Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 29, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
When David double-clicks some of the Word files on his computer, they open in about 3 seconds, but others take about 10 seconds to open. He has compared the faster- and slower-opening versions but can't detect any difference. He wonders what he can do to get the 10-second files to open faster.
When David mentions that he cannot detect any difference between the faster- and slower-opening versions, I'm assuming that means the documents are roughly the same. For instance, they are about the same number of pages, both have about the same number of graphics, both have the same number of tables, etc.
If this is the case, then the most probable cause of the difference in loading speed is where the documents are stored. Not all storage devices are as speedy as one another, and this can play into how quickly your documents load. For example, if you compare load speeds for a document on your local system vs. one stored on a network drive, the local file will invariably load quicker. Further, files on an SSD drive will load faster than those on a mechanical drive, which load quicker than ones on an external hard drive, which load faster than those on a USB flash drive, which load faster than those on a network drive.
If the files are actually on the same drive media, then there is one final thing that is often overlooked when comparing files—there could be external links in one document that are not in the other. Those links will often be refreshed when a file is opened, which can slow down the loading speed.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13525) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
If you need to make sure that the fonts in your document can be used by another person or on a different system, you'll ...
Discover MoreManaging large numbers of documents in Word can lead to some interesting challenges. One potential challenge is that your ...
Discover MoreWhen you display the Open dialog box, Word has to determine what files to display. This tip looks at a baffling ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-05-14 04:53:20
Richard Price
Another factor is not just where the document is stored, but where the template is stored - and this can lead to very slow opening if the template cannot be accessed, for example if it's on a network drive that no longer exists or is not currently accessible. To check this, once you've got the document open select File -> Options -> Add-ins, then Templates on the drop-down. If the 'Document template' field contains 'Normal' that's not the problem (presumably your Normal template is readily accessible), but if it says anything else simply delete that and click OK then save the document. There's no need to remain connected to the original template once the document has been created (in fact I've never understood why Word does maintain that connection).
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments