Office Apps Freezing

Fix Word Hangs When Opening SharePoint Documents with Track Changes

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing severe performance issues where Microsoft Word becomes slow, freezes, or stops responding when opening SharePoint documents that contain tracked changes.

Fix Word Hangs When Opening SharePoint Documents with Track Changes

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Opening collaborated documents directly from SharePoint while the Track Changes feature is enabled.
Observed behavior: Word hangs and stops responding on specific Windows profiles or devices, even though local copies of the same document or other devices run normally.

Before you start

Before beginning the troubleshooting process, verify your internet connection stability and save a local copy of the SharePoint document to prevent any accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Install Office Updates and Perform an Online Repair

Installing the latest version of Office resolves known background bugs, and performing an Online Repair fixes corrupted installation files that may cause Word to freeze.

Microsoft frequently releases patches for performance issues related to SharePoint integration and Track Changes processing.

Update Microsoft Word

Open Microsoft Word, click on 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Account', click the 'Update Options' dropdown button, and choose 'Update Now'.

Access the Control Panel

If updating does not resolve the issue, press the Windows key, type 'Control Panel', and press Enter. Navigate to 'Programs' and click on 'Programs and Features'.

Run the Online Repair Tool

Right-click on your Microsoft Office installation in the list, select 'Change', choose 'Online Repair', and follow the on-screen prompts to repair your Office application.

Restart Required: After the Online Repair completes, restart your Windows computer before attempting to open the SharePoint document again.

Solution 2

Open Word in Safe Mode to Test Add-ins

Running Word in Safe Mode bypasses third-party extensions and add-ins, helping you identify if a specific plugin is causing the document to hang.

Solution 3

Create a New Windows User Account

If the freezing issue is isolated to a single computer, creating a new local Windows profile can bypass corrupted environment settings affecting Word's performance.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Open and Edit Tracked Documents Smoothly with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word continues to struggle with heavy tracked changes and cloud sync issues, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly efficient platform for handling complex document revisions without freezing.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click 'Free Download' to get the latest version.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded executable file and follow the standard installation prompts to set up the software on your Windows PC.
3. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer, go to 'Menu' > 'Open', and select your .docx file to view and manage tracked changes effortlessly.

Free and lightweight application with significantly faster launch speeds.Seamless format compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) and full support for Track Changes.Built-in collaborative features without the heavy system resource requirements of SharePoint.Familiar ribbon user interface allowing for a zero-learning-curve migration.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word only freeze on one specific computer when opening this document?

This usually indicates a local environment issue, such as corrupted Office installation files, conflicting third-party COM add-ins, or a corrupted Windows user profile, rather than a problem with the document itself.

Can a large number of tracked changes cause Word to crash?

Yes. Tracked changes increase the document's file complexity and memory usage. When combined with real-time SharePoint synchronization, heavily edited documents can exceed available memory limits and cause Word to hang.

Is there a way to view the document without triggering the freeze?

You can temporarily bypass the issue by opening the document in Word for the Web (via your browser). Alternatively, you can download a local copy to your desktop, open it there, and accept or reject the tracked changes to reduce file complexity before re-uploading.

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