Can These Easy Steps Quickly Fix Microsoft Word Freezing on Processing?

Why Does Microsoft Word Get Stuck on Processing and How Can You Solve It Fast?

When Microsoft Word freezes on the “Processing” screen, it can feel discouraging. This is especially true if you use OneDrive to save and open documents. Below you’ll find easy instructions to help you get back to work and stop Word from getting stuck.

What Makes Microsoft Word Freeze on “Processing”?

• Problems happen most often when you open files from your OneDrive or cloud storage.
• Corrupt cache files, login issues, or out-of-date add-ins can be the reason for Word hanging.
• Office program updates can also help avoid these problems.

Step-by-Step Fixes

Solution 1: Reset OneDrive and Clear the Office File Cache

First, close all open Office apps. Save your work in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Make sure they are fully closed.

Reset OneDrive

1. Press the Windows + R to bring up the Run box.
2. Type this in and press Enter:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

3. If OneDrive doesn’t start by itself, open Run again and enter:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe

Clear the Office File Cache

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Put this in the address bar:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache

3. Delete everything inside that folder. If you don’t see it, make sure you’re showing hidden files.
4. Restart your computer. After the restart, try opening your document in Word again.

Solution 2: Remove and Reconnect Your Microsoft Account

Step 1: Sign out from Office

1. Open Word.
2. Go to File > Account.
3. Click on your name at the top right, then select Sign out.

Step 2: Disconnect your work or school account from Windows

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Accounts > Email & accounts.
3. Select your organization account and click Remove.

Step 3: Delete saved credentials

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Go to Credential Manager > Windows Credentials.
3. Remove any credentials tied to your work/school email.

Step 4: Rename the Office settings folder

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Go to C:\Users$$your username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office.
3. Right-click the Office folder, rename it to Office.old.

Step 5: Restart your computer again.

Step 6: Open Word, sign in when prompted. If you don’t want your company to manage your device, select This App Only.

Step 7: Test by opening and saving a file with OneDrive.

Solution 3: Check and Disable Problematic Office Add-Ins

Step 1: Open Word in safe mode

1. Press Windows + R.
2. Type: winword /safe
3. Press Enter.
4. If Word now opens files, add-ins are likely to blame.

Step 2: Disable add-ins one at a time

1. Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
2. At the bottom, next to “Manage: COM Add-ins,” click Go.
3. Uncheck all add-ins, then restart Word.
4. Re-enable them one at a time, checking which one makes Word stuck.

Solution 4: Update and Repair Office

1. Open any Office app, go to File > Account.
2. Under Update Options, select Update Now.

If issues still happen, try repairing Office:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Find Microsoft Office, click Modify, then choose Quick Repair.
3. If needed, select Online Repair for a more complete fix.

If Word is still stuck after you try these steps, there might be a bigger problem with Windows or Office. Other support options include the Microsoft support page or getting help from your IT team.