Fix Word High CPU Usage and Freezing After Office Update
Question details
Microsoft Word is consuming excessive CPU resources and freezing or stopping response entirely following a Microsoft 365 update.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Using Microsoft Word after installing a recent Microsoft 365 software update.
- Observed behavior
- The Word application uses abnormally high CPU power, leading to system lag, application freezing, and eventual unresponsiveness.
Before troubleshooting, ensure you save any open documents in other applications to prevent data loss. Open the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to monitor Word's CPU usage in real-time while testing these solutions.
Test Word with a Blank Document
Determine if the high CPU usage is caused by a specific corrupted document or the Word application itself.
Sometimes, formatting corruption within a specific file causes Word to loop endlessly, consuming CPU resources. Isolating the issue to the application or the document is the crucial first step.
Launch Microsoft Word from your Start menu and select 'Blank document' from the welcome screen.
Leave the blank document open for a few minutes. Open Task Manager and check if Word's CPU usage drops to a normal level (usually near 0% when idle).
If the blank document functions normally without high CPU usage, your previous document is likely the culprit. Open the problematic document, copy the text, and paste it into a new file using 'Keep Text Only' to strip corrupted formatting.
Update Microsoft 365 Apps
Microsoft frequently releases patches to fix known performance bugs, including CPU spikes caused by previous updates.
Perform a Windows Clean Boot
Start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs to determine if a background service is interfering with Word.
Switch to WPS Office to Avoid High CPU Issues
If Microsoft Word continues to freeze or consume excessive system resources after an update, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a highly optimized, lightweight productivity suite that runs smoothly on all computers while maintaining complete compatibility with your existing Office documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word use so much CPU after an update?
High CPU usage following an update is typically caused by background indexing processes restructuring your files, corrupted Office installation files, incompatible third-party add-ins, or bugs introduced in the new software build itself.
How do I disable add-ins in Word to stop it from freezing?
Open Word in Safe Mode by holding the Ctrl key while clicking the Word application icon. Go to File > Options > Add-ins. Select 'COM Add-ins' from the Manage drop-down at the bottom, click Go, and uncheck all add-ins to disable them. Restart Word normally to test.
Will repairing Microsoft Office fix the high CPU usage?
Yes, running an Online Repair can replace corrupted files that may be causing the high CPU usage. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, locate Microsoft Office, click the three dots to select Modify, and choose Online Repair.
Does document size and complexity affect Word's CPU usage?
Yes. Documents with hundreds of pages, high-resolution images, complex tables, or excessive tracked changes can demand significantly more processing power. If the document is too large, consider splitting it into smaller files or accepting all tracked changes.
