Office Apps Crashing

How to Fix Microsoft Word Keeps Closing on Mac

Bushra Parveen Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing unexpected closures or crashes when using Microsoft Word on a Mac, particularly when opening old files or starting new documents.

How to Fix Microsoft Word Keeps Closing on Mac

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Mac / macOS
Scenario: Opening older documents or creating a new file in Microsoft Word on a Mac.
Observed behavior: Word abruptly closes, occasionally displaying a warning about potential loss of recent work.

Before you start

Before proceeding with troubleshooting, save any currently open work in other applications and ensure you have your Microsoft Office account credentials handy in case a reinstallation is required.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Microsoft Word and macOS

Outdated software is a common cause for application crashes. Installing the latest updates can resolve known system bugs and compatibility issues.

Check for Office updates

Open an Office application like Excel or PowerPoint if Word won't stay open. Navigate to the top menu bar, click on 'Help', and select 'Check for Updates'.

Install Office updates

Follow the Microsoft AutoUpdate prompts to download and install all available updates for your Microsoft Office suite.

Check for macOS updates

Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen, select 'System Settings' (or System Preferences), go to 'General', and click 'Software Update' to ensure your Mac operating system is fully up to date.

Solution 2

Start Your Mac in Safe Mode

Safe Mode helps isolate issues caused by conflicting background applications, login items, or corrupted system caches.

Solution 3

Remove License Files and Reinstall Office

If updating and Safe Mode do not work, a damaged installation or corrupted licensing files might be the root issue.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Stable, Crash-Free Mac Experience

If Microsoft Word continues to crash or close unexpectedly on your Mac, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a lightweight, free alternative that offers excellent stability and full compatibility with all your existing Microsoft Office files.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the Mac version of WPS Office.
2. Open your files smoothly: Launch WPS Office and click 'Open' to access your older Microsoft Word documents without the risk of sudden closures.
3. Edit and save seamlessly: Edit your document with familiar tools and save it directly in the .docx format.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formats.Lightweight design ensures smooth performance on Mac without draining system resources or crashing.Free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate tabbed user interface for seamless migration.All-in-one suite to manage documents, spreadsheets, and PDFs in a single reliable application.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my document if Microsoft Word unexpectedly closes on my Mac?

If AutoRecover is enabled, Word will attempt to save a backup of your document automatically. When you reopen Word, an AutoRecovery pane should appear, allowing you to restore your recent progress.

Why does Word only crash when I open older documents?

Older documents (such as .doc files) may contain outdated formatting, legacy macros, or hidden corruptions that conflict with newer versions of Word. Converting them to the latest .docx format often resolves the issue.

How can I check if third-party add-ins are causing Word to close?

Open Word, go to the 'Insert' tab, and select 'Get Add-ins' or 'My Add-ins'. Disable your installed add-ins one by one and restart Word to identify if a specific extension is triggering the crashes.

Does clearing the Mac cache help stop Word from crashing?

Yes, clearing application cache can fix unexpected software behaviors. You can do this by navigating to your Library folder, finding the 'Containers' folder, and moving the 'com.microsoft.Word' folder to your desktop before restarting the app.

Office App Problems