashes on Mac.
- Just turn on your Mac by pressing the power button. If you are already using it, restart it.
- Once you hear the startup sound (or see the Apple logo), press Shift on the keyword.
- Hold for a few seconds, your Mac will restart in Safe Mode.
- You can now see "Safe Mode" in the top right corner of the screen. Just log in to any account and try to access the MS Word application in it.
8. Run Disk Utility to repair stuck Word
If none of the above techniques fix MS Word crashing on Mac, you should consider repairing the entire hard drive. Though it takes a long time, doing this will ensure your Mac's hard drive stays safe and in good working order. To repair and repair your Mac hard driveWord keeps crashing on Mac, follow these quick steps:
- In Spotlight, look for the "Disk Utility" option and open it. Alternatively, you can click Go > Utilities from the Mac main menu and open the Disk Utility window.
- On the left you can select the primary hard drive on your system. In most cases it is Macintosh HD. Now click on the “First Aid” option in the toolbar and confirm your choice.
- As Mac would start to repair hard drive, you can wait for a while to finish the process.
- Once that's done, restart your Mac and see if MicrosoftWord keeps crashing on Macor not.
Part 3: How to Recover Corrupted Word Documents on Mac?
When an app crashes on Mac, we usually lose your data. If MS Word crashes while working on a document, you may lose it forever. To avoid this unwanted scenario, you should stop usingRestorationData recovery for Mac. It is one of the best Mac data recovery tools used by leading experts. Powered by Wondershare, it offers a fast, easy, and highly secure way to recover your data. The application has high data recovery rate and supports all major Word document extensions.
- With the help of Recoverit Data Recovery, you can recover your lost, deleted or inaccessible Word files in no time.
- The app supports all sorts of other data types like photos, videos, PDFs, Excel spreadsheets, emails, archive files and many more.
- No matter the situation, Recoverit will help you in all sorts of data loss scenarios like accidental deletion, memory corruption, partition lost, etc.
- It follows different scanning modes so that users can save time and get the expected results.
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Video Tutorial to Recover Unsaved or Deleted Word Documents on Mac?
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How to Recover Word Document on Mac
To learn how to recover Word document after Mac crash, you can follow the steps below.
Step 1. Choose a destination
Just launch Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac and choose a location to scan. In this case, that would be the primary Macintosh HD. However, if you want, you can also perform data recovery on an external device.
Step 2. Search for lost files
Just like you would mark a source location and start the process, Recoverit will check the location carefully. It is recommended to wait for a while until the process is completed smoothly.
Step 3. Preview and recover your Word files
Once the data extraction process is complete, the application allows you to preview the retrieved content. Now you can just select the Word files you want to recover and save them in a safe place.
Part 4: Tips to prevent Word keeps crashing on Mac
If you don't want to face unexpected data loss or MS Word crash on Mac, you should follow these suggestions.
- Always ensure that the MS Word application on your system is up to date. You can turn on auto-update to save time.
- Keep real-time firewall scanning to protect the app from malware attacks.
- Do not shut down your Mac while MS Word is still running in the background.
- Do not try to close MS Word documents in between or unexpectedly.
- Install MS Word on the main partition of your Mac hard drive (if you have multiple partitions).
- Do not install MS Office from an untrustworthy source (or a pirated version). Buy from the official Microsoft website to avoid problems with the software.
Now that you know how to fix itMicrosoft Word keeps crashing on Mac, you could solve this problem like a pro. Besides listing various fixes for Word crashes on Mac, we also provide a quick solution to perform data recovery on Mac. With the help of Recoverit Data Recovery, you can quickly recover lost or deleted content. Go ahead and download theMac data recovery toolon Mac or share it with others to teach them how to recover crashed Word document on Mac.
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FAQs
Why does my Word document keep crashing on Mac? ›
Download and Install Word Updates
The ideal approach to fix MS Word crashing on Mac is by refreshing it. Open the Word application on your Mac, and from its menu, go to Help > Check for Updates. From here, you can snap on the "Check for Updates" button once more. MS Word will connect with its server and inform.
The Word file you are trying to launch is corrupt. In some cases, it can also be because of corrupt Word cache files. An installed add-in is interrupting Word's processes. If you have installed external add-ins, then you can try disabling or removing them to see if that fixes the problem.
Why does Microsoft Word keep not responding on Mac? ›Possible Reasons behind MS Word Not Responding on Mac
The third-party add-ons or the plug-ins hinder the software. MS Word preferences are corrupted. The virus or malware infected the operating system of your Mac (Install an anti-virus program) Unexpected power disturbance or sudden closing of Word document.
- Launch the Word on Mac. In the main menu, click on "File" > "Open".
- Find the drop-down menu titled Enable( Show). Select the option "Recover Text from Any File".
- Navigate to your corrupted Word file. Follow on-screen instructions to complete the recovery process.
Use autocorrection
On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) Go to Text Input on the right, then click Edit. Turn on “Correct spelling automatically,” then click Done.
- From the ribbon of any Office host except Outlook, navigate to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Trusted Add-in Catalogs.
- Select the checkbox Next time Office starts, clear all previously-started web add-ins cache.
- Searching for Word documents.
- Searching for Word backup files.
- Checking the Recycle Bin.
- Restarting Word to open AutoRecover files.
- Searching for AutoRecover files.
- Searching for temporary files.
Microsoft Word keeps freezing because your computer's resources are low. This means your computer doesn't have enough memory or processing power to properly run Microsoft Word. Or you may be using an old MS Office application or MS Word app. In this case you may need to update your app and solve the problem.
How to clear cache on Mac? ›- Open the Finder window and press shift + command + G.
- Type ~/Library/Caches into the search box and click Go.
- Press command + A to select all folders, or manually select individual items.
- Press and hold command + delete to clear the selected files from your Mac cache.
To use this method, you must make sure the frozen app is active as well as press and hold the Command-Option-Shift-Escape.
Why do files get corrupted on Mac? ›
There are a lot of reasons why Word documents get corrupted, especially on Mac. In addition to power interruption, the program can also crash while you are on it, program affected by a virus, or when there are problems with the headers in the file.
Can you fix corrupted files on Mac? ›Disk Utility can check for and fix errors related to the formatting and directory structure of a Mac storage device. Disk Utility can fix certain disk problems — for example, multiple apps quit unexpectedly, a file is corrupted, an external device doesn't work properly, or your computer won't start up.
How do I run Office Repair on Mac? ›- Choose Utilities on the Go menu and launch Disk Utility.
- Select your computer's main hard drive and select the First Aid tab.
- Finally, click on Repair Disk Permissions.
By far, the most common reason for “Your account can view documents but it doesn't allow editing on a Mac” error is having an expired or incorrect license (without editing rights). To check your Microsoft license: Visit portal.office.com.
How do I fix spelling mistakes on my Macbook? ›- In the Word menu, click "Preferences."
- In the Word Preferences dialog box, click "Spelling & Grammar."
- In the Spelling section, turn "Check spelling as you type" on or off. In the Grammar section, do the same for "Check grammar as you type."
To get to the cached Office files, open the Office Upload Center and select All Cached Files from the drop-down list next to the Refresh button. It will show a list of files in your cache which you can double click to open, even while offline.
How do I clear my Office 365 cache on Mac? ›- Make sure your computer is connected to the Exchange server.
- In the navigation pane, Ctrl+click or right-click the Exchange folder for which you want to empty the cache, and then click Properties.
- On the General tab, click Empty Cache.
So if you clear your browser's cache and temporary internet files regularly, this helps your computer or device run optimally—and doing so can help fix certain problems, like a website loading slowly, or formatting issues on a web page.
How did my Word document get corrupted? ›A Word document can become corrupted for several reasons that will prevent you from opening it. This behavior may be related to damage to the document or to the template on which the document is based. This behavior might include the following: Repeatedly renumbers the existing pages in the document.
Is my Word document corrupted? ›Signs that your MS Word document is corrupt
A computer becomes unresponsive when you open the document. Document formatting and layout keeps on changing. Unreadable characters appearing all over the document. The document cannot load and gives you an 'Unspecified error' message.
Why is my Microsoft Word malfunctioning? ›
You'll most often encounter a "Microsoft Word is not responding" message for one of several reasons: A failure to open, save, or access a document hosted on a remote server, often arising from a server timeout. A damaged program file. An incompatible add-in.
How do you update Word on a Mac? ›Open an Office app such as Word, then on the top menu, click Help > Check for Updates. If you don't see Check for Updates, run the latest version of Microsoft AutoUpdate tool, then check for updates again.
How do I start Microsoft Word in Safe Mode Mac? ›Safe Mode is only available on Microsoft Office for Windows, so if you're having difficulty with Office on a Mac then you'll need to try an alternative troubleshooting approach. Disabling extensions and add-ons might work if you can get into the application.
Why does Microsoft Office 365 keep crashing? ›The Outlook may keep crashing if the Outlook profile associated with your Office 365 account is corrupt or damaged. You can try setting up a new Outlook profile and remove the older one in such a case. However, before removing the profile, backup your current Outlook data file (OST) from the default location.
How do I stop programs from crashing on my Mac? ›- Force Quit the App and Restart It. ...
- Update Your App. ...
- Kill Memory-Hogging Processes. ...
- Clear App Cache. ...
- Delete App Preference Cache. ...
- Uninstall and Reinstall the App. ...
- Restart Your Mac.