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How to Fix Microsoft Word Crashing When Changing Page Margins
Question details
The user needs to stop Microsoft Word from crashing or freezing when attempting to adjust the document's page margins.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Adjusting the document layout by modifying the page margins.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Word crashes or freezes during the margin adjustment process due to an underlying printer configuration or network connection issue.
Save your current document to prevent data loss, and ensure your computer is currently able to connect to your configured default printer.
Change the Windows Default Printer
Switching your default printer to a virtual PDF printer prevents Word from querying faulty physical printer drivers that cause the application to freeze.
When changing margins, Word automatically communicates with the default printer to verify that the new margins fall within the printer's supported printable area. Driver conflicts or unresponsive network printers will cause Word to crash during this check.
Click the Windows Start menu, type 'Printers & scanners', and press Enter to open the device settings.
Scroll down and toggle off the setting that says 'Let Windows manage my default printer'.
Click on 'Microsoft Print to PDF' (or another reliable virtual printer) from your list of installed printers.
Click the 'Manage' button, then click 'Set as default'. Restart Microsoft Word and attempt to change the page margins again.
Disconnect from the Network Temporarily
This is a quick workaround if you are unable to change your default printer settings but need to adjust margins immediately.
Experience Crash-Free Document Editing with WPS Office
If Microsoft Word continues to crash due to persistent printer conflicts or system errors, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a stable, lightweight environment for all your document formatting needs without unexpected freezing.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and run the quick installation.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word document directly.
- 3. Adjust Layout Safely: Go to the Page Layout tab and change your margins smoothly without experiencing printer-related crashes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does changing margins in Word cause the application to crash?
When you adjust page margins, Word automatically queries the default printer to ensure the new layout fits within the printer's physical hardware margins. If there is a network delay, an unresponsive printer, or a corrupted printer driver, Word gets stuck waiting for a response and ultimately crashes.
Will reinstalling Microsoft Word fix the margin crashing issue?
Reinstalling Word is often unnecessary for this specific issue. Because the crash is usually caused by Windows printer settings or network printer delays, changing the default printer to 'Microsoft Print to PDF' is a faster and much more effective fix.
How do I fix Word crashing if changing the default printer doesn't work?
If changing the default printer does not resolve the crash, try starting Word in Safe Mode to disable problematic third-party add-ins. You can also try performing a Quick Repair or Online Repair of your Microsoft Office suite through the Windows Control Panel.
