Office Performance Issues

Fix Microsoft Word Screen Flickers or Text Disappears While Typing

Maira Mehtab Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to stop their screen from flickering and text from intermittently disappearing or displaying unexpected marks while typing in Microsoft Word.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Screen Flickering or Text Disappearing While Typing

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows 11
Scenario: Typing and editing documents in Microsoft Word on a Windows laptop.
Observed behavior: The Word application screen flickers, and text briefly disappears, reappears, or displays unexpected paragraph-like marks during the typing process.

Before you start

Save any unsaved work in your open documents, as you will need to restart Microsoft Word and potentially your computer to apply updates and test new settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Graphics Drivers, Windows, and Microsoft Word

Outdated display drivers or Office software versions are the most common causes of rendering glitches and screen flickering in Word.

Graphics drivers are responsible for rendering text and interface elements in Microsoft Word. If you are using a specific laptop brand (like a Lenovo Legion), manufacturer-specific driver updates often resolve known display conflicts.

Update Microsoft Word

Open Word, click on 'File' > 'Account'. Under 'Product Information', click 'Update Options' and select 'Update Now'.

Update Windows 11

Press the Windows key + I to open Settings. Go to 'Windows Update' and click 'Check for updates' to ensure your OS is current.

Update Graphics Drivers

Right-click the Start menu and select 'Device Manager'. Expand 'Display adapters', right-click your graphics card, and select 'Update driver'. Alternatively, visit your laptop manufacturer's website (e.g., Lenovo Support) to download the latest video drivers.

Restart Required: Always restart your computer after installing new graphics drivers to ensure the changes take effect in Microsoft Word.

Solution 2

Test Word in Safe Mode and Disable Add-ins

Running Word in Safe Mode bypasses third-party add-ins and customizations that might be causing the text to disappear.

Solution 3

Check Compatibility Mode and Windows User Profile

Document formatting conflicts or a corrupted Windows user profile can occasionally cause severe display issues in Office applications.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Glitch-Free Typing with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word continues to flicker or hide text due to deep system or graphics conflicts on your Windows PC, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly stable environment that fully supports your existing Word documents without the rendering bugs.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite on your Windows PC.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer, click 'Open', and select your existing .docx file to continue working glitch-free.
3. Resume Typing: Enjoy a stable editing experience where your text remains visible and your screen does not flicker.

Stable rendering engine free from screen flickering and text display glitchesFully compatible with Microsoft Word formats including .docx and .docLightweight application that runs smoothly on all Windows 11 laptopsFamiliar user interface allowing you to transition without a learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my text deleting the next word as I type in Word?

If text is being deleted rather than just visually disappearing, you may have accidentally enabled 'Overtype' mode. Press the 'Insert' key on your keyboard once to toggle back to 'Insert' mode, which will stop new text from erasing existing text.

Can hardware graphics acceleration cause Word screen flickering?

Yes. While newer versions of Office manage this automatically, older rendering settings can conflict with modern graphics cards. You can try disabling hardware graphics acceleration by going to File > Options > Advanced, scrolling to the Display section, and checking 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration' if the option is available in your version.

Will I lose my files if I create a new Windows user profile to fix Word?

No, your files will not be deleted. However, a new Windows profile will have its own separate Documents and Desktop folders. You will need to manually copy or move your Word documents from your old profile's folders to the new profile to access them locally.

What are paragraph-like marks appearing when I type?

These are likely formatting marks (also known as pilcrows). They do not print, but show paragraph breaks and spaces. You can hide them by going to the Home tab and clicking the Paragraph mark icon (¶), or by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 8.

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