Word crashes when I perform a simple copy and paste or select and drag?

Anonymous
2011-07-13T08:59:16+00:00

Why does Word crash when I perform a simple copy and paste or select and drag?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-10-26T11:39:34+00:00

Here is the solution to your Copy - Paste nightmares.... The word software needs to be reset.  Don't panic you won't lose your documents.

Step (1) Close all your open programs

Step (2) Open Finder

Step (3) Press and Hold Option button, then click GO on the top tool bar. Keep holding the Option button down and click on Library

Step (4) In the Library, click on Preferences

Step (5) Look for the file com.microsoft.word.plist

Step (6) Move the file to your desktop

Step (7) Close the Library file

Step (8) Open Word again, this will take you through a Welcome screen. Which means your word software is reset.

This fix has worked for me for over a week now and the Save button is thanking me!  Keep the .plist file on your desktop, if something hits the fan you can always reset your settings.

Good luck fellow pasters!

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Anonymous
2015-02-10T23:59:21+00:00

I just found this on the net & it works for me on text pasted from a web page. In word use edit, paste special and select unformatted

good luck!

Try Paste Special.

  1. Press ALT/CTRL/V.
  2. Select Unformatted Text in the As list box.
  3. Click OK.

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Jim G 134.1K Reputation points MVP
2012-07-01T23:02:45+00:00

It turns out the Java malware problem was widespread. As you can see from the thread there are several possible causes of the problem. If you want assistance solving your particular problem, post a new question with as much detail as you can supply about your system, update level of Word and Mac OS X, what sort of thing you're trying to copy that causes the crash, a bit of the crash log, etc.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-09-13T09:44:29+00:00

    Dear Mr McGhie,

    I know you wrote your piece (on MS Word crashing) last year, (DEC 2011) but I have only just read it, found it very interesting, and therefore wanted to tell you!.

    I agree with you about how good Word is - I use it constantly, and like to think I'm pretty good at it, keyboard shortcuts and all. I would be extremely reluctant to use anything else.

    However, I not only experience these crashes on some cut & paste, but also - chiefly, in fact - when I INDENT paragraphs, using keyboard shortcuts (on a Mac it's SHIFT+CTRL+M, as I'm sure you know).

    It happens mostly when the document has been open for a while (even though I regularly save) and I've done quite a bit of work on it. I have many strategies for recovering work, but it's still irritating when it crashes - it seems to have the uncanny ability of sensing when I'm in a desperate hurry and a deadline's closing in.

    I now know for sure that the source of the problem is not my Mac hardware, or an installation problem, as I have been able to replicate the problem on other Macs, with other versions of the software, most recently (to my great satisfaction) on a demo iMac at the local Apple store.

    I like your suggestion of using styles more - I may try that, as I have been avoiding doing so thus far. I have also been a bit timid about switching to using docx, but may now do that too.

    Otherwise, I'd be interested to hear whether you have come across this crashing problem with indenting, as well as with cut & paste?

    Thanks again for your very helpful comment above.

    Best wishes,

    • Peter Marcus

    Zenith Chambers, Leeds, UK

    ******@zenithchambers.co.uk

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-07-20T19:23:07+00:00

    I completely agree - the notion that this is user error is not only ludicrous but it is arrogant as well.  First of why should anyone have to perform a Maggie - why doesn't Word just do that?  Second this is a problem I have experienced for years on all manner of Macs, and like squiffycat, I waste a ton of time on this problem.  I just purchased a new Retina MBP, did a clean install and all updates of Word 2011, and did not transfer over any files from another computer, and I still get the paste freeze.  

    Honestly if it weren't for Microsoft's well documented anticompetitive behavior, I would turn to an alternative.  But Microsoft made sure I can't go elsewhere.

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