Word keeps crashing - what to do?
When Word crashes, it's annoying and a problem at the same time. In this practical tip, we will tell you what you can do about it.
Possibility 1: delete defective registry entries
Broken registry entries may be the cause of the problem:
- Click the "Start" button and enter "regedit" (without quotes) in the search field.
- Confirm the start of the registry editor with "Yes".
- Navigate to the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 14.0 \ Word \ Data". Note: Depending on the version of Word, a different number can also appear here (e.g. 2007 = 12.0, 2003 = 11.0, 2002 = 10.0).
- Click "Edit" at the top and then "Delete". Confirm the action with "Yes".
Possibility 2: faulty "Normal.dot"
A faulty Word file can also cause this problem:
- Open the Windows search.
- Search for "Normal.dot" or "Normal.dotm" here.
- Make sure you have found the right file from the right Office folder.
- Delete the file found.
- It is then automatically created again when Word is started.
Option 3: defective or faulty add-ins
Broken add-ins can also be a problem in Word:
- In Word, click File, and then click Options.
- Click on "Security Center" on the left and then "Security Center Settings".
- Then select "Add-Ins".
- Check "Disable all application add-ins" and restart Word.
- You should then gradually activate all add-ins to find the faulty add-in.
If all of this does not help, you may want to completely uninstall and reinstall your Office suite.