Office for Mac Issues

Fix Word for Mac Showing Old Filename After Save As

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience a display issue in Microsoft Word for Mac (such as version 16.91) where the application title bar fails to update the document's name after saving it as a new file.

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Duplicating or renaming an active document using the 'Save As' feature.
Observed behavior: The document is successfully saved under the new name, but the Word interface persistently displays the old original filename at the top of the window.

Before you start

Before beginning troubleshooting, determine if this issue affects only one specific document or all your Word files, and note whether you are saving files locally to your Mac's hard drive or directly to a cloud service like OneDrive.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear the Microsoft Word Application Cache

Removing corrupted cached data often resolves interface glitches and file naming display issues in Word for Mac.

macOS stores temporary application data in container folders. If these files become corrupted, Word may fail to update its user interface correctly. Clearing this folder forces Word to generate fresh, error-free preference files.

Quit Microsoft Word

Ensure Microsoft Word is completely closed. Right-click the Word icon in your Dock and select 'Quit', or press Command + Q while the app is active.

Access the Library folder

Open Finder. In the top menu bar, click 'Go' and select 'Go to Folder...' (or press Command + Shift + G).

Locate the Word container

Type '~/Library/Containers/Microsoft Word' into the search box and press Return. For older versions of macOS, the folder might be named 'com.microsoft.Word'.

Remove the cache folder

Drag the 'Microsoft Word' folder to your Desktop to serve as a temporary backup. Relaunch Word, perform a 'Save As' on a document, and check if the filename now updates correctly.

Solution 2

Test in Safe Mode and Update Software

Booting your Mac in Safe Mode helps isolate system-level conflicts, while updating software ensures you have the latest bug patches.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Flawless Document Experience on Mac

If Microsoft Word for Mac continues to suffer from display bugs, caching issues, or update errors, it might be time for a change. WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative with a familiar interface, ensuring your documents are managed smoothly and saved exactly as expected.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free macOS installer package.
2. Install on Your Mac: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office application icon into your Applications folder.
3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and seamlessly open your existing .docx files to continue working without interface bugs.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .doc, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight architecture optimized for smooth macOS performance.Free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate tabbed interface.No synchronization delays or filename display glitches when saving files.Built-in PDF editing, annotating, and format conversion tools.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word for Mac not update the filename after Save As?

This is often caused by a graphical user interface glitch in specific versions (like 16.91), corrupted cache files in the macOS Library container, or synchronization delays if the file is being saved directly to a cloud storage service like OneDrive or SharePoint.

Will deleting the Microsoft Word cache folder erase my documents?

No. Clearing the cache folder located at ~/Library/Containers/Microsoft Word only resets application preferences, window sizes, and temporary background files. Your actual saved documents, whether stored locally or in the cloud, remain completely untouched.

How can I tell if this is a cloud storage issue or a local Word bug?

To isolate the issue, try opening a document and using the 'Save As' function to save the file locally to your Mac's Desktop rather than OneDrive. If the filename updates correctly on the Desktop, the bug is likely related to cloud storage synchronization.

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