Office Apps Not Opening

Fix Word Online Opening a Blank Page on macOS

Khadija Khan Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where creating documents or opening templates in Microsoft Office web apps results in a blank page on their Mac.

How to Fix Word Online Opening a Blank Page on macOS

Product: Microsoft Word Online, Excel Online
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Creating new documents or opening templates via web browser using a Gmail-linked Microsoft account.
Observed behavior: Instead of loading the document editor, the browser continuously opens an empty 'about:blank' page, regardless of which web browser is being used.

Before you start

Ensure your Mac has a stable internet connection and try accessing Office Online from a Private or Incognito browsing window to quickly determine if a browser extension is blocking the page.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Mac Cache and Disable Third-Party Extensions

This resolves background application conflicts and corrupted cached files that prevent Office Online scripts from redirecting properly.

macOS keeps specific cached files for applications in the Containers folder. Moving these and turning off interfering extensions can force the system to generate fresh, uncorrupted files.

Close All Browsers and Office Apps

Ensure Safari, Chrome, and any standalone Microsoft Office applications are completely closed using the Quit command (Cmd + Q).

Access the Containers Folder

Open Finder, click 'Go' in the top menu bar, select 'Go to Folder' (Cmd + Shift + G), and type ~/Library/Containers/ into the search box.

Relocate Microsoft Folders

Locate the folders associated with Microsoft Office (such as com.microsoft.Word). Drag them to your Desktop as a temporary backup.

Disable Browser Extensions

Open your web browser's preferences, navigate to the Extensions tab, and temporarily toggle off all ad blockers and privacy shields. Restart the browser and try opening Word Online again.

Clear Mac Cache and Disable Third-Party Extensions

Safe Deletion: If the web application starts working normally after moving the folders, you can safely delete the Microsoft Office folders you moved to the Desktop.

Solution 2

Perform Cross-Device and Network Testing

Use this method to isolate whether the issue is tied specifically to your Mac, your network configuration, or your Microsoft account.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office as a Reliable Alternative for Mac

If Microsoft Word Online continues to show blank pages or connection errors on your browser, switch to WPS Office. It provides a robust, lightweight desktop application for macOS that doesn't rely entirely on browser access, ensuring you can always create, open, and edit your documents without web-based interruptions.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the macOS version for free.
2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded package and follow the on-screen instructions to install WPS Office on your Mac.
3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Word or Excel files directly to continue editing seamlessly without browser issues.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint formatsFull-featured desktop application for macOS that avoids browser-based glitchesLightweight design ensures fast performance even on older Mac computersIncludes built-in cloud synchronization without relying on Microsoft servers

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my browser show an about:blank page instead of Word Online?

An about:blank page indicates that the browser was instructed to open a new tab but did not receive a valid URL to load. In web-based Office apps, this is often caused by ad blockers, strict privacy extensions blocking the document script, or corrupted browser cache.

How do I know if my Microsoft account is causing the blank page issue?

You can try logging into Office Online using a different Microsoft account or an incognito window. If the alternative account loads templates flawlessly, your primary Gmail-linked account might be experiencing backend synchronization or service-level issues requiring Microsoft Support intervention.

Can Safari extensions interfere with Word Online on macOS?

Yes, many anti-tracking tools, pop-up blockers, or security extensions can block the background redirects that Word Online utilizes to launch a new document or template, resulting in an empty about:blank page. Disabling them temporarily can help identify the culprit.

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