Office Apps Freezing

How to Fix Microsoft Word for Mac Freezing and High CPU Usage

Steve K Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

Microsoft Word for Mac becomes unresponsive and consumes excessive CPU resources when working with documents, specifically after inserting images.

How to Fix Microsoft Word for Mac Freezing and High CPU Usage

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Editing a text document and inserting large images or multiple screenshots.
Observed behavior: The application frequently freezes during the editing process, and the Mac's Activity Monitor shows Word using an abnormally high percentage of the CPU (often over 90%).

Before you start

Check your Mac's Activity Monitor to confirm that Microsoft Word is the specific process causing the high CPU usage, and force quit the application if it has become completely unresponsive.

Solution 1Recommended

Resize and Optimize Images Before Inserting

Large or uncompressed screenshots can trigger rendering bugs in Word for Mac, causing massive CPU spikes. Resizing them prior to insertion resolves the excessive resource consumption.

Even relatively small screenshots (e.g., 0.5 MB) can sometimes cause rendering loops in specific versions of Word for Mac.

By modifying the image file dimensions or changing the format before inserting them into your document, you reduce the processing load on the application.

Locate the problematic images

Identify the original image files or screenshots on your Mac that you intend to add to your Word document.

Resize using Mac Preview

Double-click the image to open it in the default Preview app. Click on 'Tools' in the top menu bar, select 'Adjust Size...', and reduce the resolution or physical dimensions of the image. Save the changes.

Re-insert the optimized images

Open your Microsoft Word document, delete the old freezing images if they are still present, and use 'Insert' > 'Pictures' > 'Picture from File' to add your newly resized images.

Resize and Optimize Images Before Inserting

Format Change: Converting images from PNG (often the default screenshot format on Mac) to standard JPEG can also significantly improve Word's performance and reduce CPU usage.

Solution 2

Update Microsoft Office and macOS

Running an outdated version of Microsoft Word (such as version 16.66) can cause incompatibility bugs with newer macOS releases. Updating via Microsoft AutoUpdate ensures you have the latest performance patches.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to a Lightweight Office Suite for Mac

If Microsoft Word continues to freeze, cause high CPU usage, and drain your Mac's battery when handling images, WPS Office provides a highly optimized, free alternative. It requires fewer system resources while offering powerful editing capabilities.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Download the official WPS Office for Mac installer from the website and drag it into your Applications folder.
2. Open your Word Document: Launch WPS Office, click on 'Open', and select the .docx file that was previously freezing in Microsoft Word.
3. Edit with Smooth Performance: Continue editing your text and inserting images natively. WPS Office will process the document smoothly without triggering heavy CPU spikes.

Lightweight application structure ensures fast loading and minimal CPU consumption on macOS.Flawlessly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formats.Handles documents with large embedded images and graphics smoothly without freezing.Familiar user interface requires zero learning curve for switching users.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do small screenshots cause Word for Mac to freeze?

Word for Mac can sometimes struggle with rendering certain uncompressed clipboard data or high-DPI image formats natively captured by macOS. This rendering conflict leads to continuous processing loops, drastically spiking the CPU usage even if the file size is relatively small.

How can I check what version of Microsoft Word I am using?

Open Microsoft Word on your Mac. Click on the 'Word' option in the upper-left corner of your top menu bar, then select 'About Microsoft Word'. A dialog box will appear displaying your current version number (for example, Version 16.89).

What should I do if Microsoft AutoUpdate doesn't find the newest version?

If Microsoft AutoUpdate is stuck on an older version and says no updates are available, the AutoUpdate tool itself might be outdated. You will need to download and install the latest Microsoft AutoUpdate package manually from the official Microsoft website, then run it again to fetch the newest Word updates.

Office App Problems