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May 6, 2012 · I've just started using Windows 8 Consumer Preview with MS Office 2007 installed. I'm editing a document with tables in it, and the arrow keys will all work fine for a little bit, and then mysteriously the up and down keys will stop working.
- Overview
- Quick resolution
- Verify or install the latest updates
- Additional resources
- Detailed view of the options
- Option 1: Insert your document into another file
- Option 2: Start Word by using the /a switch
- Option 3: Delete the Word Data registry subkey
- Option 4: Delete the Word Options registry key
- Option 5: Replace the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm global template file
Note
This article describes how to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you start or use Microsoft Word.
For list of the latest Office updates, see Office Updates. If your issue is not resolved after you install the latest Windows and Office updates, go to Option 1.
If you experience specific issues when you use Word, go to the following website to search for more information about your program version:
Microsoft Office Support search: Word
The following section provides more detailed descriptions of these options.
The final paragraph mark in a Word document contains information about the document. If the document is damaged, you may be able to retrieve the text of the document if you can omit this final paragraph mark.
To access a document but leave its final paragraph mark behind, follow these steps:
1.On the File menu, select New and then select Blank Document.
2.On the Insert tab, select Object in the Text group, and then select Text from File.
The /a ("administrative installation") switch is a troubleshooting tool that is used to determine where a problem may exist in Word. The /a switch prevents add-ins and global templates from being loaded automatically. The /a switch also locks the settings files to prevent it from being read or modified. To start Word by using the /a switch, follow these steps:
1.Type Run in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.
2.In the Run dialog box, type winword /a, and then press Enter.
For more information about the /a switch, see the following Knowledge Base article:
826857 "Description of the "/a" startup switch in Word."
If the problem does not occur when you start Word by using the /a switch, try the next option.
Most of the frequently used options in Word are stored in the Word Data registry subkey. A common troubleshooting step is to delete the Word Data registry subkey. When you restart Word, the program rebuilds the Word Data registry subkey by using the default settings.
Important
Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.
To delete the Word Data registry subkey, follow these steps:
1.Exit all Office programs.
2.Type regedit in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.
The Word Options registry key stores options that you can set in Word. These settings are divided into default and optional groups. Default settings are created during the program setup. Optional settings are not created during setup. You can change both the default and optional settings in Word.
To delete the Word Options registry key, follow these steps:
1.Exit all Office programs.
2.Type regedit in the Search box (in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8) or in the Start Search box on the Start menu (in earlier versions of Windows), and then press Enter.
3.Locate the following registry subkey, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running.
4.Select Options, and then on the File menu select Export.
You can prevent formatting, AutoText, and macros that are stored in the global template file from affecting the behavior of Word and any documents that you open. To do this, replace the global template file.
Important
This Option includes renaming the global template file so that Word does not find it as expected when it restarts. This forces Word to re-create the global template file. By doing this, you save the original file in case you have to restore it. Be aware that when you rename the global template file, several settings are reset to their default values, including custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you save the global template file and do not delete it.
Additionally, in certain situations, you may have more than one global template file. For example, this occurs if multiple versions of Word are running on the same computer, or if several workstation installations exist on the same computer. In these situations, make sure that you rename each global template file so that it clearly reflects the appropriate Word installation.
To rename the global template file, follow these steps:
1.Exit all Office programs.
Oct 21, 2020 · Down arrows in the start menu means that those programs has an update waiting to be installed. Do your Windows Updates and Microsoft Store Apps updates. Click to expand...
Resolution. Verify or install the latest updates. You might have to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates can frequently correct problems by replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities.
Oct 22, 2019 · Restore Word to Factory Settings on Mac. Replace the Normal.dot Global Template File on Windows. Microsoft Office is constantly working to improve its software. Still, there might be times when Word just refuses to start. Here are a few ways you can get Word up and running again.
Aug 1, 2021 · Try using the arrow keys with FN held down, and see if their behaviour changes. If so, you may have a Function Lock key, which, on my example, would be FN + Esc (The little padlock with FN in the middle), or Esc alone with FN Lock already on.
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Sep 3, 2017 · Word Hangs on Startup. When I try to start Word, it hangs. The Solution: Normal.dot, the global template, may be corrupted. Proceed as follows: If Word is still running, close it. Right-click an open space in the taskbar or the notification area (the area with the clock at the right or bottom end of the taskbar) and choose Task Manager.
