Office Apps Freezing

How to Fix Microsoft Word Freezing When Editing Images

WPS Editor Oct 7, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a way to stop Word from freezing and flickering when editing images located inside invisible tables, without losing the document's Track Changes history.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Freezing When Editing Images

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a document that contains images inside an invisible table while retaining the Track Changes revision history.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word becomes unresponsive, freezes, and rapidly flickers between windows when attempting to edit the specific section.

Before you start

Before attempting any troubleshooting, make sure to save a backup copy of your document to a safe location to ensure your Track Changes history is not accidentally lost.

Solution 1Recommended

Contact Microsoft 365 Support for Advanced Investigation

Because the document and its revision history must be strictly preserved, standard troubleshooting risks data loss. Escalating the issue to Microsoft Support is recommended for a safe resolution.

When an Office application freezes due to specific document formatting (like images inside invisible tables), the issue often requires an investigation into the local environment. Because forum support cannot directly investigate your computer or account, creating an official support ticket is the safest route to preserve your Track Changes history.

Contact Your Administrator

Reach out to your organization's Microsoft 365 administrator, as they have the necessary permissions to open official service requests.

Navigate to the Admin Center

Have your administrator log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and go to the 'Support' section.

Create a Support Ticket

Select 'New service request' or 'Help & support', and describe the freezing issue specifically mentioning images inside invisible tables and the strict requirement to preserve Track Changes.

Contact Microsoft 365 Support for Advanced Investigation

Preserve Metadata: Do not attempt to copy and paste the document text into a new blank Word file as a workaround, as this standard action usually strips away the Track Changes history you need to preserve.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Complex Documents Smoothly with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word continues to freeze when handling complex layouts like images inside tables, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative that handles heavy document formatting smoothly.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx file. Your Track Changes and formatting will load seamlessly.
3. Edit Without Freezing: Proceed to edit the images and invisible tables with optimized performance and zero screen flickering.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats, ensuring your formatting and Track Changes are perfectly preserved.Lightweight architecture prevents freezing and flickering, even when handling complex tables and heavy image files.Familiar user interface makes migration seamless with practically no learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word freeze when I edit images inside tables?

This often occurs due to conflicts between the application's graphics rendering engine and complex document layouts, such as invisible table borders. It can be exacerbated by enabled hardware graphics acceleration or corrupted document elements.

How can I preserve Track Changes when dealing with document crashes?

Avoid using the standard copy-and-paste method into a new document, as this frequently results in the loss of revision history. Instead, save a duplicate file immediately and seek official Microsoft Support to investigate the local environment safely.

Can disabling hardware acceleration fix screen flickering in Word?

Yes, screen flickering is occasionally caused by graphics driver incompatibilities. Disabling hardware graphics acceleration in Word's Advanced Options might stop the flickering, though it may not solve underlying corruption in the specific document.

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