Fix Microsoft Word Scrolling Unexpectedly While Typing in a Table
Question details
The user experiences erratic and unexpected scrolling in Microsoft Word when trying to type text inside a table.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Typing text inside a table while using the Web Layout view in Microsoft Word.
- Observed behavior
- The document automatically scrolls up or down unexpectedly on its own, disrupting the user's workflow. This behavior stops when Word is launched in Safe Mode.
Before proceeding with system changes, switch your document from Web Layout view to Print Layout view as a temporary workaround so you can continue typing without immediate interruptions.
Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration
Turning off hardware graphics acceleration is a proven method to resolve rendering and display glitches, including erratic scrolling, in Microsoft Office applications.
Graphics acceleration leverages your computer's GPU to render Office animations and text. However, incompatible drivers can cause Word's layout engine to jump unexpectedly. Disabling this feature forces software rendering, which is often more stable.
Note: The hardware graphics acceleration setting applies globally to all Office applications. If you cannot find the setting in Word, you can disable it via Excel.
Launch Microsoft Word. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.
In the Word Options dialog box, click on the 'Advanced' tab on the left-hand side.
Scroll down to the 'Display' section. Check the box next to 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration'.
Click 'OK' to save the changes, then restart Microsoft Word to see if the scrolling issue is resolved.
Disable Faulty Word Add-ins
Since the issue does not occur in Safe Mode, a third-party COM or Startup-folder add-in is highly likely to be interfering with Word's normal operations.
Rebuild the Normal Template
A corrupted global template (Normal.dotm) can trigger unexpected document formatting and scrolling errors. Renaming it allows Word to generate a fresh, clean template.
Experience Glitch-Free Document Editing with WPS Office
If you are tired of dealing with unexpected scrolling, layout glitches, and heavy resource usage in Microsoft Word, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly stable word processing environment perfect for extensive table editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Word document jump around when I type in a table?
This is often caused by hardware graphics acceleration conflicts, a corrupted Normal.dotm template, or incompatible third-party COM add-ins interfering with Word's rendering engine, especially when using the Web Layout view.
Does switching to Print Layout fix the unexpected scrolling issue?
Switching to Print Layout acts as a quick, temporary workaround that stops the unexpected scrolling so you can continue working. However, to permanently fix the issue in Web Layout, you must adjust your hardware acceleration or add-in settings.
How do I know if an add-in is causing Word to scroll unexpectedly?
You can diagnose this by launching Word in Safe Mode (hold the Ctrl key while clicking the Word shortcut). If the erratic scrolling stops while in Safe Mode, an add-in is likely the culprit and should be disabled via File > Options > Add-ins.
Where is the hardware graphics acceleration setting if it is missing in Word?
If the 'Disable hardware graphics acceleration' option is missing from Word's Advanced settings, open Microsoft Excel, navigate to File > Options > Advanced, and disable it there. This setting applies globally across all Microsoft Office applications.
