What Causes “Not Responding” in Word?
However, let us first examine the problem before seeking what are the most effective ways of resolving it. There are certainly several explanations in this regard, namely:
File Corruption: An attempt to open a Word document that has a corrupt file can often lead to Word hanging or becoming unresponsive altogether.
External Add-ins: Certain external add-ons or office plug-ins can interfere with the functions of Word and cause performance problems.
Size of the Document: Considering several factors, for example, if the document is too big or has too many pictures, tables or elements, Word might take time to open or even process the document.
Older Versions of Software: In the event that either Word or the computer system is not updated, this may result in issues whereby Word would hang due to Bugs or incapacity to work together.
Lack of Sufficient System Resources: If the computer has less RAM, the majority of the programs being run are excessive, and within such circumstances, Word may be insufficiently resourced for proper operation.
Other Processes Running: Other software running in the system may affect the operation of Word.
How to Fix Word Not Responding Problem
And the following is a way that you can troubleshoot and fix the “word not responding” issue:
Here are some methods you could use to address and fix the “Word Not Responding” issue:
1. Just Give It a Minute
There are times wherein Word would seem not to respond because it is simply waiting to finish a long task (such as autosaving or opening a document with a big size). If that is the case, then just give it a couple of minutes and see if the Word program starts working.
Tip: At times it bears to be patient when dealing with a lot of text or a picture- Active documents take their time to process hence refusing to work is not unusual.
2. Use Task Manager to End Word Processes
If it is taking forever for Word to respond, if possible exit the program altogether:
Windows: Cick Ctrl then press shift and escape together (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to open Task Manager. Under the Processes tab, look for “Microsoft Word,” highlight it, and press End Task.
Mac: Holding the Command and the Option key press Esc, choose Word on the Applications list and press Force Quit.
