Microsoft Office 2016 Keeps Crashing Mac Sierra

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Apr 01,2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

'Why does my Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac? I have tried several attempts to resolve it, but I can't seem to fix the issue or get back my lost Word documents.'

This is a query from one of the MS Word users on Mac that we have got recently. As you know, MS Word is a part of the Office suite, which is developed by Microsoft. Apart from Windows, it is also available for Mac and provides tons of utility features. Though, there are times when Word on Mac keeps crashing and users are not able to utilize its features or even save their existing files.

Don't worry! the issue is pretty common and can easily be fixed. In this guide, we will teach you why does Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac and how to fix this problem in 8 different ways. Apart from that, we will also discuss how to recover Word document after a crashed Mac. Let's begin and start a quick MS Word troubleshooting on Mac.

  • Office 2016 for Mac is fully supported on High Sierra. For the best experience, we recommend you update Office to version 15.38 or later. For updates regarding macOS 10.14 Mojave, see Microsoft Office support for macOS 10.14 Mojave. Office 2016 for Mac. See 'What version of Office am I using?' If you don't know what version you're on.
  • Jan 30, 2018  Per this article ( Office 2016 for Mac, macOS Sierra potential crash issues - Office Support) it appears that you should try turning off Auto Proxy Discovery or Automatic Proxy Configuration in system preferences. Go to System Preferences and open Network. Click on Advanced and go to Proxies.

Part 1: Why Microsoft Word Keeps Crashing on Mac?

Before we discuss issues to fix the Microsoft Word Mac crashing issues, it is important to note what could have caused the problem to begin with. In this way, you would be able to understand why does Word keeps crashing on Mac and can even avoid it in the future.

Sep 11, 2017  I've got a client who has been having issues with Microsoft Office crashing on 3 of their workstations. All three of these workstations are using two computers with multiplicity. SOLVED Microsoft Office 2016 Intermittent crashing.

  • Mostly, MS Word crashes because of a fault in the Office suite of the tool itself. Chances are that the application could not have been installed probably.
  • You might be running an old or incompatible version of Word on your Mac.
  • If you are using a pirated MS Word application, then it could have been corrupted as well.
  • Sometimes, Mac doesn't give permissions to third-party applications (like Word), making them faulty to work.
  • The source drive where MS Word has been installed could be corrupt as well.
  • The location of the MS Word application could have been moved to someplace else.
  • The application was crashed earlier or closed during processing, making it faulty or corrupt.
  • Chances are that MS Word could have been infected by a malware.

Part 2: How to Fix 'Microsoft Word Keeps Crashing on Mac'

OfficeMac

The good news is that most of these problems can easily be resolved if we follow the right approach. Ideally, you can fix Microsoft Word keeps crashing issue with these solutions.

1. Check the Hard Drive Name

A faulty hard drive name is one of the most common issues for Word to malfunction. This is because Mac provides a more flexible way to name the hard drive while Windows has certain restrictions. If needed, you might need to change the hard drive name as well to fix this. Here's how you can check and rename hard drive on Mac to make it compatible with Word.

  1. Just click on the Apple logo on the top left corner of the desktop and open the Applications tab. Go to the Utilities section to open the Disk Utility window.
  2. Select your Mac hard drive from the left and view its name and other details on the right (under the 'Partitions' tab).
  3. Make sure that the drive has a name and it should start from a character. While it can have numbers, it should not have all numbers or any special character. Make the needed changes to rename the hard drive.

Once the hard drive has been renamed, you can restart Mac and try accessing MS Word on it again.

2. Clear the AutoRecovery Folder

As you know, Auto-save is an inbuilt feature in MS Word that automatically saves the running document in the background. It allows us to fetch our files back if they are lost or closed unexpectedly. Though, sometimes the AutoRecovery folder might cause some clash with the application itself, making it faulty. Therefore, you can consider clearing it to fix Word on Mac keeps crashing.

  1. To start with, simply launch Finder on your Mac and from its menu, click on Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Now, copy and paste the path '~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/' on your Mac (without the quotes).
  3. As you click on 'Go', it will open the AutoRecovery folder on your Mac. From here, you can just delete the auto-saved files so that the folder would be cleared.

3. Reset the Word Preferences

Sometimes, the reason for Microsoft Word Mac crashing could be the wrong preferences on the application as well. In order to resolve this, you can reset the preferences altogether and try restarting Word.

  1. Firstly, select the Word icon on the desktop and go to the Word > Preferences option from the menu.
  2. As the Word Preferences tab would be opened, click on the 'File Locations' icon from here.
  3. This will open the File Locations feature on the screen. Click on the 'User templates' option and choose to 'Reset' it.
  4. You can also click on the 'Modify' button to view it. Here, you can see a 'Normal' file. You can cut and paste it to any other location (like your desktop) or simply move it to the Trash as well.

After resetting the Word preferences, restart the applications and check if it fixes MS Word crashing on Mac or not.

4. Save the Word Document to another Location

Apart from the MS Word application, there could be a problem with the Mac storage. as well. For instance, if the particular partition or sector on the hard drive has been corrupted, then you should try to save your documents somewhere else. This will help you avoid Word crashing on Mac or prevent the loss of your important files as well.

Related: If you get problems with Mac storage, come to know 8 ways of freeing up and managing Mac storage.
  1. Firstly, open the MS Word application on your Mac and try opening the file. If you are lucky, you would be able to open the file without the Word application crashing.
  2. Quickly, go to the File menu and click on the 'Save As' option.
  3. Now, browse to the location where you wish to save your Word document and give it the needed name.

Alternatively, you can also copy your MS Word file and just paste it to any other location as well.

5. Download and Install Word Updates

As stated previously, one of the reasons for Microsoft Word crashing on Mac could be an old version of the application. If the MS Word application has not been updated in a while, then it can encounter compatibility issues with Mac. The best way to fix MS Word crashing on Mac is by updating it. Not only will it fix the Microsoft Word Mac keeps crashing, it will also make the application more secure by installing the needed patches.

  1. Simply launch the Word application on your Mac and from its menu, go to Help > Check for Updates.
  2. From here, you can enable the automatic update option if you want to. Make the relevant selection and click on the 'Check for Updates' button again.
  3. In no time, MS Word will connect to its server and look for any recent available update. Once it will notify you the same, you can just select the update and click on the 'Install' button.
  4. Now, you can just wait for a while as Word would install the update and restarts in the end to a stable version.

6. Create another User Account on Mac

Although it might sound surprising, but there could be some issue with your user account on Mac as well. For instance, the account you are accessing might be blocked to use certain applications or there could be a clash with some commands. To avoid this problem and fix Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac, simply create another account on your system instead.

  1. To start things, go to the Apple icon from the desktop and visit System Preferences.
  2. Click on the 'Users & Groups' sections from here. Once its dedicated window will open, click on the lock icon at the bottom to make some changes in it.
  3. You need to enter your administrator password to proceed. Afterward, click on the '+' icon to add a new account.
  4. Simply enter basic details for the new account (like its type, name, and so on) and click on the 'Create User' button in the end.
  5. If you want, you can create a different password for the new account and link it with the same iCloud account as well.

In the end, you can sign-out from the present account and log-in to the new account instead. Now, try to open MS Word and see if it resolves the problem or not.

7. Boot Mac in Safe Mode

Just like Windows, you can also boot your Mac system in a safe mode as well. The safe mode is mostly used for troubleshooting and it automatically turns on various secondary processes. In this way, you can check if there is a problem with the MS Word application itself or your Mac system. Here's how you can boot your Mac in safe mode and fix Microsoft Word crashing on Mac.

  1. Simply turn on your Mac by pressing the power button. If you are already using it, then restart it instead.
  2. As soon as you would hear the startup chime (or see Apple's logo), press the Shift key on the keyword.
  3. Keep pressing it for the new few seconds as Mac would be restarted in the safe mode.
  4. You can see 'Safe Mode' written at the top right corner of the screen now. Just log-in to any account and try accessing the MS Word application on it.

Microsoft Office 2016 Keeps Crashing Mac Sierra Update

8. Run Disk Utility to Repair Crashed Word

If none of the above-listed techniques would fix MS Word crashing on Mac, then you can consider repairing the entire disk. Although it would take a lot of time, it will make sure that your Mac's disk would stay secure and in a healthy condition. To repair your Mac's disk and fix Word keeps crashing on Mac, follow these quick steps:

Microsoft Office 2016 Keeps Crashing Mac Sierra Download

  1. Look for the 'Disk Utility' option from the Spotlight and open it. Alternatively, from the main menu on Mac, click on Go > Utilities and launch the Disk Utility window.
  2. From the left panel, you can select the primary disk on your system. In most of the cases, it is Macintosh HD. Now, click on the 'First Aid' option from its toolbar and confirm your choice.
  3. As Mac would start repairing the disk, you can just wait for a while for the process to be completed.
  4. Once it is done, restart your Mac and check if Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac or not.

Part 3: How to Recover Crashed Word Documents on Mac?

When any application crashes on Mac, we often end up losing its data. Similarly, if MS Word has been crashed while you were working on a document, then you might end up losing it forever. To avoid such an unwanted scenario, consider using Recoverit Data Recovery for Mac. It is one of the best data recovery tools for Mac that is used by leading experts. Developed by Wondershare, it provides a fast, easy, and highly secure way to get your data back. The application has a high data recovery rate and supports all the leading Word document extensions.

  • With the help of Recoverit Data Recovery, you can get back your lost, deleted, or inaccessible Word files in a jiffy.
  • The application supports all kinds of other data types too like photos, videos, PDFs, Excel sheets, emails, compressed files, and so much more.
  • No matter what the situation is, Recoverit will help you in every possible data loss scenario like accidental deletion, corrupt storage, lost partition, etc.
  • It follows different scanning modes, letting users save their time and get the expected results as well.

Video Tutorial on Mac File Recovery

How to Recover Word Document on Mac

In order to learn how to recover Word document after a crashed Mac, the following steps can be taken.

  1. Select a target location

    2. Simply launch Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac and select a location where you wish to perform the scan. This would be the primary Macintosh HD in this case. Though, if you want, you can perform data recovery on an external device as well.

  2. Scan for the lost files

    3. As you would mark a source location and start the process, Recoverit will carefully scan the location. You are recommended to wait for a while so that the process can be completed without any trouble.

  3. Preview and recover your Word files

    4. When the data extraction process is completed, the application will let you preview the recovered content. Now, you can simply select the Word files you want back and save them to any secure place.

Part 4: Tips to prevent Word Keeps Crashing on Mac

If you don't want to suffer from an unexpected loss of data or MS Word crashing on Mac, then consider following these suggestions.

  • Always make sure that the MS Word application is updated on your system. You can turn on the automatic update to save your time.
  • Keep the real-time scanning of the firewall on, so that the application would be safe from any malware attack.
  • Don't turn off your Mac when MS Word is still running in the background.
  • Try not to close any MS Word document in between or in an unexpected manner.
  • Install MS Word in the primary partition on your Mac hard drive (if you have multiple partitions).
  • Don't install MS Office from an unreliable source (or a pirated version). Buy it from Microsoft's official website to avoid any software-related issue.

Now when you know how to fix Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac, you would be able to resolve this issue like a pro. Apart from listing different fixes for Word crashing on Mac, we have also provided a quick solution to perform data recovery on Mac as well. With the help of Recoverit Data Recovery, you can easily get back any lost or deleted content in no time. Go ahead and download the Mac data recovery tool on Mac or share it with others to teach them how to recover crashed Word document on Mac.

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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 save a Word for Mac document, the application crashes or quits unexpectedly.

Resolution

Step 1: Download and install all Office updates

To obtain updates with Office for Mac applications, follow these steps:

Microsoft AutoUpdate for Mac, which comes with Office, can keep your Microsoft software up to date. When AutoUpdate is set to check for updates automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, there's no need to search for critical updates and information; AutoUpdate delivers them directly to your computer. To do this:

  1. Start any Office for Mac application on your computer.
  2. Click Help menu, click Check for Updates.

For additional information about Office for Mac updates, seeWhere and how to obtain Office for Mac software updates.

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

Step 2: Check the hard disc name

Make sure that your hard disc has a name. The name cannot be all numbers but can contain numbers. The name must start with a letter. It must not contain any special characters, such as periods, commas, semi-colons, quotation marks, and so on.

Step 3: Save to a different location

If you are saving a file in your Documents folder, instead try saving the file to the desktop or to a different location.

Remember that there is a 255-character limit to the file name, and the path of the saved file is included in the name. For example, a file that is saved to the desktop has the path 'HDusersyour user nameDesktop.' These characters are counted toward the 255-character limit.

If you want to save to a network share or to an external device (such as a flash drive), first save the file to your local hard disc. If you can save the file to the hard disc (your Documents folder), there is nothing wrong with the Excel installation or with the file. If you cannot save to your local hard disc, go to step 3.

If you cannot save the file to an external device, contact Apple or the manufacturer of the external device. If you cannot save to a network share, contact the network administrator (your IT department) or the owner of the share. If you do not have an IT department and you want to save to a network, contact Microsoft Professional Support.

Step 4: Empty the AutoRecovery folder

Important

The location of certain files are different if you have Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed. To check if it is installed, open Word, and then click About Word from the Word menu. If the version number is 14.2.0 or above, you have Service Pack 2 and you should follow the Service Pack 2 steps when provided in this article.

If there are too many items in the AutoRecovery folder (userDocumentsMicrosoft User DataOffice 2008 AutoRecovery or Office 2010 AutoRecovery), this can cause memory problems and save problems because these files are loaded into memory when Word is started.

Move AutoRecovery files to the desktop or to another folder to see whether they are causing the problem. To do this, follow these steps:

To empty the AutoRecovery folder, follow these steps if have version 14.2.0 (also known as Service Pack 2) installed:

  1. Quit all applications.

  2. On the File menu, click New Folder.

    A new folder is created on the desktop. The folder will be called 'New Folder.'

  3. On the Go menu, click Home.

  4. 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.

  5. Open Application Support, and then open Microsoft.

  6. Open Office 2011 AutoRecovery.

  7. On the Edit menu, click Select All.

  8. Drag all files into 'New Folder' on the desktop.

    The AutoRecovery folder should be empty.

  9. Open Excel for Mac 2011 and try to save a file.

    If you can save a file, review the contents of 'New Folder' to decide which files that you want to keep.

    If the problem continues to occur, go to the next method.

To empty the AutoRecovery folder, follow these steps if you do not have Service Pack 2 installed:

  1. Quit all applications.

  2. On the File menu, click New Folder.

    A new folder is created on the desktop. The folder will be called 'New Folder.'

  3. On the Go menu, click Documents.

  4. Open Microsoft User Data, and then open Office 2011 AutoRecovery.

  5. On the Edit menu, click Select All.

  6. Drag all files into 'New Folder' on the desktop.

    The AutoRecovery folder should be empty.

  7. Open Excel for Mac 2011 and try to save a file.

    If you can save a file, review the contents of 'New Folder' to decide which files that you want to keep.

    If the problem continues to occur, go to the next method.

Step 5: Remove Word preferences

Note

Microsoft Office Programs Keep Crashing

Removing the preferences will remove any customizations that you made. These customizations include changes to toolbars and custom dictionaries and keyboard shortcuts that you created.

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac applications.

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

  6. If you locate the file, move it to the desktop. If you cannot locate the file, the application 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 then 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 Office for Mac applications.

  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 Preferences, and then open Microsoft.

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

  13. Move the file to the desktop.

  14. Start Word, and then 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.

  15. On the Go menu, click Home.

  16. 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.

  17. Open Application Support, and then open Microsoft.

  18. Open Office, and then open User Templates.

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

  20. Start Word, and then 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, go to the next step.

Step 6: Create a new user account

Sometimes, user-specific information can become corrupted. This can interfere with installing or using the application. To determine whether this is the case, you can log on as a different user or create a new user account, and then test the application.

If the issue occurs even when you use the alternative account, go to the next step.

Microsoft Office 2016 Keeps Crashing

Step 7: Test saving the file in safe mode

Try to save when the computer is operating in safe mode. If you can save while in safe mode, the problem probably concerns software that is running in the background.

For information about how to enter safe mode in Mac OS, seeClean startup to see if background programs are interfering with Office for Mac.

More information

If the steps in this article did not resolve the issue, visit the Mac forums for possible resolutions/workarounds.