Office Apps Freezing

Fix Microsoft Word Hangs When Saving or Exporting as PDF

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where Microsoft Word becomes unresponsive during the process of saving or exporting a document to PDF.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Freezing When Saving or Exporting Documents as PDF

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Saving or exporting a document as a PDF, particularly after a recent reinstallation of Microsoft Office.
Observed behavior: The Word application completely hangs or freezes, preventing the document from being saved or exported as a PDF.

Before you start

Before proceeding with troubleshooting, verify if the freezing issue happens with all your Word documents or just one specific file, and ensure you have administrative privileges to restart background services if necessary.

Solution 1Recommended

Test the Document in Word Safe Mode

Running Word in Safe Mode helps determine if the freezing issue is caused by conflicting add-ins or specific document corruption.

Safe Mode starts Microsoft Word without any third-party add-ins or customized toolbar settings. This is a critical diagnostic step to isolate whether the hang is a core application issue or caused by an external plugin loaded during startup.

Restart Your Computer

Restart Windows to ensure no background instances of Microsoft Word are stuck in the system memory.

Launch Word in Safe Mode

Press and hold the 'Ctrl' key on your keyboard, then double-click the Microsoft Word shortcut. Click 'Yes' when Windows asks if you want to start the application in Safe Mode.

Test the PDF Export

Open the specific document you were working on and attempt to save or export it as a PDF by navigating to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document.

Evaluate the Results

If the document exports successfully, the issue is likely caused by an active add-in. If Word still hangs, the document itself may be corrupted or your Office installation requires a full repair.

Gather Information for Support: If Word continues to hang even in Safe Mode with a blank document, note your specific Office version number and Windows fault details before contacting Microsoft Support.

Solution 2

Disable COM Add-ins

If Safe Mode prevents the freezing, disabling conflicting add-ins in normal mode will permanently resolve the issue.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Export to PDF Smoothly with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word continues to freeze and disrupt your workflow, consider using WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, lightweight alternative that features a built-in, stable PDF exporter, allowing you to convert your documents without frustrating hangs or crashes.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office Writer and open your existing .docx file.
2. Export to PDF: Click on 'Menu' and select 'Export to PDF', or use the dedicated 'Export to PDF' button on the toolbar.
3. Save the File: Choose your desired save location and PDF options, then click 'Export' to instantly generate your PDF without freezing.

Built-in, stable PDF conversion tool that prevents system hangingFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) and other Office formatsLightweight application that uses minimal system resourcesFamiliar user interface for a seamless transition

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word freeze only when I try to save as a PDF?

Word often freezes during PDF export due to incompatible third-party add-ins (like PDF creators or citation managers), corrupted font files within the document, or missing registry keys after an Office update or reinstallation.

How can I check my Microsoft Office version if I need to contact support?

To find your Office version, open Word, go to File > Account (or Office Account). Under 'Product Information', you will see your Office product name and the full version and build number next to the 'About Word' button.

Can a specific document cause Word to hang during PDF conversion?

Yes. If the freezing only happens with one specific file, the document may contain corrupted elements such as broken hyperlinks, unsupported image formats, or damaged tables. Copying the text (without the final paragraph mark) into a brand new document often fixes this.

How do I repair my Microsoft Office installation?

Open the Windows Control Panel, go to 'Programs and Features', select your Microsoft Office installation, and click 'Change' at the top. Select 'Quick Repair' first. If the problem persists after the Quick Repair, go back and select 'Online Repair'.

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