Office for Mac Issues

How to Fix Microsoft Word Crashing on macOS with EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION

Nimra Malik Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

Microsoft Word version 16.95 crashes shortly after launching on a MacBook Air with Apple silicon, displaying an EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION error code.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Crashes on macOS (EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION)

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: macOS / Apple silicon
Scenario: Opening Microsoft Word to edit or create documents on a Mac running macOS Sequoia or earlier versions.
Observed behavior: Word crashes almost immediately after launch. The generated Apple crash log references QuartzCore, Metal, Office authentication components, and unfair-lock corruption.

Before you start

Ensure you have your Microsoft account credentials ready and save copies of any recovered documents to an external folder before troubleshooting your user profile or updating software.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Office and Test in Safe Mode

Updating your software and utilizing macOS Safe Mode helps determine if the crash is caused by outdated Office components or conflicting background extensions.

Because this crash involves complex system frameworks like QuartzCore and Metal, ensuring your software is fully up-to-date is the first critical step. If the issue persists, Safe Mode will isolate third-party software conflicts.

Update Microsoft AutoUpdate

Open Finder, go to Applications, launch Microsoft AutoUpdate, and install the latest available updates for both AutoUpdate and Microsoft Word.

Boot Mac into Safe Mode

Shut down your Mac. Press and hold the power button until you see 'Loading startup options'. Select your startup volume, press and hold the Shift key, and click 'Continue in Safe Mode'. Test Word.

Test with a New User Profile

Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Users & Groups. Click 'Add Account' to create a new Administrator profile, log into it, and launch Word to see if the previous profile was corrupted.

Graphics-intensive Features: If you are able to keep Word open for a few minutes in Safe Mode, navigate to Word > Preferences > View, and try to disable any graphics-intensive features before restarting normally.

Solution 2

Collect Crash Logs and Escalate to Microsoft Support

Since the crash involves deep application code (unfair-lock corruption) and Office authentication, escalating to Microsoft with proper documentation is necessary if basic troubleshooting fails.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Stable Experience on Mac

If Microsoft Word continues to crash on your Apple silicon Mac due to unresolved EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION errors, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly stable, and free alternative. Enjoy full compatibility with Microsoft Office formats without the graphics and authentication crashes.

1. Download for Mac: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the macOS installation package.
2. Install the App: Open the downloaded file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and open your existing .docx files directly—no conversion or formatting adjustments needed.

Native optimization for Apple silicon ensures smooth performanceFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsLightweight design prevents heavy graphics framework crashesFamiliar user interface requires no learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What does EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION mean on a Mac?

It indicates that an application attempted to execute an illegal or undefined processor instruction. This usually points to a severe bug in the application's code, memory management, or interaction with core system frameworks.

Why does Word crash specifically on Apple silicon Macs?

Crashes can occur due to unoptimized code, Rosetta translation issues in older software versions, or conflicting requests between the app and macOS graphics APIs like Metal and QuartzCore.

Does reinstalling macOS fix EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION errors in Word?

No, reinstalling macOS (like Sequoia) typically does not resolve this issue. The bug usually lies within the Microsoft Word application itself or its authentication components, requiring an app update or developer patch rather than an OS reinstall.

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