This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It is impossible to edit some documents because of VERY slow, jerky, jumpy, laggy, erratic, stuttering cursor movement (horizontal worse than vertical). I have been forced to go back to using Word 2011. I am a professional novelist and cannot practice my trade with Word 2016!! This is very disappointing.
As a novelist I work with large word count simply formatted documents with a file size of less than 1M. I have not experimented to find a cut off point with regard to word count but documents in the 100K word size or more (less than 1M file size) exhibit this slow, jerky, laggy cursor movement problem. Small documents in the 5K word range do not have this problem on any of my notebooks.
It can take 10 seconds or more to move the cursor from the right to left side of the page (or vice-versa). This slow erratic cursor movement is especially troubling when trying to select a few words (highlighting them) for editing. It is very frustrating.
I have experimented and found that brand new documents in 2016 file format exhibit this problem. I have created documents with zero text formatting and they have this problem. I removed all formatting in these test documents by copying and pasting ASCII text into the newly created 2016 format doc from original Word 2011 documents.
I have replicated this same problem on three different macbook computers all with SSD and max ram. None of these computers are running with more than 5% CPU utilization (running nothing else except Word 2016). All of these notebook computers edit the same files just fine using Word 2011.
Track changes is not turned on, nor is any other unusual "feature" or function. This problem occurs in all display modes: draft, layout, etc.
**All these notebooks are running the latest version of Yosemite and all with 100% up to date software.
**This is a fatal mission-critical problem for me which has forced me to revert back to using Word 2011. Again, this is very disappointing.**I have been a Word user for something over 25 years (started on MS/PC DOS).
Similar / same problems here:
A family of Microsoft word processing software products for creating web, email, and print documents.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I confirm quitting Dropbox solves that ridiculous M$oft lag for me.
But Bill Gates just put 1 billion in SoftBank so all bugs will be gone.
Regrettably, there is nothing anyone here can do about performance issues. Please don't hesitate to use the Smiley @ the right end of the Ribbon to forward your comments to the Microsoft development team.
Other people are reporting this kind of problem. It is a software bug when a program gets hung up repeatedly between cursor movements with 5% CPU utilization and this temporary hang results in jumpy laggy operation to the point that it can take 10 seconds to move the cursor from the right to the left side of the screen! I did use the "frowning face report a problem" button in Word. I do not feel that anyone at MS is listening. It feels like they released this software without adequate testing (as others have stated in this forum).
I don't dispute anything you've stated. In fact, I agree with everything other than that the feedback submitted does go directly to the development team. Contrary to popular opinion they do listen, but adjustments can't be made instantly, especially on a one-by-one basis. The most prominent issues reported are the ones that get priority attention, though, so every report helps move issues up on the list.
This is a "grasping at straws" suggestion for people to try in Word 2016. see whether this helps
Go to Application Folder. Then locate Word 2016 and hold down ⌘ and click I (Getinfo). This window opens:
In previous systems the checked item, highlighted with annotations, was known as 32-Bit Mode. The last 4 or 5 systems have been 64 Bit systems Yet most software companies including MicroSoft still either don't know that, or don't care and write applications in 32 Bit mode.
Try switch to the above (Low resolution). I assume it still means 32-bit mode. Then Open the application, and see if it makes any difference. I've switched and the only thing I notice is everything seems to work a Little faster.
If this makes no difference; chalk it up to valiant effort but, it was a dumb idea department.
_________
Disclaimer:
The questions, discussions, opinions, replies & answers I create, are solely mine and mine alone, and do not reflect upon my position as a Community Moderator.