How to Fix Slow Microsoft 365 Startup on an M1 Mac
Question details
The user is experiencing unusually long loading times when trying to open Microsoft 365 applications.
- Product
- Microsoft 365 (Word, Outlook)
- Device & OS
- macOS Monterey (Apple M1 Mac)
- Scenario
- Opening applications like Outlook and Word for daily work tasks.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Office apps take an excessive amount of time to launch despite running on a powerful Apple M1 processor.
Ensure you have completely closed any sluggish Microsoft applications and saved any open documents in other apps before restarting your system.
Start in Safe Mode and Check for Updates
Booting your Mac in Safe Mode helps determine if third-party software is interfering with Microsoft 365, while system updates ensure you have the latest Apple silicon optimizations.
Apple silicon (M1) Macs require optimized versions of Microsoft 365 to run smoothly. Running outdated software or having conflicting background applications can drastically increase app load times.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select 'Shut Down'. Wait for the Mac to turn off completely.
Press and hold the power button on your M1 Mac until you see the 'Loading startup options' screen appear.
Select your main startup disk, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard, and click 'Continue in Safe Mode'.
Once logged into Safe Mode, open Microsoft Word or Outlook. If the apps start quickly, a third-party background program is likely causing the normal startup delay.
Restart your Mac normally. Open Word, click on 'Help' in the top menu, select 'Check for Updates', and ensure Microsoft 365 is fully updated. Check System Preferences for macOS updates as well.
Experience Lightning-Fast Document Processing on Your M1 Mac
If Microsoft 365 continues to lag on your Mac, consider switching to WPS Office. It is highly optimized for Apple silicon, ensuring rapid startup times while remaining completely compatible with Microsoft Office formats.
- 1. Download WPS Office for Mac: Visit the official WPS website and download the Mac version optimized for Apple silicon.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded package and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open and Edit Instantly: Launch WPS Office and instantly open your existing .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx files without annoying delays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Microsoft Office suddenly running so slowly on my Mac?
This can be caused by pending software updates, conflicting background applications, or compatibility issues if you are not running the native Apple silicon version of Microsoft 365.
Does Microsoft 365 run natively on Apple M1 chips?
Yes, Microsoft has released native Apple silicon support for Microsoft 365. You need to ensure your software is fully updated to take advantage of this speed optimization.
How do I force Microsoft AutoUpdate to check for updates on macOS?
Open any Office application like Word, click on 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates' to launch the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool and fetch the latest versions.
