In this article, we’ll look at ways to fix a very common error in Microsoft Word: “There is insufficient memory or disk space”.
The error can occur due to many reasons. The most common of which, of course, is lack of disk space or RAM. But that isn’t always the case, as this error is seen to occur even when there is a lot of space available. In such cases, fixing the error can become tricky. But to make things easy for you – we’ve compiled this guide with all possible reasons and solutions to fix this error.
6 Ways to Fix “There is insufficient memory or disk space in Microsoft Word”
Solution 1: Remove addons from Microsoft Word
Some addons in Microsoft Word are very resource-intensive and can result in this error. A few addons have also become outdated and can create issues with how Microsoft Word works.
Step 1: Enter Safe Mode
Hold down the “Ctrl” key while clicking on the Microsoft Word to open it in Safe Mode.
Step 2: Open the “Options” menu
- In Safe Mode, click on the “File” menu within Microsoft Word.
- Choose “Options” at the bottom of the menu.
Step 3: Navigate to Add-Ins
From this menu, select “Add-Ins” on the left-hand side.
Step 4: Choose COM Add-Ins
- At the bottom, find the “Manage” dropdown menu and select “COM Add-Ins.“
- Click the “Go” button to open the “COM Add-Ins” dialog.
Step 5: Disable or Remove Add-ins
- Uncheck boxes next to active add-ins that you want to disable.
- To remove an add-in, click on it, then select “Remove.“
- After making changes, click “OK” to close the “COM Add-Ins” dialog.
Step 6: Restart Microsoft Word
That’s it! You’ve successfully removed addons. To check if it worked, close and reopen Microsoft Word. In case the error persists, try our other solutions from below.
Solution 2: Fix your corrupted Normal.dotm file
Normal.dotm is a very important file necessary for the functioning of Microsoft Word. If it gets corrupted, it can lead to formatting issues and unexpected behavior.
Here’s how to fix it:
Step 1: Close Microsoft Word
Ensure that Microsoft Word is completely closed to avoid any conflicts that might happen. Close other Microsoft Office applications too.
Step 2: Locate the File
Find the “Normal.dotm” file. The location varies based on what operating system you’re using:
- Windows: C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
- Mac: Users//Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates
- Rename/Delete the File
Step 3: Create a backup of the current file
Right click, rename to “Backup_Normal.dotm” to keep a backup.
Step 4: Delete it
Delete the file to create a fresh one.
Step 5: Open Microsoft Word
It will automatically generate a new “Normal.dotm” file with default settings. Microsoft Word will ask for your preferred settings and customizations when you open it, adjust them according to your preferences.
You can also recover your macros and customizations from the backup that you created earlier.
This method will almost certainly always work. But just in case you still encounter the, “There is insufficient memory or disk space” pop up, try the solutions below.
Solution 3: Reset Microsoft Office Registry Entries
Step 1: Backup Your Registry
Before proceeding, create a backup of your registry, just in case something goes wrong. But nothing will, most probably, so don’t worry.
Step 2: Open Registry Editor
Press “Windows + R,” type “regedit,” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Step 3. Navigate to Registry Entries
Navigate to the following keys:
- For Word 2019/2016:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data - For Word 2013:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Word\Data
Step 4: Rename Data Key
Right-click the “Data” key, choose “Rename,” and add “_old” to the end.
Step 5: Close Registry Editor
Close the Registry Editor.
Step 6: Restart Word
Open Microsoft Word, and it will recreate the necessary registry entries by itself.
Solution 4: Create a policy in Registry Editor (SaveZoneInformation policy)
Step 1: Backup Your Registry
Begin by backing up your registry to ensure safety.
Step 2: Open Registry Editor
Press “Windows + R,” type “regedit,” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Step 3: Navigate to Policies
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments.
Step 4: Create DWORD Value
Right-click in the right pane, select “New” > “DWORD (32-bit) Value,” and name it “SaveZoneInformation.”
Step 5: Set Value Data
Double-click the newly created value, set “Value data” to “1,” and click OK.
Step 6: Close Registry Editor
Close the Registry Editor.
Step 7: Restart Your System
Restart your computer for changes to take effect.
Solution 5: Make sure fonts have necessary permissions
Step 1: Access Fonts Folder
Press “Windows + R,” type “fonts,” and press Enter to open the Fonts folder.
Step 2: Check Font Permissions
Right-click the problematic font, select “Properties,” and go to the “Security” tab. Do this for every font if you’re not sure what font is causing this issue.
Step 3: Adjust Permissions
Click “Edit” and ensure your user account has “Full control” or necessary permissions.
Step 4: Apply Changes
Save changes and close the Properties window.
Step 5: Restart Microsoft Word
Close and reopen Word to check if the error is resolved.
Solution 6: Reinstall Microsoft Word
If nothing else works, the only way to fix the “there is insufficient memory or disk space” error is to reinstall Microsoft Word. Uninstall the software, download it again and install. This will fix the issue.
We hope we were able to help you!
