Excel/Word crashing

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Excel/Word crashing. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Problem

Microsoft Excel or Word keeps crashing, freezing, or closing unexpectedly while you're working. This issue is a common example of Applications freezing or crashing.

Symptoms

• Application freezes and becomes unresponsive
• Application closes suddenly
• “Not responding” message
• Error messages about crashes

Quick fixes to try first

1. Press Esc or wait a few seconds — Sometimes it will respond after a moment.
2. Wait for background tasks — Large files take time to process.
3. Check for saved version — Look for “Document Recovery” the next time you open the file.

Solutions

Step 1: Try Safe Mode

Starting in Safe Mode disables add‑ins and custom settings:

1. Close the application completely.
2. Press and hold Ctrl while clicking the app icon.
3. When prompted, click “Yes” to open in Safe Mode.
4. If it works, the issue is with an add‑in or setting.

If Safe Mode works:

1. Go to File → Options → Add‑ins.
2. In the “Manage” dropdown, select “COM Add‑ins” and click “Go”.
3. Disable add‑ins one by one to find the culprit.
4. If the problem is related to activation, see Office apps activation issues.

Step 2: Repair Microsoft Office

1. Press Win + R, type control, and press Enter.
2. Open “Programs and Features”.
3. Select “Microsoft 365” or “Microsoft Office”.
4. Click “Change” → “Quick Repair”.
5. Wait for the repair to complete, then try opening the app again.

Step 3: Check for Updates

1. Open the app (Word or Excel).
2. Go to File → Account → Update Options → Update Now.
3. Install any available updates and restart the application.

Step 4: Clear the Cache

For Excel:

1. Close Excel.
2. Press Win + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART, and press Enter.
3. Delete the contents of the XLSTART folder (if any).
4. Optionally, clear temporary files by navigating to %temp% and deleting its contents.

For Word:

1. Close Word.
2. Press Win + R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates, and press Enter.
3. Locate Normal.dotm and rename it to Normal.old (this resets Word to default settings).

Step 5: Check File Size and Content

Large or complex files can cause crashes:

• Excel: If the file is larger than 100 MB, consider splitting it into smaller workbooks.
• Word: Very long documents (thousands of pages) may need to be divided.

Problematic content includes:

• Excessive images or complex formatting.
• Corrupted objects or embedded files.
• Too many conditional‑formatting rules in Excel.

Step 6: Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration

1. In the app, go to File → Options → Advanced.
2. Scroll to the “Display” section.
3. Check “Disable hardware graphics acceleration”.
4. Click OK and restart the app.

Step 7: Check for Viruses or Malware

1. Press Win + I → Privacy & security → Windows Security (Windows 11) or Update & Security → Windows Security (Windows 10).
2. Click “Virus & threat protection” and run a “Quick scan”.
3. Address any threats that are found.

Step 8: Create a New User Profile

1. Press Win + R, type control, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to User Accounts → Manage another account.
3. Create a new local administrator account.
4. Log in with the new profile and test Office.

Recovery options

AutoRecover:

1. When you next open Office, look for “Document Recovery”.
2. Select the recovered file.
3. Save it immediately with a new name.

Unsaved files:

1. Go to File → Info → Manage Document.
2. Select “Recover Unsaved Documents”.

Backup files:

• Check %appdata%\Microsoft\Word.
• Check %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel.

Need more help?

Contact support if:

• Crashes continue after trying these steps.
• The issue affects multiple computers.
• You suspect a corrupted file.
• You need to recover unsaved work.

Open a Ticket

Still Having Issues?