Solved: PowerPoint Not Responding on Windows PC, What Should I Do

While using Microsoft PowerPoint, you may notice that the program has suddenly crashed or has become unresponsive when you are in the middle of a slide transition mode where it freezes, hangs, and takes an unusually long time to respond. You can even get the message "Microsoft PowerPoint has stopped working".

So, in this article, we shall discuss possible solutions to fix the issue of PowerPoint not responding on a Windows PC.

Why PowerPoint Not Responding on a Windows PC

Understanding why PowerPoint does not respond on your Windows PC can enable you to take security measures, such as constantly backing up your PowerPoint files. So, let us move on to the causes of PowerPoint not responding on your Windows PC:

Windows not up-to-date: Windows updates safeguard your computer from all the hidden problems. Similarly, your PowerPoint files might not be functional if Windows OS is not updated. And this will also lead to Microsoft Word stopping working.

Ineffective Add-Ins: Nowadays, people install many add-ins to improve the operation of their PowerPoint applications. Sometimes, an add-in can cause the PPTX file to freeze.

Installation issues: PowerPoint may not respond if Microsoft Office or MS PowerPoint are not installed correctly or entirely on your PC.

Incompatible antivirus: Sometimes, the anti-virus application installed on your PC and PowerPoint may clash. Thus, the Anti-virus may interfere with PowerPoint's ability to run without interruption during this conflict.

Multiple PowerPoint instances: Occasionally, users are unaware that multiple PowerPoint instances are open simultaneously. The other instances will not function if one of the presentation windows has a dialog box active while waiting for user input.

Now that you understand why PowerPoint is not responding on your Windows PC. Let us move on to solutions to fix the issue.

Recover the Crashing PowerPoint Files with Software

With the EaseUS Fixo Document Repair, you can easily handle corrupt Microsoft Office files and perform PowerPoint error repair. This All-in-one fixing software is a versatile and effective program that can repair MS Word and fix issues with MS Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.

Since this software works with all versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, you will not need any other tools to convert PDF files while working with it.

Using a PPT repair tool like this is the most efficient way to resolve the issue of PowerPoint files crashing. To get assistance immediately, download and execute this tool to restore the original state of PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx/.pptm) files and to recover and fix all of the data that is corrupted, broken, or inaccessible PDF files.

Now that we have covered the essential background information and the best features of the EaseUS Fixo tool let us move on to the steps to fix the issue of PowerPoint files crashing on your PC using the EaseUS Fixo software:

How to Fix PowerPoint Not Responding [With 4 Methods]

PowerPoint's unresponsiveness may severely affect your experience, especially when you are in the middle of an important presentation. So, we have put together a few fixes to make PowerPoint function properly on your Windows computer. Before we move on to the fixes, let us take a quick look at a video linked below for a much better understanding of solving PowerPoint not responding:

• 00:20 - Open PowerPoint as an administrator
• 00:54 - Update Windows
• 01:23 - Do a quick repair for PowerPoint via the Run command prompt

Fix 1. Force Quit the Unresponsive PowerPoint App

Microsoft PowerPoint applications can have issues, and when they do occur, PowerPoint may act strangely or stop functioning on Windows. In this case, you can force quit PowerPoint via Task Manager and open it again to help things return to normal. So, given below are the steps to force quit PowerPoint via Task Manager:

Step 1. Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open Task Manager.

Step 2. Under the Processes tab, locate Microsoft PowerPoint, right-click it, and select the "End task" option from the context menu.

After you force quit the unresponsive PowerPoint file, reopen it and check whether it responds.

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Fix 2. Install the Latest Office PowerPoint Updates

If the PowerPoint version on your Windows PC is out of date, this can result in PowerPoint not responding. Therefore, installing any uninstalled Office updates on your computer makes sense. So, follow the steps given below to install the latest Office PowerPoint updates:

Step 1. Open PowerPoint and click the "File" tab at the window.

Step 2. Click the "Account" option on the left pane, click the "Update Options" button, and choose the "Update Now" option.

Wait while Microsoft Office looks for and applies any necessary updates. After that, your PC should run PowerPoint without issue.

Fix 3. Investigate Possible Issues With Add-Ins

Sometimes, one of the installed add-ins in PowerPoint might result in PowerPoint not responding. You must first turn off each add-in individually before turning them all back on to find the one causing the problem. Here is how to investigate possible issues with add-ins on PowerPoint:

Step 1. Open PowerPoint and click the "File" tab at the window.

Step 2. Click the "Options" option on the left pane.

Step 3. Click the "Add-ins" option on the left pane in the PowerPoint Options window. Next, click the drop-down box next to Manage, select the "COM Add-ins" option, and press the "Go" button next to it.

Step 4. Uncheck all the boxes next to the Add-ins in the COM Add-ins window and press the "OK" button to disable all the Add-ins.

After you are done, restart the PowerPoint and turn on each add-in one at a time. Observe PowerPoint's performance after you have enabled each add-in. It is recommended to remove the problematic add-in as soon as you identify it to prevent PowerPoint from not responding in the future.

Fix 4. Use the Repair Feature from Microsoft Office

By repairing the Office program, you can automatically repair and fix problems with PowerPoint not responding, hanging, or freezing:

Step 1. Right-click the Windows Start icon and choose the "Apps and Features" option from the context menu.

Step 2. Search for Microsoft Office Suite in the App's list search bar. Next, click the three-dot menu next to it and choose the "Modify" option.

Step 3. Click the radio button next to the "Repair" option in the pop-up window and click the "Continue" button to start repairing Microsoft Office.

Now, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair of Microsoft Office, restart your PC, and check whether PowerPoint responds.

Conclusion

Since PowerPoint not responding is a problem that many PPTX users encounter, you can use the fixes mentioned in the article to resolve the PowerPoint not responding issue. You can take preventive actions like force quitting PowerPoint, installing the latest PPT updates, checking issues with PPT Add-ins, or repairing Microsoft Office, acting by the causes. Overall, the EaseUS Fixo Document Repair tool for PowerPoint is the most popular and highly recommended program, making it the finest solution for problems with PPT not responding.

PowerPoint Not Responding FAQs

Do you have more questions about PowerPoint not responding on your Windows PC? Check out the frequently asked questions and their answers given below:

1. How do I fix PowerPoint not responding?

You can fix PowerPoint not responding by closing and reopening the PowerPoint file, installing the latest PPT updates, checking for possible issues with PPT Add-ins, or repairing Microsoft Office.

2. Why is my PowerPoint presentation not responding?

Your PowerPoint file might not be responding, freezes, or hangs if you are not using the most recent version of PowerPoint. Another process may be presently using PowerPoint, thus causing the PPT file not to open. An add-in that was previously installed might also affect the PowerPoint file.