Microsoft Word runs very slow on my Mac

The problem of Word getting very slow just appeared today when I was working on a document on my macbook air with Monterey. I then came home and tried editing the same document on my Sonoma iMac 2022, same thing. Got slow very quickly. This is driving me crazy. Please help someone.

You delete the current release and manually install the previous versions, downloading it from this MS page:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-for-mac

To be more specific, install this Word version: https://officecdn.microsoft.com/pr/C1297A47-86C4-4C1F-97FA-950631F94777/MacAutoupdate/Microsoft_Word_16.83.24031120_Updater.pkg

I did not try this solution. I ended up doing my tasks on the Apple Pages app until I am sure the issue was officially resolved.

Please review the thread before posting your comments. Microsoft is already aware of the problem and provided a solution. There is a solution in the thread regarding a release they made available yesterday (May 27th). I've been using the new update, and the high memory consumption issue has been resolved.

Cheers,

TIP: Change the Community Sort from Best to Oldest to read the last provided solutions.

I reinstalled 16.84, and it's been working splendidly ever since—except I wanted to check what version I had installed and discovered that after quitting Word, it reinstalled 16.85. I worked for several hours without any issues, though. That doesn't mean Microsoft fixed the bug responsible for hogging so much CPU. I have plenty of RAM (16 GB), which was fine until v.16.85. I don't know how I fixed the problem (I had to quit every hour or so), but reinstalling 16.84 overwrote it, and perhaps the reinstallation of 16.85 will stick without consequences. Wish me luck!

You can downgrade to 16.84 by going here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-history-microsoft-autoupdate

I hope this helps.

I am also having the same issue for MS word. Typing and showing up on screen about 30 seconds later and scrolling to bottom of page takes a million years. Also getting the stupid spinning rainbow curser a lot!!! Really hope there's a solution to this ASAP. I have deleted the normal.dot files but no difference.

I've also been having the same problem since the most recent update. It seems to be an issue with the Find function in Word. After several searches, the CPU usage shoots up to 100% for MS Word. It happens on my older Mac and a new Mac I bought on Thursday in panic as I thought my MAC was giving up on me. Have same problem with new Mac. The problem is with the most recent MS Word update Word v 16.85. Please contact Microsoft as they need to work on a fix for this.

JamesMullinger wrote:

I am having the same problem as everyone else here. And I am cursing Microsoft for charing me $150 a year for Word and it doesn't work! I have read every page of this but I can't see a solution yet. Does anyone have one please? Thank you! Like all of you I am getting desperate and cannot see a fix for this anywhere.

Then you’re not reading very well. The fix has been explained at least three time. Here it is once again. Yesterday Microsoft released Word 16.85.2 that fixes things. All you have to do is open Word (or any other 365 App, select Help->Check for Updates and way you go. Pretty simple.

Hi Werring1 - There is a link to a microsoft forum above in this chain. It includes good instructions. I also googled the topic for a little extra clarity. I am not an expert so I don't want to advise absolutely in case I take you down a wrong path :) That said, essentially:

• Turned off auto-updates (until this is fixed, I will need to do my updates manually for the other MS office apps).
• Did a time-machine back up, for security.
• Deleted MS Word - moving it from my applications folder to trash.
• Followed the instructions in the forum linked above to find the earlier version 16.84.
• Clicked on it to download the pkg installer and installed!
• Deleted the installer afterwards, as prompted.
• Rebooted my Mac as best practice (I think).

All good.

PS: My MS update alert comes up periodically letting me know to update MS Word - however, I'm ignoring it until the next version comes out that hopefully fixes this.

Hope that helps.

Same problem here! It is really frustrating. I am afraid of losing my work.

Microsoft has people going back to 16.84 on their update page they are aware

I loaded the older word version 16.84 and it worked magic. No lagging and I’ve been working for hours!

Microsoft just released a new update to MS WORD 16.85.2... There are no release notes to this new update. I'm beginning my tests now.

Regarding the installation of previous versions, the original recommendation was to install 16.83 and not 16.84, as the latter also presented the same performance issues.

Crossing my fingers... Cheers

[Edited by Moderator]

The Auto Update should find it automatically... At least mine did. I've been using the last update for two hours without any spinning wheel or slowness. By this time, it would required to close WORD and restart it.

Update: Using it the last update for +2 hours without excessive memory usage from 16.85. From previous experience, the memory consumption would be higher than 1.5 GB — So far, so good!!

Great news! I found WORD 16.86 is out! I am presently downloading it on my Mac… Fingers crossed!

Having the same problem! Super sluggish typing on Word. Haven't experience this in years. And I'm on a new MacBook Air with plenty of RAM. Makes no sense.