Microsoft Powerpoint Keeps Crashing Mac

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Jun 30, 2019  Select Utilities and Disk Utility. Select the drive where Office is installed. Select the First Aid tab and select Repair Disk Permissions.

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Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Symptoms

When you start Microsoft Word for Mac, or when you try to open a new document, you experience one of the following conditions:

  • The program closes unexpectedly.

  • Error message:

Note

This error message may also occur during usage of application such as saving a document.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, follow steps below.

Microsoft Word for Mac 2008 or Later

Microsoft Keeps Crashing

Step 1: Quit all applications

  1. On the Apple menu, click Force Quit.

  2. Select an application in the 'Force Quit Applications' window.

  3. Click Force Quit.

  4. Repeat the previous steps until all active applications.

Warning

When an application is force quit, any unsaved changes to open documents are not saved.

Step 2: Remove Preferences

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  2. On the Go menu, click Home.

  3. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  4. Open the Preferences folder.

  5. Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.plist.

  6. If you locate the file, move it to the desktop. If you do not locate the file, the program is using the default preferences.

  7. If you locate the file and move it to the desktop, start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Microsoft Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.plist file to the trash.

  8. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  9. On the Go menu, click Home.

  10. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  11. Open the Preferences folder.

  12. Open the Microsoft folder.

  13. Locate the file that is named com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist.

  14. Move the file to the desktop.

  15. Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist file to the trash.

  16. On the Go menu, click Home.

  17. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  18. Open the Application Support folder.

  19. Open the Microsoft folder.

  20. Open the Office folder.

  21. Open the User Templates folder.

  22. Locate the file that is named Normal, and move the file to the desktop.

  23. Start Word and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the Normal file to the Trash. If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next step.

If the issue continues to occur, go to the next step.

Step 3: Peform clean boot

For information how to clean start your Operating system (OS), see Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

2398596 How to use a 'clean startup' to determine whether background programs are interfering with Office for Mac

If the issue continues to occur in Safe mode, go to the next step.

Step 4: Remove and then reinstall Office

For information how to remove and then reinstall Office, see the following article:

If after removing and then reinstalling Office, the problem continues to occur, go to the next step.

Step 5: Use the 'Repair Disk Permissions' option

You can use the Repair Disk Permissions option to troubleshoot permissions problems in Mac OS X 10.2 or later versions. To use the Repair Disk Permissions option, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Utilities.
  2. Start the Disk Utility program.
  3. Click the primary hard disk drive for your computer.
  4. Click the First Aid tab.
  5. Click Repair Disk Permissions.

Note

The Disk Utility program only repairs software that is installed by Apple. This utility also repairs folders, such as the Applications folder. However, this utility does not repair software that is in your home folder.

Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  2. On the Go menu, click Home.

  3. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  4. Open the Preferences folder.

  5. Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.plist.

  6. If you locate the file, move it to the desktop. If you do not locate the file, the program is using the default preferences.

  7. If you locate the file and move it to the desktop, start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.plist file to the trash.

  8. Qit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  9. On the Go menu, click Home.

  10. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  11. Open the Preferences folder.

  12. Open the Microsoft folder.

  13. Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist.

  14. Move the file to the desktop.

  15. Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist file to the trash.

  16. On the Go menu, click Home.

  17. Open the Documents folder.

  18. Open the Microsoft User Data folder.

  19. Locate the file that is named Normal, and move the file to the desktop.

  20. Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the Normal file to the trash.

Third-party disclaimer information

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

The information and the solution in this document represent the current view of Microsoft Corporation on these issues as of the date of publication. This solution is available through Microsoft or through a third-party provider. Microsoft does not specifically recommend any third-party provider or third-party solution that this article might describe. There might also be other third-party providers or third-party solutions that this article does not describe. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, this information should not be interpreted to be a commitment by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot guarantee or endorse the accuracy of any information or of any solution that is presented by Microsoft or by any mentioned third-party provider.

Crashing -->

Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Symptoms

Microsoft Powerpoint Keeps Crashing Mac

When you start Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac, or when you try to open a new presentation, you experience one of the following conditions:

  • The program closes unexpectedly.

  • Error message:

Resolution

To resolve this problem, follow these steps.

Microsoft PowerPoint 2008 or later

Step 1: Remove Powerpoint Preferences

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  2. On the Go menu, click Home.

  3. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  4. Open Preferences.

  5. Drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.plist to the desktop.If you cannot locate the file, PowerPoint is using the default preferences. Go to step 7.

  6. Open PowerPoint, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit PowerPoint, restore the file to its original location, and go to the next step. If the problem is resolved, drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.plist to the Trash.

  7. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  8. On the Go menu, click Home.

  9. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  10. Open Preferences.

  11. Open Microsoft, and then drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.prefs.plist to the desktop.If you cannot locate the file, PowerPoint is using the default preferences. Go to step 13.

  12. Open PowerPoint, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit PowerPoint, restore the file to its original location, and go to the next step. If the problem is resolved, drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.prefs.plist to the Trash.

  13. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  14. On the Go menu, click Home.

  15. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key whil you click the Go menu.

  16. Open Preferences.

  17. Open Microsoft, and then Office 2008 (or Office 2011).

  18. Drag PowerPoint Toolbars (12) or Microsoft PowerPoint Toolbars to the desktop.

    If you cannot locate the file, PowerPoint is using the default preferences. Go to 'Step 2: Try PowerPoint in Safe Mode Boot.'

  19. Open PowerPoint, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit PowerPoint, restore the file to its original location, and go to 'Step 2: Try PowerPoint in Safe Mode Boot.' If the problem is resolved, drag PowerPoint Toolbars (12) or Microsoft PowerPoint Toolbars to the Trash.

Microsoft Word Crashing Windows 10

Step 2: Try Powerpoint in Safe Mode Boot

Why Does Microsoft Keep Crashing

Restart your computer in the Safe Mode. For more information about how to restart your computer in the Safe Mode, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base

2398596 How to use a 'clean startup' to determine whether background programs are interfering with Office for Mac

Microsoft Powerpoint Keeps Crashing Mac

Once in safe mode, test Powerpoint. If the issue continues to occur, proceed to next step.

Step 3: Remove and then reinstall Office

For information how to remove and then reinstall Office, see the following article:

If the issue continues to occur in Safe mode, proceed to Step 3.

Windows Keeps Crashing

Step 4: Use the 'Repair Disk Permissions' option

You can use the Repair Disk Permissions option to troubleshoot permissions problems in Mac OS X 10.2 or later versions. To use the Repair Disk Permissions option, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Utilities.
  2. Start the Disk Utility program.
  3. Click the primary hard disk drive for your computer.
  4. Click the First Aid tab.
  5. Click Repair Disk Permissions.

Note

Disk Utility program only repairs software that is installed by Apple. This utility also repairs folders, such as the Applications folder. However, this utility does not repair software that is in your home folder.

Microsoft PowerPoint 2004

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  2. On the Go menu, click Home.

  3. Open Library, and then open Preferences.

  4. Drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.plist to the desktop.

    If you cannot locate the file, PowerPoint is using the default preferences. Go to step 6.

  5. Open PowerPoint, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit PowerPoint, restore the file to its original location, and go to the next step. If the problem is resolved, drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.plist to the Trash.

  6. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  7. On the Go menu, click Home.

  8. Open Library, and then open Preferences.

  9. Open Microsoft, and then drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.prefs.plist to the desktop.

    If you cannot locate the file, PowerPoint is using the default preferences. Go to step 11.

  10. Open PowerPoint, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit PowerPoint, restore the file to its original location, and go to the next step. If the problem is resolved, drag com.microsoft.powerpoint.prefs.plist to the Trash.

  11. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  12. On the Go menu, click Home.

  13. Open Library, and then open Preferences.

  14. Open Microsoft, and then drag PowerPoint Toolbars (11) to the desktop.

    If you cannot locate the file, PowerPoint is using the default preferences. The problem is not related to the preference files.

  15. Open PowerPoint, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit PowerPoint, and then restore the file to its original location. The problem is not related to the preference files. If the problem is resolved, drag PowerPoint Toolbars (11) to the Trash.

Third-party disclaimer information

Powerpoint Keeps Crashing Mac

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

Powerpoint 2007 Keeps Crashing

The information and the solution in this document represent the current view of Microsoft Corporation on these issues as of the date of publication. This solution is available through Microsoft or through a third-party provider. Microsoft does not specifically recommend any third-party provider or third-party solution that this article might describe. There might also be other third-party providers or third-party solutions that this article does not describe. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, this information should not be interpreted to be a commitment by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot guarantee or endorse the accuracy of any information or of any solution that is presented by Microsoft or by any mentioned third-party provider.