How to Fix Microsoft Word Not Responding on Windows 10

Troubleshooting Word on Windows 10 can be a daunting task, especially when it refuses to respond. In this article, we explore effective measures to resolve the frustrating issue of Microsoft Word not responding, ensuring smooth document editing and uninterrupted productivity.

Launch Word In Safe Mode & Disable Add-Ins

To launch Word in safe mode and disable add-ins in order to fix Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Close all instances of Microsoft Word.

2. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

3. Type “winword.exe /safe” and press Enter. This will launch Word in safe mode.

4. In safe mode, click on the “File” menu in the top-left corner of the screen.

5. Click on “Options” in the dropdown menu.

6. In the Word Options window, click on “Add-Ins” in the sidebar.

7. At the bottom of the window, select “COM Add-ins” from the dropdown menu next to “Manage” and click on “Go”.

8. Uncheck any add-ins that are enabled and click on “OK”.

9. Close and restart Word normally.

By launching Word in safe mode and disabling add-ins, you can resolve compatibility issues and fix Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10.

Fix The Corrupted Word Document

To fix a corrupted Word document in Microsoft Word on Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word and go to the “File” menu.
2. Select “Open” and navigate to the location of the corrupted document.
3. Choose the document and click on the drop-down arrow next to the “Open” button.
4. Select “Open and Repair” from the list of options.
5. Wait for Word to repair the document. This may take a few moments.
6. Once the repair process is complete, save the document with a new name to avoid overwriting the original file.

If the above method doesn’t work, you can also try using third-party repair tools like EaseUS Fixo Document Repair or Grammarly to fix the corrupted document.

Remember to backup your files regularly to prevent any data loss.

Repair The Microsoft Office Suite

Fixing Microsoft Word Not Responding on Windows 10

If you’re experiencing issues with Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, here are some workable solutions to help you resolve the problem.

Fix 1: Restart Microsoft Word

Sometimes, a simple restart can fix the issue. Close Word and reopen it to see if that resolves the problem.

Fix 2: Disable Add-ins

Add-ins can sometimes cause compatibility issues and make Word unresponsive. To disable add-ins, go to the “File” menu, select “Options,” choose “Add-ins,” and click on “Go” next to “Manage: COM Add-ins.” Uncheck any add-ins that are enabled and click “OK.”

Fix 3: Repair Office Suite

If Word is still not responding, you can repair the Office Suite. Open the “Control Panel,” go to “Programs,” select “Uninstall a program,” right-click on “Microsoft Office,” and choose “Change.” Select the “Repair” option and follow the prompts to repair the Office Suite.

These methods should help you fix the Microsoft Word not responding issue on Windows 10. Remember to save your work before attempting any fixes to avoid potential data loss.

python
import win32com.client

def check_word():
try:
word_app = win32com.client.Dispatch("Word.Application")
print("Microsoft Word is working properly.")
word_app.Quit()
except Exception as e:
print("An error occurred while checking Microsoft Word:", str(e))

check_word()

In this code, we use the `win32com.client` module to interact with Microsoft Word through COM automation. The `check_word()` function attempts to initialize an instance of Word.Application and then quits the application. If an error occurs during this process, it will be caught and displayed.

Please make sure to have the `pywin32` library installed before running the code (`pip install pywin32`). Keep in mind that this code only checks if Word can be initialized; it does not perform an in-depth analysis of issues or provide specific solutions.

Use Control Panel

  • Access the Control Panel by clicking on the Start button and selecting “Control Panel” from the menu.
  • Once in the Control Panel, locate and click on “Programs”.
  • Next, click on “Programs and Features” to open the list of installed programs on your computer.
  • In the “Programs and Features” window, find and select Microsoft Word from the list of installed programs.
    Next, click on "Programs and Features" to open the list of installed programs on your computer.
In the "Programs and Features" window, find and select Microsoft Word from the list of installed programs.
  • With Microsoft Word selected, click on the “Change” or “Repair” button at the top of the window.
  • A new window will appear, presenting you with different options for repairing or modifying Microsoft Word. Select the “Repair” option to fix any issues with the software.
    With Microsoft Word selected, click on the "Change" or "Repair" button at the top of the window.
A new window will appear, presenting you with different options for repairing or modifying Microsoft Word. Select the "Repair" option to fix any issues with the software.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair process. Make sure to save any unsaved work in Word before proceeding.
  • After the repair process is finished, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
  • Once your computer has restarted, launch Microsoft Word to see if the “Not Responding” issue has been resolved.
  • If the problem persists, you may need to uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Word to fix any underlying issues with the software.

Change Your Default Printer

1. Open Microsoft Word and click on the File menu in the top left corner.

2. Select “Print” from the dropdown menu.

3. In the Print dialog box, locate and click on the “Printer” dropdown menu.

4. Choose the printer you want to set as your default printer from the list.

5. If the printer you want to use is not listed, click on “See more” to expand the list.

6. Once you have selected your desired printer, click on the “Set as Default Printer” option.

7. Close the Print dialog box and your default printer is now changed.

Remember, changing your default printer can help resolve printing issues and ensure that your documents are sent to the correct printer.

Update Your Printer Drivers

If you’re experiencing issues with Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, one possible reason could be outdated printer drivers. Updating your printer drivers can help resolve this problem.

To update your printer drivers, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select “Device Manager” from the menu.
2. Expand the “Printers” category.
3. Right-click on your printer and select “Update driver.”
4. Choose the option to automatically search for updated driver software.
5. If an updated driver is found, follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

Updating your printer drivers can ensure compatibility with the latest versions of Microsoft Word and prevent any printing-related issues.

Remember to regularly update your printer drivers to ensure smooth functioning of Microsoft Word and other Office apps.

By keeping your printer drivers up to date, you can avoid potential problems and ensure optimal performance when using Microsoft Word on Windows 10.

Turn Off Your Antivirus Software

Turn off your antivirus software to fix Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10.

1. Open your antivirus software and locate the settings or preferences section.
2. Look for an option to temporarily disable or turn off the antivirus protection.
3. Once you find it, toggle the switch or select the appropriate option to disable the antivirus.
4. Remember to turn it back on once you have resolved the Word not responding issue.

Disabling the antivirus software can help resolve conflicts or compatibility issues that may be causing Word to freeze or become unresponsive. However, it’s important to note that temporarily turning off your antivirus leaves your computer vulnerable to potential threats, so be cautious and only disable it when necessary.

If disabling the antivirus doesn’t fix the issue, you can try other methods or solutions mentioned in this article. Keep in mind that the specific steps may vary depending on the antivirus software you are using.

Uninstall Recent Windows & Office Updates

Date Update KB Number
June 1, 2021 Windows 10 Update KB5003637
May 15, 2021 Office 365 Update KB5003250
April 30, 2021 Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB5003173
April 15, 2021 Office 2019 Update KB5001343

Reinstall Microsoft Office On Your Computer

If you’re experiencing issues with Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, reinstalling Microsoft Office might solve the problem. Here’s how to do it:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “appwiz.cpl” and hit Enter to open the Programs and Features window.
3. Locate Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs and select it.
4. Click on Uninstall and follow the on-screen prompts to remove Microsoft Office from your computer.
5. Once the uninstallation process is complete, restart your computer.
6. Visit the Microsoft Office website and sign in with your Microsoft account.
7. Download and install the latest version of Microsoft Office.
8. Follow the installation prompts to complete the setup.

Reinstalling Microsoft Office can often resolve issues with Microsoft Word not responding. If you’re still experiencing problems, try the other fixes mentioned in this article.

Repair Corrupted Word Documents with a File Repair Tool

Repair Corrupted Word Documents with EaseUS Fixo Document Repair

If you’re experiencing issues with Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, one possible solution is to use a file repair tool like EaseUS Fixo Document Repair. This tool is designed to fix corrupted Word documents and restore them to a functional state.

To begin, download and install EaseUS Fixo Document Repair on your Windows 10 computer. Once installed, follow these steps:

1. Launch EaseUS Fixo Document Repair.
2. Click on the “Repair” button to start the repair process.
3. Select the corrupted Word document that you want to repair.
4. Click on the “Repair” button again to begin the repair process.
5. Wait for the tool to repair the document. This may take some time depending on the size of the document.
6. Once the repair process is complete, you will be prompted to save the repaired document.

Install Latest Windows Update or Office Update

To fix Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, it’s important to ensure that you have the latest Windows and Office updates installed. Here’s how to do it:

1. Install the latest Windows update:
– Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
– Click on “Update & Security” and then select “Windows Update” from the left sidebar.
– Click on “Check for updates” and let Windows download and install any available updates.

2. Install the latest Office update:
– Open any Office app, such as Word or Excel.
– Click on the “File” menu and then select “Account” from the sidebar.
– Under “Product Information,” click on “Update Options” and then choose “Update Now.”

By keeping your Windows and Office applications up to date, you can ensure that you have the latest bug fixes and improvements, which may resolve the issue of Word not responding.

Remove or Update Old Printer Drivers

To remove or update old printer drivers in Windows 10 and resolve Microsoft Word not responding issues, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select “Device Manager.”
2. Expand the “Print queues” category.
3. Right-click on the old printer driver and select “Uninstall device.”
4. If prompted, check the box to delete the driver software and click “Uninstall.”
5. Restart your computer to complete the removal process.

To update your printer driver:

1. Open the “Device Manager” again.
2. Right-click on your printer and select “Update driver.”
3. Choose the option to search automatically for updated driver software.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest driver.

Updating or removing old printer drivers can often resolve issues with Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10.

Remove Word Registry Keys

To remove Word registry keys and fix Microsoft Word not responding on Windows 10, follow these steps:

1. Close all Word and Office apps.
2. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type “regedit” and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
4. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data
(Note: Change “16.0” to your Word version if applicable)
5. Right-click on the “Data” folder and select “Delete” to remove it.
6. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
7. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
8. After restarting, open Microsoft Word again to see if the issue is resolved.

If the problem persists, try other approaches like repairing Office, reinstalling Word, or running a system file checker scan. Remember to back up your important files before making any changes to the registry.

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