I have been struggling with this for years on my MacBook Pro, and your solution fixed my problem. I had been working with custom fonts that I thought just wouldn’t work properly with Microsoft Office. Then I bought a MacBook Air and found that they were working just fine on it—same exact system install and same exact Office version. Microsoft Word has stopped working It then gives me the option to check online for a solution or to close the program. After this, I could not even open Word anymore! Apr 12, 2018  To remove Word preferences, follow these steps: Quit all Office applications. On the Go menu, click Home. 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. Open Preferences. Drag com.microsoft.word.plist and the Microsoft folder to the desktop. Restart the Mac.

Note

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

Note

If you experience specific issues when you use Word, visit the Word help center to search for information about your issue.

Summary

This article describes how to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you start or use Microsoft Word. Use the following methods in the order in which they are presented. If you try one of these methods and it does not help, go to the next method.

Resolution

Verify or install the latest updates

You might have to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can frequently correct problems by replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities. To install the latest Microsoft Office updates, see Update Office and your computer with Microsoft Update.

For list of the latest Office updates, see Office Updates. If your issue is not resolved after you install the latest Windows and Office updates, go to method 2.

It's a good idea to make sure that your computer has the latest updates installed for Windows. Updates often fix software problems. Before you use any of the following methods, try first to install updates. After you install the updates, restart your computer, and then start Word.

Troubleshoot problems that occur when you start Word

Important

Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

Method 1: Insert your document into another file

The final paragraph mark in a Word document contains information about the document. If the document is damaged, you may be able to retrieve the text of the document if you can omit this final paragraph mark.

To access a document but leave its final paragraph mark behind, follow these steps:

1. On the File menu, click New and then click Blank Document.
2. On the Insert tab, click Object in the Text group, and then click Text from File.
3. Select the file that you want to open and insert, and then click Insert.

Method 2: Start Word by using the /a switch

The /a switch is a troubleshooting tool that is used to determine where a problem may exist in Word. The /a switch prevents add-ins and global templates from being loaded automatically. The /a switch also locks the settings files to prevent it from being read or modified. To start Word by using the /a switch, follow these steps:

1. Type Run in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.
2. In the **Run **dialog box, type winword /a, and then press Enter.

For more information about the /a switch, go to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

826857 Description of the '/a' startup switch in Word

If the problem does not occur when you start Word by using the /a switch, try the next method to determine the source of the problem.

Method 3: Delete the Word Data registry subkey

Most of the frequently used options in Word are stored in the Word Data registry subkey. A common troubleshooting step is to delete the Word Data registry subkey. When you restart Word, the program rebuilds the Word Data registry key by using the default settings.

Note When you delete the Word Data registry subkey, Word resets several options to their default settings. For example, Word resets the 'most recently used file' list on the File menu. Also, Word resets many settings that you customize in the Options dialog box.

Important

Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

To delete the Word Data registry subkey, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.

2. Type regedit in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.

3. Locate the following registry subkey, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are using:

   Word 2016HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0WordData

   Word 2013HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice15.0WordData

   Word 2010HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0WordData

   Word 2007HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordData

   Word 2003HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0WordData

4. Click Data, and then click Export on the File menu.

5. Name the file Wddata.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.

6. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes.

7. Exit Registry Editor.

8. Start Word.

If Word starts and works correctly, you have resolved the problem (a damaged Word Data registry key). You may now have to change several settings to restore your favorite options in Word.

If the problem is not resolved, restore the original Word Data registry subkey, and then try the next method.

Restore the original Word Data registry key

To restore the original Word Data registry subkey, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Double-click the Wddata.reg icon on the desktop.
3. Click Yes, and then click OK.
   If restoring the Word Data registry subkey doesn't work, go to the next procedure.

Method 4: Delete the Word Options registry key

The Word Options registry key stores options that you can set in Word. These settings are divided into default and optional groups. Default settings are created during the program setup. Optional settings are not created during setup. You can change both the default and optional settings in Word.

To delete the Word Options registry key, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.

2. Type regedit in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.

3. Locate the following registry subkey, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:

   Word 2016HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0WordOptions

   Word 2013HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice15.0WordOptions

   Word 2010HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0WordOptions

   Word 2007HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0WordOptions

   Word 2003HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0WordOptions

4. Click Options, and then click Export on the File menu.

5. Name the file Wddata.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.

6. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes.

7. Exit Registry Editor.

8. Start Word.

If Word starts and works correctly, you have resolved the problem (a damaged Word Options registry key). You may now have to change several settings to restore your favorite options in Word.

If the problem is not resolved, restore the original Word Options registry key, and then try the next method.

To restore the original Word Options registry key

To restore the original Word Options registry key, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Double-click the Wdoptn.reg icon on the desktop.
3. Click Yes, and then click OK.

Method 5: Replace the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm global template file

You can prevent formatting, AutoText, and macros that are stored in the global template file from affecting the behavior of Word and any documents that you open. To do this, replace the global template file.

Important

This method includes renaming the global template file so that Word does not find it as expected when it restarts. This forces Word to re-create the global template file. By doing this, you save the original file in case you have to restore it. Be aware that when you rename the global template file, several settings are reset to their defaults, including custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you save the global template file and do not delete it.

Additional note In certain situations, you may have more than one global template file. For example, this occurs if multiple versions of Word are running on the same computer, or if several workstation installations exist on the same computer. In these situations, make sure that you rename each global template file so that it clearly reflects the appropriate Word installation.

To rename the global template file, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.

2. Type cmd in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.

3. At the command prompt, type the following command, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running, and then press Enter:

   Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, or Word 2007

   Word 2003

4. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press Enter.

5. Start Word.

If Word starts correctly, you have resolved the problem. In this case, the problem is a damaged global template file. Now, you may have to change several settings to restore your favorite options.

Note

The old global template file may contain customizations that can't be easily re-created. These customizations may include styles, macros, and AutoText entries. In this case, you may be able to copy the customizations from the old global template file to the new global template file by using the Organizer. For more information about how to use the Organizer to copy macros and styles, press F1 in Word to open Microsoft Word Help, type rename macros in the Search box, and then click Search to view the topic.

If the problem is not resolved, restore the original global template file, and then go to the next section.

Restore the original global template file

To restore the original global template file, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.

2. Type cmd in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.

3. At the command prompt, type the following command, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running, and then press Enter:

   Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010 and Word 2007

   Word 2003

4. Type exit, and then press Enter.

5. Start Word.

Method 6: Disable the Startup folder add-ins

When you start Word, Word automatically loads templates and add-ins that are located in the Startup folders. Conflicts or problems that affect an add-in can cause problems in Word. To determine whether an item in a Startup folder is causing the problem, temporarily disable the registry setting that points to these add-ins.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.

2. Start Windows Explorer. Type windows ex in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.

3. Type the following command in the address bar, as appropriate for the version of Word that you're running and its installation type, and then press Enter: Word 2016

   64-bit C2R installation:%programfiles%Microsoft Officerootoffice16Startup

   32-bit C2R installation:%programfiles% (x86)Microsoft Officerootoffice16Startup

   64-bit MSI installation:%programfiles%Microsoft Officeoffice16Startup

   32-bit MSI installation:%programfiles% (x86)Microsoft Officeoffice16Startup

   Word 2013

   64-bit C2R installation:%programfiles%Microsoft Officerootoffice15Startup

   32-bit C2R installation:%programfiles% (x86)Microsoft Officerootoffice15Startup

   64-bit MSI installation:%programfiles%Microsoft Officeoffice15Startup

   32-bit MSI installation:%programfiles% (x86)Microsoft Officeoffice15Startup

   Word 2010

   %programfiles%Microsoft OfficeOffice14Startup

   Word 2007

   %programfiles%Microsoft OfficeOffice12Startup

   Word 2003

   %programfiles%MicrosoftOfficeOffice11Startup

4. Right-click one of the files that is contained in the folder, and then click Rename.

5. After the file name, type .old, and then press Enter.

   Important

   Make a note of the original file name so that you can restore the file, if it is necessary.

6. Start Word.

7. If you can no longer reproduce the problem, you have found the specific add-in that causes the problem. If you must have the features that the add-in provides, contact the vendor of the add-in for an update.

   If the problem is not resolved, rename the add-in by using its original name, and then repeat steps 3 through 6 for each file in the Startup folder.

8. If you can still reproduce the problem, type the following path in the address bar of Windows Explorer, and then click OK. For Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista

   %userprofile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWordStartup

   For Windows XP

   %userprofile%Application DataMicrosoftWordStartup

9. Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each file in this Startup folder.

If the problem is not resolved after you disable the Startup folder add-ins, go to the next method.

Method 7: Delete the COM add-ins registry keys

You can install COM add-ins in any location. Programs that interact with Word install COM add-ins. To determine whether a COM add-in is causing the problem, temporarily disable the COM add-ins by deleting the registry keys for the COM add-ins.

To delete the COM add-ins registry keys, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Type regedit in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.
3. Locate the following registry subkey: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOfficeWordAddins
4. Click Addins, and then click Export on the File menu.
5. Name the file WdaddinHKCU.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.
6. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes.
7. Locate the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftOfficeWordAddins
8. Click Addins, and then on the File menu, click Export.
9. Name the file WdaddinHKLM.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.
10. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes.
11. Exit Registry Editor.
12. Start Word.
    If the problem is resolved, you have determined that a COM add-in program is causing the problem. Next, you must determine which COM add-in program is causing the problem.

Determine which COM add-in program is causing the problem

To determine which COM add-in program is causing the problem, follow these steps:

Microsoft Word Not Working Properly On Mac Download

1. Exit all Office programs.

2. Double-click the Wdaddin.reg icon on your desktop.

3. Click Yes, and then click OK.

4. Use one of the following procedures, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:

   Word 2016, Word 2013, or Word 2010

   1. On the File menu, click Options.
   2. Click Add-Ins.
   3. In the Manage list, click COM Add-Ins, and then click Go.

   Note If an add-in is listed in the COM Add-Ins dialog box, clear the add-in check box. If more than one add-in is listed, clear only one add-in check box at a time. This procedure helps determine which add-in is causing the problem.
   4. Click OK to close the COM Add-Ins dialog box.
   5. On the File menu, click Exit.

   Word 2007

   1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Word options.

   2. Click Add-ins.

   3. In the Manage list, click COM Add-ins, and then click Go.

      If an add-in is listed in the COM Add-Ins dialog box, click to clear the add-in check box. If more than one add-in is listed, click to clear only one add-in check box at a time. This procedure helps determine which add-in is causing the problem.

   4. Click OK to close the COM Add-Ins dialog box.

   5. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Exit Word.

   6. On the File menu, click Exit.

5. Start Word.
   If the problem is resolved when you start Word, you have determined which COM add-in is causing the problem. If you must have the features that the add-in provides, you must determine which add-in includes those features so that you can contact the vendor for an update.

If the problem is not resolved when you start Word, repeat steps 4 and 5 for each COM add-in that's listed until you determine which add-in is causing the problem.

To restore the COM add-ins, repeat step 4, but select the check box for each COM add-in that you want to restore.

Method 8: Change the default printer

To change the default printer, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Office programs.
2. Type regedit in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.
3. Right-click Microsoft XPS Document Writer, and then click Set as default printer.
4. Start Word.
   If the problem is resolved after you start Word, you have determined that the printer is causing the problem. If this is the case, contact the vendor to see whether there is an update for the printer driver.

Microsoft Support options

If you can't resolve this problem, you can use Microsoft Support to search the Microsoft Knowledge Base and other technical resources for answers. You can also customize the site to control your search. To start your search, go to the Microsoft Support website.

Additional resources

If you experience specific issues when you use Word, go to the following websites to search for specific information about your program version:

Summary

When Microsoft Office Word suddenly stops working or fails to open a document on Windows 10/8/7, don't worry. You can follow fixes on this page to resolve Microsoft Word has stopped working issue and use EaseUS file recovery software to bring the lost Word files back with ease.

The solutions for Microsoft Office Word has stopped working and Word file recovery can also be applied to fix similar issues on other Office apps, such as Excel, PowerPoint, etc.

Microsoft Word Has Stopped Working 2016/2013/2010/2007

With the increasing fame of Microsoft Office, its applications like Word have gained worldwide users' favor. Microsoft has built a powerful support team to help users resolve all kinds of issues while using Office applications.

'Microsoft Office Word just stops working' is one of the top concerned questions among Word users.

Usually, when the 'stopped working' error shows up, you have two available options to undertake: checking online for a solution or closing and restarting the program for a try.

If you are facing this error in Microsoft Word 2016, 2013, 2010 or 2007, read on and check the provided solutions below to get rid of this issue with ease.

Part 1. Fix 'Microsoft Word Has Stopped Working' Error in Windows 10/8/7

To find the right solutions to remove this error on Windows PC, it's highly necessary to know the reasons that cause your Word malfunction. Here are the main reasons:

• Office edition isn't compatible with the current OS on your PC.
• Word is out of date.
• The device driver is out of date.
• Word Add-in issue.
• Word file issue.

Note: Once Word suddenly stops working, wait for the program to process firstly and try your best to save the editing document.

If you've waited for a very long period, nothing happens. Click 'Close the program' on the pop-up window in Word. Let's learn a few tips to get rid of the error immediately!

3 Quick Fixes

Applies to: Resolve Microsoft Word application gets stuck, showing blank or stuck on startup.

# 1. Use Task Manager to End Task of Running Microsoft Word

Step 1. Press Ctrl+T+Del keys to bring up Task Manager.

Step 2. In the Process tab, find Microsoft Word and select to end its task.

After this, you can restart to check if the Word work or not.

# 2. Boot Windows into Safe Mode

Step 1. Reboot PC, on the sign-in screen, hold the Shift key and click 'Power', select 'Restart'.

Step 2. You'll be presented with an options screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

Step 3. Press F4 when the computer is booting up and then it will start in Safe Mode.

Step 4. Run Microsoft Office Word to check if it can work smoothly or not.

# 3. Check if Office Is Activated

Step 1. Open a new Word file, click 'File' > 'Account'.

Step 2. Check the Product Information at the right pane, see if your Word is activated or not.

If not, re-activate your Microsoft Office Word with a genuine serial key.

After this, you should be able to use Word to continue with your work again.

3 Fixes for Microsoft Office Word Keeps Crashing, Not Working

Applies to: Fix MS Office Word repeatedly crashes, won't start-up, isn't working issues.

If the Word keeps crashing when you try to open a document on your PC, relax. Here, you'll find 3 reliable methods that will help you fix this issue, making your Word work again.

Fix 1. Repair Office Installation

According to some experienced users, when Microsoft Office contains errors, it would prevent users from opening a Word or edit any files.

The application would directly shut down no matter you want to create a new document or continue editing a file. The direct solution towards this issue is to repair Office installation with below steps:

Step 1. In Windows 10, 8 or 7, open Control Panel, click 'Programs and Features' and click on 'Microsoft Office'.

Step 2. Locate and select your Microsoft Office, and click 'Change' in the top menu.

Step 3. On the window, click 'Repair' and then 'Continue'.

For Newer versions of Microsoft Office users, you can choose 'Online Repair'or 'Quick Repair' and click 'Repair'.

Microsoft Word Not Opening Mac

Step 4. Let the repair finish and restart your computer.

When the repair process finishes, open your Word application to check if the error appears again.

Fix 2. Install Latest Windows Update or Office Update

When your Office version or Windows system is out of date, Microsoft Office may stop working and even crashes. Here are the steps to install the latest updates of Windows or Microsoft Office:

# 1. Install Latest Windows Update

Step 1. Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2. Click 'Update & Security' and select 'Check for updates' under Windows Update.

Step 3. If a new Windows update window pops up, click 'Install Now' and follow the instructions to install the available update.

# 2. Install Microsoft Office Update

For Office 2013 and newer versions:

Step 1. Open an Office application - Excel or Word, click 'File'.

Step 2. Click 'Account' > 'Product Information' > 'Update Options' .

Step3. Click 'Enable Update' and then select 'Update Now'.

Note: If the Enable Update button is not available, it means that the automatic update feature is enabled.

For Office 2010 or older versions:

Step 1. Open an Office application - Excel or Word, click 'File' > 'Help'.

Step 2. Click 'Check for Updates' or 'Install Updates' option.

Follow the instructions to finish the process. After this, you can re-open a Word document or create a new Word file again.

Fix 3. Uninstall and Reinstall MS Office

Note: This fix may cause your activation key invalid after the reinstallation of MS Office. Make sure that your activation key can be used twice before taking the below steps.

Step 1. Keep your MS Office activation key and save it to another secure device.

Step 2. Open Control Panel, click 'Program and Features', then locate and select Microsoft Office.

Step 3. Click 'Uninstall' in the top menu.

Step 4. Re-install Microsoft Office on your PC and activate it with your serial key.

If your old key fails to activate the newly installed MS Office, please contact the Microsoft support team for help: https://support.microsoft.com/contactus.

5 Methods to Resolve 'Word Document Is Not Working' Issue

Applies to: Resolve Word is not working issues, such as Word file won't open, cannot access document content in Word, etc., on Windows 10/8/7.

Method 1. Insert Not Opening/Working Word Document into Another New File

Step 1. Run Microsoft Office Word, and create a blank new file.

Step 2. Click 'Insert' from the top ribbon menu, click 'Text'.

Step 3. Click 'Object' and select ' Text from File'.

Step 4. Select the target Word document which is unopenable or not working, and click 'Insert'.

Step 5. Check the document content and save it as a new file on your PC.

Method 2. Disable Add-ins in MS Word

Step 1. Press Windows + R keys and type: winword.exe /a and hit Enter to open MS Word without plugins.

Step 2. Click 'File' > 'Options' > 'Add-Ins'.

Step 3. Click 'Manage' at the bottom and select COM Add-ins, click 'Go' to uncheck the problematic ones and click 'OK' to confirm.

After this, restart Word to check if the issue has been resolved.

Method 3. Remove or Update Old Printer Drivers

Step 1. Open Device Manager, and locate your printer.

Step 2. Right-click on your printer drivers and select 'Uninstall' or 'Update drivers'.

Step 3. Uninstall or update old printer driver.

• For uninstalling driver - click 'OK' and restart PC.
• For updating driver - click 'Search automatically for updated driver software' and follow the instruction to finish the process, and restart PC. Or, you can download relative driver form your printer website and install it on your PC.

Method 4. Remove or Delete Word Registry Keys

Step 1. Bring up Registry Editor by typing: regedit in the search bar and hit Enter.

Step 2. Click 'Yes' to open Registry and follow the path to locate Word options key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0WordOptions.

Step 3. Locate and right-click the key, and select 'Export'.

Step 4. Save the Options key as 'Wddata.reg' and save it on your Desktop.

Step 5. Go back to Registry Editor and locate the Options key, and delete it from the menu.

Step 6. Exit Registry Editor.

After this, restart your Word and check if the problem is resolved.

If the problem still exists, run the Wddata.reg on your Desktop to restore the deleted key.

Method 5. Replace the Normal.dot Global Template File

To do so, you need to close all running Office programs on your PC. Then, follow the steps below to start:

Step 1. Press Windows + X and select 'Command Prompt (Admin)'.

Sign in if the program requires administrator permission.

Step 2. Enter the command below and hit Enter:

Step 3. Wait for the command to finish and exit Command Prompt.

After this, restart your Word application to check if you can use it to edit documents or create new files again.

Part 2. Recover Lost or Unsaved Files after Fixing Word Stopped Working Error

Another big issue that concerns users the most is the lost or unsaved Word file when Word application stopped working. Only after fixing the Word has stopped working error, can you have the opportunity to open the MS Word application and check out if your document is lost or closed without saving.

To fully resolve this issue, you'll have two solutions to bring your lost Word file back:

Solution 1. Restore Lost Word Document with File Recovery Software

Applies to: Restore Word document (saved on local PC drive) that was lost after MS Office has stopped working.

When the word document gets lost due to Office Word application stopped working or unexpected error, your best choice is to follow solutions listed in Part 1 to repair MS Office Word to work first.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will scan your local drive and restore the lost Word document in only 3 simple steps:

Step 1. Choose the Word file location.

Do you know where you lost Word files? Choose the hard disk drive or a specific folder and click the San button. If it's on a USB flash drive or SD card, take one more step to connect it to your computer.

Step 2. Scan all lost data.

The software will start immediately scanning all lost data on the selected drive, and you'll see more and more data showing up in the scan results. After the scan, use the quickest way to the wanted Word documents by choosing 'Documents' from the drop-down list in 'Filter'.

Step 3. Select Word files and recover.

You're allowed to preview a Word file if you have Microsoft Word application installed on your computer. Finally, select the desired documents and click 'Recover'.

Solution 2. Restore Unsaved Word File

As you know, Microsoft Office has an AutoSave feature that will automatically save a Word file when you're editing. And these temporarily saved files are located in an AutoRecover folder.

When you open the Word file and find out that the closed Word file is lost without saving, you can simply recover the lost unsaved Word document there.

• For a Windows user, check the link to recover unsaved Word documents.
• For a Mac user, check this link to see how to recover unsaved Word document on Mac.

Part 3. Tips to Back Up and Protect Word File

If you are looking for a reliable method to fix 'Word has stopped working' error, solutions included in the above two parts are capable to help you out.

If you prefer a more comprehensive plan to protect your precious Word documents, stay here. Two reliable Word backup tips are available here for you to try:

# 1. Enable Auto-Save Feature in Word

Applies to: Back up and save editing Word document.

Step 1. Open MS Word application and create a new file, click 'File' > 'Option'.

Step 2. Click 'Save' and check the below two boxes:

• 'Save AutoRecover information every * munites' (set a time for autosave - every 2 or 5 minutes will be good)
• 'Keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving'

Step 3. Click 'OK'to confirm.

# 2. Back Up Saved Word File with File Backup Software

Applies to: Back up saved Word file on your local drive.

Reliable file backup software like EaseUS Todo Backup can help you effectively back up important files including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. on a local drive with ease.

The back up will be a lifesaver to immediately bring your hard word back once you lose it due to unknown reasons.

Download and follow below 3 steps to safely back up your Word file with ease:

Step 1: Launch EaseUS Todo Backup software and then choose 'File Backup', 'Disk/partition Backup' or 'System Backup' for different backup purpose.

Step 2: Choose the system, disk partition, files or apps that you want to back up. Then select a destination where you want to store the backup file.

Step 3: Click 'Proceed' to start the data backup process.

People Also Ask

1. How do I fix Microsoft Word has stopped working?

When MS word has stopped working, you can fix it by repairing Office installation.

Step 1. Open Control Panel, click “Programs and Features' and click on 'Microsoft Office'.

Step 2. Locate and select your Microsoft Office, and click 'Change' in the top menu.

Step 3. On the window, click 'Repair' and then 'Continue'. For Newer versions of Microsoft Office users, you can choose 'Online Repair' or 'Quick Repair' and click 'Repair'.

Step 4. Let the repair finish and restart your computer.

2. Why is my Microsoft Word not opening?

When there are a few corrupted documents, or you have an issue with a Word or 3rd party add-on, your Word maybe not opening.

3. How do you restart Microsoft Word?

Step 1. Go to the Tools Menu, then Customize, then click options.

Step 2. Choose the option for the Reset menu and toolbar usage data. This will put your toolbars back to the original settings. If you would like to reset your settings further, move on to the steps below.

4. Why has my office 365 stopped working?

When Microsoft Office 365, 2016 or 2013 stops working or not opening on your PC, you can also use the Office repair feature to get the problem fixed in Windows 10/8/7: right-click on Office 365, Office 2016 or Office 2013 > Select Change; click Online Repair > click on Repair button.

5. How do I fix Outlook has stopped working?

When you happen to encounter Outlook 2016 Not Responding in Windows 10, you can try to fix by using Outlook recovery software; start Outlook in Safe Mode; install Outlook updates; repair Office program, or repair Outlook data files.