How to Fix Word for Mac Freezing When Printing a Selected Range
Question details
Microsoft Word on Mac freezes or experiences severe delays when attempting to print a specific range of pages.
- Product
- Microsoft Word for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS Big Sur
- Scenario
- Selecting a specific page range to print instead of printing the entire document.
- Observed behavior
- Word becomes highly unresponsive, uses 100% CPU for several minutes per interaction, and delays the print job significantly. The issue is especially prominent in versions 16.49 and 16.50.
Before troubleshooting, save your document to avoid data loss during a freeze. Check your current Word version by opening Word and clicking 'About Microsoft Word' in the top Apple menu.
Export the Document to PDF as a Workaround
Bypass the Word printing bug by saving the document as a PDF and printing the desired pages using a PDF reader.
Since the freezing issue is isolated to Microsoft Word's internal pagination and reference processing, exporting the file entirely circumvents the bug. Other applications on macOS Big Sur process page ranges without issue.
Click on 'File' in the top menu bar, select 'Save As' or 'Export', choose 'PDF' as your file format, and save it to your local drive.
Locate the saved PDF on your Mac and open it using the default Preview app or Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Press 'Cmd + P' to open the print dialog, select your desired page range, and print seamlessly.
Revert to an Older Version of Office
Since the bug was introduced in version 16.49 and persists in 16.50, rolling back to version 16.48 resolves the issue.
Convert Reference Fields to Static Text
The freeze is triggered by Word struggling to recalculate complex reference fields (like Tables of Contents) during partial printing.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Printing on Mac
If Microsoft Word continues to freeze and disrupt your workflow on macOS Big Sur, switch to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and highly stable alternative that handles complex documents, reference fields, and precise printing tasks efficiently without CPU spikes.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the Mac version of WPS Office for free.
- 2. Open your document: Launch WPS Office Writer, click 'Open', and select your existing Word document.
- 3. Print specific pages: Press 'Cmd + P', set your exact page range in the print dialog, and print instantly without freezing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word for Mac freeze only when I select a page range?
When printing a specific range, Word recalculates pagination and updates dynamic reference fields (like Tables of Contents or REF fields) for those exact pages. A bug in versions 16.49 and 16.50 causes this calculation process to loop or execute extremely slowly, utilizing 100% of your CPU.
Is my entire Mac frozen or just Microsoft Word?
Generally, only Microsoft Word becomes unresponsive or heavily delayed. You can verify this by checking the Mac Activity Monitor; Word will show 100% CPU usage, while other applications and macOS itself will continue functioning normally.
Will updating my printer drivers fix this Word freezing issue?
No. This specific issue is related to how Word for Mac processes reference fields and pagination internally on macOS Big Sur. It is not caused by printer drivers. Other applications can print the exact same page ranges without any issues.
