I am using the latest Word 2013 RC in German. Allthough I am very pleased with the overall performance and features of this new version, I ran into some very annoying problems, that didn't exist with the latest Word 2010. These should be easy to reproduce: Take a long document (*.docx) with at least 100 pages and try to save it. This takes forever - I can see the progress bar filling up slowly. It takes at least 10-20 seconds to save. During that process I cannot do anything within Word - not even scroll smoothly. It slows down to the point of almost freezing up. I didn't have this problem with Word 2010 on the same system. Take that same document (>100 pages) and try to copy&paste some text (for example out of Firefox) and paste it as plain text - this takes at least 1 to 2 seconds. I didn't have any kind of delay with Word 2010. Word 2013 seems to work ok with *.doc files - it's still slower than Word 2010 a lot faster than saving *.docx files. I have no problems whatsoever with short documents. Can anyone confirm these problems with Word 2013 RC?

I tried this. It worked for a while and then saving took ages again. The only workaround that works for me is to disable background saves. Here's what I found: Original document with sections, footnotes, graphics and 500 pages of text saved from Word 2010, 1.51Mb in size Save times Saved in Word 2010 and 2013 compatability mode - 20 seconds Document converted from 'compatability mode' to 2013 format - 2 minutes 30 seconds Copied and pasted into a blank 2013 document - 33 seconds Copied and pasted document with background saving turned off - 6 seconds To turn off background saves use File > Options > Advanced > scroll to 'save' section and remove the check next to 'Allow background saves'. Beware of the last option - turning off background saves - You'll have to save manually and it may cost you a lost document.

I found that a document saved from Word 2010 works fine so long as it's in 'compatibility mode'. If it's converted from that then the problem occurs. A 20 second save now takes 150 seconds. There's a simple answer. Open your document and use Ctrl A then Ctrl C to copy the entire text. Create a new blank document in Word 2013 and paste in the copied text. Save that and you'll find it saves quickly again. No need to copy styles, footnotes, graphics or sections separately. I tried this. It worked for a while and then saving took ages again. The only workaround that works for me is to disable background saves.

I found that a document saved from Word 2010 works fine so long as it's in 'compatibility mode'. If it's converted from that then the problem occurs. A 20 second save now takes 150 seconds. There's a simple answer. Open your document and use Ctrl A then Ctrl C to copy the entire text. Create a new blank document in Word 2013 and paste in the copied text. Save that and you'll find it saves quickly again. No need to copy styles, footnotes, graphics or sections separately.

Hello again, Since having to disable automatic saves in order to make saving tolerable, I have noticed Word continues to save automatically. That's good, but quite the ridiculous situation I hope Microsoft addresses in an update. Come on folks! It shouldn't be this difficult...

I just wanted to add that I also have same problem, Word 2013 takes ages to save longer files over 100 pages. Is Word created for use of 20 pages max ? if so Microsoft should let us now in advanced before we purchase such faulty, unfinished but EXPENSIVE product. It was better to use OpenOffice which is free and no hassle.

Word 2013: Extremely slow saving and pasting plain text in long documents

Anonymous

I am using the latest Word 2013 RC in German. Allthough I am very pleased with the overall performance and features of this new version, I ran into some very annoying problems, that didn't exist with the latest Word 2010. These should be easy to reproduce:

Take a long document (*.docx) with at least 100 pages and try to save it. This takes forever - I can see the progress bar filling up slowly. It takes at least 10-20 seconds to save. During that process I cannot do anything within Word - not even scroll smoothly. It slows down to the point of almost freezing up. I didn't have this problem with Word 2010 on the same system.
Take that same document (>100 pages) and try to copy&paste some text (for example out of Firefox) and paste it as plain text - this takes at least 1 to 2 seconds. I didn't have any kind of delay with Word 2010.
Word 2013 seems to work ok with *.doc files - it's still slower than Word 2010 a lot faster than saving *.docx files.

I have no problems whatsoever with short documents. Can anyone confirm these problems with Word 2013 RC?

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163 answers

Anonymous

2014-09-23T16:37:40+00:00

I tried this. It worked for a while and then saving took ages again. The only workaround that works for me is to disable background saves.

Here's what I found:

Original document with sections, footnotes, graphics and 500 pages of text saved from Word 2010, 1.51Mb in size

Save times

Saved in Word 2010 and 2013 compatability mode - 20 seconds

Document converted from 'compatability mode' to 2013 format - 2 minutes 30 seconds

Copied and pasted into a blank 2013 document - 33 seconds

Copied and pasted document with background saving turned off - 6 seconds

To turn off background saves use File > Options > Advanced > scroll to 'save' section and remove the check next to 'Allow background saves'.

Beware of the last option - turning off background saves - You'll have to save manually and it may cost you a lost document.
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Anonymous

2014-09-23T15:19:41+00:00

I found that a document saved from Word 2010 works fine so long as it's in 'compatibility mode'. If it's converted from that then the problem occurs. A 20 second save now takes 150 seconds. There's a simple answer. Open your document and use Ctrl A then Ctrl C to copy the entire text. Create a new blank document in Word 2013 and paste in the copied text. Save that and you'll find it saves quickly again.

No need to copy styles, footnotes, graphics or sections separately.

I tried this. It worked for a while and then saving took ages again. The only workaround that works for me is to disable background saves.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-09-23T13:53:49+00:00

I found that a document saved from Word 2010 works fine so long as it's in 'compatibility mode'. If it's converted from that then the problem occurs. A 20 second save now takes 150 seconds. There's a simple answer. Open your document and use Ctrl A then Ctrl C to copy the entire text. Create a new blank document in Word 2013 and paste in the copied text. Save that and you'll find it saves quickly again.

No need to copy styles, footnotes, graphics or sections separately.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-08-14T11:17:52+00:00

Hello again,

Since having to disable automatic saves in order to make saving tolerable, I have noticed Word continues to save automatically. That's good, but quite the ridiculous situation I hope Microsoft addresses in an update.

Come on folks! It shouldn't be this difficult...
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-08-14T10:21:48+00:00

I just wanted to add that I also have same problem, Word 2013 takes ages to save longer files over 100 pages.

Is Word created for use of 20 pages max ? if so Microsoft should let us now in advanced before we purchase such faulty, unfinished but EXPENSIVE product.

It was better to use OpenOffice which is free and no hassle.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments