Office Apps Crashing

Fix Microsoft 365 Apps Crashing While Editing Word or Excel Files

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

Microsoft 365 Word and Excel repeatedly crash during file editing without displaying any error messages.

How to Fix Microsoft 365 Office Apps Crashing While Editing Files

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing moderately sized documents or spreadsheets in Microsoft Office.
Observed behavior: The applications crash silently and repeatedly, even after trying Safe Mode, online repairs, removing add-ins, and updating drivers.

Before you start

Ensure that all your work is saved in other applications and verify that all Microsoft Office processes are completely closed via the Task Manager before attempting to clear the cache.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Office Cache via Application Settings

Use the built-in Microsoft Office options to delete cached files, which often resolve sudden crashes related to corrupted temporary data.

Microsoft Office stores temporary cache files to improve performance and sync capabilities. When these files become corrupted, they can cause the applications to close unexpectedly without error codes.

Open an Office Application

Launch Microsoft Word or Excel on your computer.

Access Options Menu

Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the left-hand menu.

Delete Cached Files

In the Options window, navigate to the 'Save' tab. Scroll down to the 'Cache Settings' section and click the button to delete the cached files.

Clear Office Cache via Application Settings

Tip: Restart the Office application after clearing the cache to ensure the changes take effect completely.

Solution 2

Manually Delete the OfficeFileCache Folder

If the application crashes before you can access the settings menu, you can manually delete the cache folder using the Windows File Explorer.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Stable and Crash-Free Experience

If Microsoft 365 continues to crash despite exhaustive troubleshooting, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a highly stable, lightweight alternative that handles moderately sized and large files smoothly without requiring frequent cache resets.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the download button for the free version.
2. Install the Software: Run the downloaded executable file and follow the quick on-screen setup instructions.
3. Open Your Documents: Right-click your existing .docx or .xlsx files, select 'Open with', and choose WPS Office to instantly begin editing.

Highly stable performance when editing complex Word and Excel files, avoiding random crashes.Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats including .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx.Lightweight installation that consumes fewer system resources than Microsoft 365.Familiar user interface for a completely seamless migration process.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my Microsoft Office apps crash without displaying an error message?

Silent crashes in Microsoft 365 are often caused by corrupted temporary files stored in the Office cache, incompatible third-party add-ins, or corrupted registry keys. Clearing the cache is usually the most effective fix when Safe Mode and repairs fail.

Will clearing the Office cache delete my saved documents?

No. Clearing the OfficeFileCache folder only removes temporary background working files and sync data. Your actual saved documents, spreadsheets, and presentations remain completely safe on your local drive or cloud storage.

What should I do if clearing the cache does not stop the crashes?

If clearing the cache, removing add-ins, updating drivers, and running an Online Repair do not work, consider cleanly uninstalling Microsoft 365 using the official Support and Recovery Assistant tool, or creating a new Windows user profile to rule out local profile corruption.

Office App Problems