Large MS Word File - Too Big!?

MrTea247

Hi! I'm hoping for some words of wisdom here....

I'm working on a large Word file for a work assignment. It's approximately 650 pages long, with sections, subsections etc and a table of contents with hyperlinks.

A number of my colleagues were tasked with updating various sections of this file, which I have received by email. I now need to insert their updated sections in the master document.

The problem is however that every single operation I undertake (in MS Word for Mac) results in the 'loading' icon on my MacBook. I'm starting to think what I have to do isn't feasible.

I'm using a 2014 MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 with 8GB Ram. Is my computer ill equipped to deal with a word document of this size?

Ten Pin

Is it just this one file that's slowing it down?


Have you got a few back ups saved?


Split the file into smaller files, for example 6 files @ 100 pages each.

Backup the current file, then back it up again and then back it up again...and then start splitting it into smaller files....and then back up the smaller files.


When the final document is complete then all files can be archived into one zip file to keep it together.

MrTea247

Thanks for the advice.

I'll certainly ask in work if it's possible to tackle this as a few separate files, rather than one big one.

I've noticed it's just MS Word that slows to a halt. Anything else running, or if I go to open another program while MS Word is 'working'/frozen, still works perfectly.

Is there any way to make the computer devote more resources to Word?
I just don't understand how Word can be painfully slow but the computer still has the resources to open other programs and do anything else without a glitch, at the same time!?

Ten Pin

Try saving the file into a new document...

File...Save As...


Sometimes a file that has been edited numerous times has lots of tmp files associated with the master document and retains them in cache to access them as a history cache.

Have you another app or tablet/phone etc to open the file with (use a copy of the original for any testing)?

smuggler.ie

How big is the file in MB ?
Word has its max limits.
https://www.howtogeek.com/448726/how-big-is-too-big-for-a-microsoft-word-document/
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/word/file-larger-than-512-megabytes

https://www.webnots.com/fix-microsoft-word-slow-when-opening-typing-and-processing-files/

And yes, have multiple backups with such big work

Doodah7

Ten Pin wrote: »

Is it just this one file that's slowing it down?


Have you got a few back ups saved?



Backup the current file, then back it up again and then back it up again...and then start splitting it into smaller files....and then back up the smaller files.

Also make sure that at least one of the backups is NOT on the machine you are using to carry out the work. Back it up to the cloud, an external hard drive or preferably both.

Atlantic Dawn

Try download it locally and see if it opens, could be too large over VON/cloud on slow internet connection.

The Continental Op

Also see if this is relevant

Word for Mac document stops responding when you try to open a document

smuggler.ie

Yeah, 1000 page , lite formatted (plain text, bit of emboldening, side notes) document takes ~ 600KB
However, on resources it takes up to 500MB RAM and up to 25% CPU(i7-8565U) when editing and goes to "unresponsive" mode time to time on my machine
Add images, links, etc. .....