Office Apps Crashing

Fix OneNote for Mac Crashing When Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Ayan Masood Sep 30, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience unexpected application crashes in OneNote for Mac when attempting to use arrow keys or keyboard shortcuts.

How to Fix OneNote for Mac Crashing When Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Product: Microsoft OneNote for Mac (Version 16.88)
Device & OS: Apple Silicon Mac
Scenario: Navigating notes with arrow keys or formatting text using keyboard shortcuts such as Command+B.
Observed behavior: The application immediately crashes and closes upon pressing the keyboard shortcut, rendering it unusable for keyboard-heavy workflows.

Before you start

Verify your exact application version by opening OneNote, clicking 'OneNote' in the top Mac menu bar, and selecting 'About OneNote' to confirm if you are running the affected version 16.88.

Solution 1Recommended

Use OneNote for the Web as a Temporary Workaround

Since this is a known bug in version 16.88 that is awaiting an official Microsoft patch, using the web version allows you to continue working safely without application crashes.

The development team has reproduced this issue and is working on a fix. Until the patch is distributed, the web-based version of OneNote remains entirely unaffected by this Apple Silicon hardware bug.

Open your web browser

Launch Safari, Chrome, or your preferred web browser on your Mac.

Navigate to OneNote Online

Go to www.onenote.com and sign in using the Microsoft account associated with your notebooks.

Open your notebook

Select the notebook you need to edit. You can now safely use all arrow keys and formatting keyboard shortcuts like Command+B without experiencing any crashes.

Use OneNote for the Web as a Temporary Workaround

Automatic Syncing: Changes made in OneNote for the Web sync directly to OneDrive, so they will automatically appear in your Mac desktop app once the bug is patched and you resume using it.

Solution 2

Revert to a Previous Version of OneNote

If you absolutely need offline access and cannot use the web version, downgrading to version 16.87 will bypass the bug introduced in the 16.88 update.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Stable Mac Experience

If you are tired of productivity apps crashing on your Apple Silicon Mac, WPS Office offers a highly stable, free, and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office. It features a familiar UI, ensuring seamless migration without the frustration of keyboard shortcut bugs.

1. Download the Mac installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the version optimized for Apple Silicon.
2. Install the application: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
3. Open your documents directly: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Office files seamlessly to resume working with full keyboard shortcut support.

Native optimization for Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Macs, ensuring fast and crash-free keyboard shortcut usage.High format compatibility with Microsoft Office files, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.Lightweight architecture that consumes significantly less memory and CPU than traditional heavy office suites.Completely free to use with an intuitive, familiar interface that requires zero learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Microsoft release a fix for the OneNote 16.88 crashing issue?

Yes. The issue has been successfully reproduced and reported to the Microsoft development team. A permanent fix is expected in an upcoming software update, which will be available via Microsoft AutoUpdate.

Does this shortcut crash affect older Intel-based Macs?

Current user reports and testing indicate this specific bug primarily affects Apple Silicon Macs (such as those with M1, M2, and M3 processors) running OneNote version 16.88.

Can I use a different keyboard to stop OneNote from crashing?

No. The application crashing issue persists regardless of whether you are using the built-in MacBook keyboard, an external physical USB/Bluetooth keyboard, or a virtual on-screen keyboard.

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