Office for Mac Issues

Fix Microsoft Word Freezing When Opening Large Documents on Mac

Natalie Taylor Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix an issue where the word processor becomes unresponsive and freezes when opening documents exceeding 100 pages.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Freezing When Opening Large Documents on Mac

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: M1 Mac running macOS Sonoma
Scenario: Opening and editing lengthy, large-sized documents.
Observed behavior: The application freezes completely, rendering the user unable to view or edit the large document.

Before you start

Test whether a smaller or newly created document also freezes on your Mac. This will help you determine if the application is malfunctioning entirely or if the problem is strictly related to large files.

Solution 1Recommended

Roll Back to an Earlier Version of Microsoft Word

If the freezing issue started after a recent update, reverting to a previous stable version often resolves compatibility bugs on M1 Macs running macOS Sonoma.

Software updates occasionally introduce bugs that affect memory management for large files on Apple Silicon. Rolling back allows you to use a stable build while Microsoft patches the current version.

Check Your Current Version

Open Microsoft Word, click on 'Word' in the top Apple menu bar, and select 'About Microsoft Word' to note your current version number.

Uninstall the Current App

Close Word, open your Applications folder, and drag the Microsoft Word application to the Trash to uninstall it.

Download an Earlier Release

Visit the official Microsoft Office for Mac Update History page in your browser. Locate a version released prior to your current one and download the installation package.

Install and Pause Updates

Run the downloaded installer. Once installed, open Microsoft AutoUpdate (via Help > Check for Updates in Word) and disable automatic updates to prevent the buggy version from reinstalling.

Roll Back to an Earlier Version of Microsoft Word

Monitor for Patches: Keep an eye on official Microsoft release notes. You can re-enable automatic updates once a newer version confirms a fix for large document freezing.

Solution 2

Transfer Document Content to a New File

Large documents can accumulate hidden formatting corruption over time. Transferring the text to a fresh file can eliminate these underlying errors.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Fast, Freeze-Free Document Editing on Mac

If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with lengthy files on your M1 Mac, switch to WPS Office. It is highly optimized for Apple Silicon, completely free, and handles large 100+ page documents with ease while maintaining full compatibility with your existing Word files.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the Mac version, which is natively optimized for fast performance on Apple Silicon.
2. Open Your Large Document: Launch WPS Writer, click 'Open', and select your existing .docx file. The large document will load instantly without lagging.
3. Edit and Save Seamlessly: Edit your 100+ page document smoothly, and save it directly in the standard Word format to ensure total compatibility with colleagues.

Smoothly opens and edits large documents over 100 pages without freezingFully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .doc, .rtf)Lightweight architecture optimized specifically for Apple Silicon and macOS SonomaFamiliar tabbed interface that requires zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft Word freeze on my M1 Mac when opening large documents?

Large documents require more memory and processing power to render text, images, and complex formatting. Recent app updates may have introduced compatibility bugs with macOS Sonoma or Apple Silicon architecture, leading to memory leaks or app unresponsiveness during the rendering process.

How do I stop Microsoft Word from automatically updating on Mac?

Open Microsoft Word, click on 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates'. When the Microsoft AutoUpdate window appears, uncheck the box labeled 'Automatically keep Microsoft Apps up to date'.

Could document corruption cause Word to freeze?

Yes. Hidden formatting errors, broken tables, or corrupted graphic elements within a large document can cause Word to enter an infinite processing loop when trying to display the pages. Copying the text to a brand-new file usually bypasses these corrupted elements.

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