Microsoft Word & OneNote Troubleshooting Wizard

Microsoft Word & OneNote Troubleshooting Guide

This interactive wizard helps you quickly diagnose and fix common problems in Microsoft Word and OneNote. Are you dealing with syncing errors, printing alignment issues, slow performance or crashes, options grayed out, or features that suddenly stopped working? Pick an option above and we’ll route you to the most relevant tutorial—written for real people with step‑by‑step screenshots.

Popular fixes include: saving and export errors, formatting and layout issues, slow performance or crashing, syncing problems, and file recovery. If you prefer to browse, explore our latest Word Basics, Word Advanced, and OneNote Guides.

How This Works

Select Your App

Choose Microsoft Word or OneNote.

Answer a Few Questions

Pinpoint your issue in seconds.

Get the Solution

Jump straight to the step‑by‑step guide.

Can’t Find Your Problem?

Browse our complete troubleshooting hubs:

View Full Word Troubleshooting Guide View Full OneNote Troubleshooting Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Word document not saving or exporting?
Permission issues, add‑ins, or file corruption are common causes. Use the wizard to choose “Saving, exporting, or printing” for targeted steps. Try saving to a local drive and disabling add‑ins to isolate the issue. For a full checklist, see Fix Word Save, Export, and Print Problems.
How do I fix broken formatting or layout in Word?
Start with “Formatting or layout” above. We’ll guide you through styles, section breaks, page setup, and paste options so your document looks consistent again. For a complete walkthrough, read Mastering Document Formatting in Word: A Power‑User Guide.
Why are my options grayed out in Word?
This often happens due to document protection, restricted editing, or add‑ins. See Unlocking Disabled Options in Word for step‑by‑step fixes.
How do I stop Word from crashing or freezing?
Disable add‑ins, repair Office, and check problematic fonts and templates. See Word Keeps Crashing? Performance & Stability Checklist for a systematic fix.
How can I recover a corrupted OneNote section?
Try opening backups, clearing cache, and restoring from version history. Follow Recover Corrupted OneNote Pages & Sections for proven steps.
Why is OneNote not syncing?
Choose “Features not working” to review account status, notebook location, and cache reset steps. We also cover how to resolve section version conflicts safely.