Troubleshooting Word Freezes During Printing in Windows 11/10: Solutions Inside

Table of Contents

• Solutions to Fix Microsoft Word Freezing During Printing¶
• Frequently Asked Questions¶

Experiencing Microsoft Word freezing or becoming unresponsive when attempting to print a document is a frustrating issue that many Windows 11/10 users encounter. This problem can manifest in various ways, sometimes leading to the program crashing entirely or hanging indefinitely. When Word freezes during the print process, it prevents you from completing your task and can disrupt your workflow significantly. Identifying the root cause is crucial to resolving this persistent issue and restoring normal printing functionality within Microsoft Word.

Several factors can contribute to Word freezing during printing, ranging from software glitches within Word or Windows to issues with the printer or its associated drivers. Compatibility problems, corrupted files, or conflicts with other applications or add-ins can also trigger this behavior. Addressing this requires a systematic approach to troubleshoot potential culprits within your system and printer setup.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you diagnose and fix Microsoft Word freezing problems when printing documents on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer. We will walk through several proven methods that have helped other users overcome this challenge. Following these steps carefully should help you identify the specific cause of the freezing and apply the appropriate solution.

Before diving into the troubleshooting steps, it is always a good practice to ensure your system is up-to-date. Check for and install any pending updates for both your Windows operating system and Microsoft Office suite. Updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that could potentially resolve the issue without further troubleshooting.

Solutions to Fix Microsoft Word Freezing During Printing¶

Here are several effective methods you can try to fix Microsoft Word freezing or crashing issues when printing on your Windows 11/10 PC. Work through these solutions sequentially, testing if the problem is resolved after each step.

1. Run Printer Troubleshooter
2. Clear Print Spooler
3. Uninstall and Reinstall Your Printer Driver
4. Change Your Default Printer
5. Repair System Image Files
6. Check the Issue in Safe Mode
7. Save the Word Document as PDF
8. Repair Microsoft Office Installation

Let’s explore each of these solutions in detail.

1. Run Printer Troubleshooter¶

Windows includes built-in troubleshooters designed to automatically detect and fix common problems with various system components and devices, including printers. The Printer Troubleshooter can identify issues like connectivity problems, driver errors, and spooler service issues that might be causing Word to freeze during printing. Running this tool is a quick and easy first step to potentially resolve the problem.

To run the Printer Troubleshooter in Windows 11:

• Open the Settings app. You can usually find it in the Start menu or by pressing Windows key + I.
• In the Settings window, navigate to System.
• Scroll down and select Troubleshoot.
• Click on Other troubleshooters.
• Find the Printer troubleshooter in the list and click the Run button next to it.
• Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the troubleshooter. It will attempt to diagnose the problem and suggest or apply fixes automatically.

To run the Printer Troubleshooter in Windows 10:

• Open Settings from the Start menu or by pressing Windows key + I.
• Click on Update & Security.
• Select Troubleshoot from the left-hand menu.
• Under “Get up and running,” click on Printer.
• Click the Run the troubleshooter button.
• Allow the troubleshooter to scan your system and follow any prompts it provides.

After the troubleshooter completes its process, try printing your document from Word again to see if the freezing issue is resolved.

2. Clear Print Spooler¶

The Print Spooler service manages print jobs sent to your printer. If there are corrupted or stuck print jobs in the queue, they can sometimes interfere with new print commands, causing applications like Word to freeze or crash when trying to interact with the spooler. Clearing the print spooler effectively empties the queue and restarts the service, which can resolve such conflicts.

To clear the Print Spooler:

• First, you need to stop the Print Spooler service. Open the Services application. You can do this by typing services.msc into the Run dialog box (Windows key + R) and pressing Enter, or by searching for “Services” in the Start menu.
• In the Services window, scroll down the list to find the service named Print Spooler.
• Right-click on Print Spooler and select Stop. Do not close the Services window yet.
• Next, you need to delete the files in the spooler directory. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E).
• Navigate to the following path by typing it into the address bar and pressing Enter: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
• If you see a prompt asking for permission to access the folder, click Continue.
• Delete all files within the PRINTERS folder. Do not delete the PRINTERS folder itself. These files represent the pending print jobs.
• Return to the Services window.
• Right-click on Print Spooler again and select Start.

Once the service has restarted and the queue is clear, open your Word document and attempt to print it. Check if the freezing issue persists.

3. Uninstall and Reinstall Your Printer Driver¶

A corrupted, outdated, or incompatible printer driver is a very common cause of printing problems, including application freezes. The printer driver acts as the communication link between your computer’s operating system (and applications like Word) and the printer hardware. If this link is broken or faulty, printing functions will fail. Uninstalling the current driver and performing a clean installation of the latest version recommended by the printer manufacturer can often resolve these issues.

Here’s how to uninstall and reinstall your printer driver:

• Open Device Manager. You can search for “Device Manager” in the Start menu or right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the Power User menu.
• In the Device Manager window, expand the category labeled Print queues. This section lists installed printers.
• Locate your specific printer in the list. Right-click on it and select Uninstall device.
• A confirmation dialog box will appear. If prompted, check the box that says Attempt to remove the driver for this device. Click Uninstall.

After uninstalling the driver from Device Manager, it’s also important to remove the printer itself from the system settings to ensure a clean slate.

• Open the Settings app (Windows key + I).
• In Windows 11, go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. In Windows 10, go to Devices > Printers & scanners.
• Find your printer in the list and select it.
• Click the Remove button (or Remove device). Confirm your action if prompted.

Note: If you are using Windows 10 and see a “Let Windows manage my default printer” option turned on, temporarily turn it off before removing the printer if the “Remove” button is greyed out.

After removing the printer from both Device Manager and Settings, it is highly recommended to restart your computer. This step helps ensure that all remnants of the old driver are cleared from memory.

Once your computer has restarted, you need to reinstall the printer. The best way to get the latest, most compatible driver is to download it directly from the official website of your printer manufacturer (e.g., HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, etc.). Search for your specific printer model on their support page. Download the latest driver and installation software available. Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall your printer. This process will typically install both the necessary driver and any accompanying utility software.

Test printing from Word again after completing the reinstallation.

4. Change Your Default Printer¶

Sometimes, issues can arise if Microsoft Word attempts to connect to a printer that is unavailable, offline, or experiencing network problems, especially with network printers. If your default printer is currently set to such a device, Word might freeze while waiting for a response. Changing your default printer to a different, functional printer (like a local printer or even a virtual printer like “Microsoft Print to PDF”) can help determine if the issue is specific to your primary printer setup.

To change your default printer:

• Open Settings (Windows key + I).
• Go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners in Windows 11, or Devices > Printers & scanners in Windows 10.
• At the top of the “Printers & scanners” page, you might see an option labeled “Let Windows manage my default printer”. If this option is turned On, Windows automatically sets your default printer based on the last printer you used. To manually set a default printer, you must turn this setting Off.
• Once the “Let Windows manage my default printer” option is off, scroll down the list of installed printers.
• Click on the printer you want to set as the new default.
• Click the Set as default button that appears for that printer.

After changing the default printer, open your Word document and try printing. If Word prints successfully to the new default printer without freezing, the problem likely lies with your original printer or its connection. You may need to further troubleshoot that specific printer (check its connection, status, and drivers again). If Word still freezes with a different default printer, the issue might be more deeply related to Word or Windows itself.

5. Repair System Image Files¶

Corrupted or missing system files within Windows can sometimes cause unexpected behavior in applications, including printing issues. Windows provides built-in command-line tools, System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), which can scan for and repair corrupted system image files. Running these tools can help rule out or fix operating system file integrity issues as the cause of Word freezing.

First, run the DISM tool:

• Open Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell as an administrator. Search for “cmd” or “powershell” in the Start menu, right-click the result, and select Run as administrator.
• In the administrator command prompt/PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter:
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• This command uses Windows Update to provide files needed to fix corruptions. It may take several minutes to complete. Do not close the window while it is running.

After DISM finishes, run the SFC tool:

• In the same administrator Command Prompt/PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter:
  sfc /scannow
• This command scans your system files and replaces any corrupted or missing ones with cached copies. This process can also take some time.
• Wait for the verification process to reach 100%.
• Once completed, the command prompt will report whether it found and fixed any issues.

Close the Command Prompt/PowerShell window and restart your computer to ensure any changes take effect. After restarting, try printing from Word again to see if the freezing issue is resolved.

6. Check the Issue in Safe Mode¶

Microsoft Word supports starting in Safe Mode, which launches the application with a minimal set of features and disables add-ins, templates, and other startup items. If Word works correctly in Safe Mode, it strongly suggests that the problem is caused by a conflicting add-in or a corrupted template file. This is a valuable diagnostic step to isolate the cause.

To start Microsoft Word in Safe Mode:

• The easiest way is to hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on the Microsoft Word shortcut (either on your desktop, taskbar, or Start menu).
• Keep holding the Ctrl key until Word asks if you want to start it in Safe Mode. Click Yes.
• Alternatively, you can open the Run dialog (Windows key + R) and type winword /safe and press Enter.

Once Word opens in Safe Mode, try opening the document that was causing problems and attempt to print it.

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• If Word does not freeze or crash while printing in Safe Mode, it indicates that the issue is likely caused by an add-in or a global template (like Normal.dotm).
• If Word still freezes in Safe Mode, the problem is likely not related to add-ins or templates, but rather a core issue with Word itself, the operating system, or the printer driver.

If Safe Mode resolves the issue, you need to identify the problematic add-in. You can do this by disabling them one by one:

• Close Word Safe Mode and open Word normally.
• Go to File > Options.
• In the Word Options dialog box, select Add-ins from the left-hand pane.
• At the bottom of the Add-ins screen, find the Manage dropdown menu. Select COM Add-ins and click the Go… button.
• A list of COM Add-ins will appear with checkboxes. Uncheck one of the add-ins to disable it.
• Click OK.
• Close and restart Word normally (not in Safe Mode).
• Try printing your document. If Word still freezes, repeat the process (File > Options > Add-ins > COM Add-ins > Go...), uncheck another add-in, and restart Word.
• Continue this process, disabling one add-in at a time and testing, until you find the add-in that, when disabled, allows you to print without freezing. Once identified, you can choose to keep that add-in disabled or look for an update for it.
• Repeat this process for other types of add-ins (like Word Add-ins, listed in the Manage dropdown) if disabling COM Add-ins doesn’t fix the issue.

7. Save the Word Document as PDF¶

If you are in urgent need to print a document and Word continues to freeze during the direct printing process, saving the document as a PDF file is an effective workaround. Once saved as a PDF, you can then open the PDF in a dedicated PDF reader (like Adobe Acrobat Reader or Microsoft Edge) and print from there. This bypasses Word’s internal printing mechanism and uses the PDF reader’s print functionality, which might not be affected by the same issue causing Word to freeze.

There are two primary ways to save a Word document as a PDF:

• Using Save As:

  • Open your Word document.
  • Go to File > Save As.
  • Choose the location where you want to save the file.
  • In the “Save As” dialog box, click the dropdown menu next to “Save as type”.
  • Select PDF (*.pdf) from the list of file types.
  • Enter a filename if desired and click Save.

• Using Export:

  • Open your Word document.
  • Go to File > Export.
  • Click on Create PDF/XPS Document.
  • Click the Create PDF/XPS button.
  • In the dialog window that opens, ensure PDF is selected in the “Save as type” dropdown.
  • Choose the location, enter a filename, and click the Publish button.

Once the PDF file is created, open it using a PDF viewer installed on your computer and print the document from there. This method doesn’t fix the underlying issue within Word but provides a quick way to get your document printed when direct printing fails.

8. Repair Microsoft Office¶

If none of the above steps resolve the Word freezing issue during printing, the problem might lie within the Microsoft Office installation itself. Core program files for Word could be corrupted or damaged, leading to instability when performing certain actions like printing. Microsoft Office includes a built-in repair tool that can scan and fix problems with your Office programs. This is often the final step before considering a complete reinstallation.

There are typically two types of repair options available:

• Quick Repair: This option fixes most issues quickly without requiring an internet connection. It focuses on replacing files that might be corrupted.
• Online Repair: This is a more comprehensive repair that downloads a fresh copy of the Office installation files from Microsoft’s servers and performs a full repair. This option takes longer and requires an internet connection, but it is more effective for resolving deeper issues.

To repair your Microsoft Office installation:

• Close all Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Open the Settings app (Windows key + I).
• Go to Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10.
• Scroll down the list of installed applications and find your Microsoft Office installation (e.g., “Microsoft 365,” “Microsoft Office Standard 2019,” etc.).
• Click on the Office entry. In Windows 11, click the three vertical dots next to it and select Modify. In Windows 10, select the entry and click Modify.
• You may be asked “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”. Click Yes.
• An Office repair tool window will open. Select the type of repair you want to perform (Quick Repair or Online Repair).
• Start with Quick Repair. Select it and click Repair. Follow any on-screen instructions.
• Once the Quick Repair is complete, open Word and test printing.

If Quick Repair does not fix the problem, repeat the steps above but choose Online Repair. Remember that Online Repair will take longer as it downloads files. Ensure you have a stable internet connection.

• Select Online Repair and click Repair. Confirm your choice if prompted.
• The repair process will begin, which might look similar to a fresh installation download and setup.
• Once the Online Repair is finished, restart your computer.

After the repair (especially the Online Repair), open Word and try printing again. If the issue persists even after a full Online Repair, you might consider completely uninstalling Office using the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool (available from Microsoft’s website) to ensure all files are removed, and then reinstalling Office from scratch. Make sure you have your Office product key or account credentials readily available before uninstalling, as you will need them to reactivate Office after reinstalling.

Frequently Asked Questions¶

Why is Microsoft Word not responding when printing?¶

Microsoft Word can become unresponsive or freeze during printing for several reasons. The most common causes include issues with the printer’s availability (e.g., printer is off or disconnected), a corrupted or outdated printer driver, conflicts caused by third-party add-ins installed in Word, problems with the Windows Print Spooler service, or even corruption within the Word document itself or the Microsoft Office installation.

How do I force quit a frozen Word?¶

If Microsoft Word is frozen and you cannot close it normally, you can force quit the application using the Task Manager.
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously, or right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. In the Task Manager window, go to the Processes tab.
3. Look for Microsoft Word or the process named WINWORD.EXE.
4. Click on it to select it.
5. Click the End task button at the bottom-right of the window.
Be aware that force quitting Word will likely result in the loss of any unsaved work in your open documents.

We hope these troubleshooting steps have helped you resolve the issue of Microsoft Word freezing when printing your documents on Windows 11/10. Resolving printing problems often involves identifying which component in the chain (Word, Windows, Driver, Spooler, Printer Hardware) is causing the disruption.

Have you encountered this issue before? Which of these solutions worked for you, or did you find a different method to fix the problem? Share your experiences and tips in the comments section below to help other users facing similar difficulties!