Huge Word file

[jogold]

I have a Word file in Hebrew
FILE SIZE: 7480 KB
PAGES:1679
COLUMNS: 2 PER PAGE
that was created using macros.

It takes a couple of minutes for the file to load, and then when I do a search for anything, it takes as long, as if it's reloading from scratch.
I want to buy a new laptop anyway, what would be the recommended specs?
Would I be better off using a different program to use this file?
Thanks for the help.

 

[timeshifter]

Version of Word, Windows version, hardware specs CPU and memory and drive?

A little more on what this file is all about?

 

[britechguy]

Along with @timeshifter's request for clarification, if the file is not private and can be shared via any file sharing service of your choosing, that would help with determining the behavior on other machines with configurations that are different from your own.

 

[jogold]

Word 2021 and 2024, doesn't make a difference.
Windows 10 and 11, same.
Now it's on an i5 16gb ram, ssd with 100 gb free.
The file is a book, formatted in two columns per page and has many paragraphs, each with it's own header on bold. It's using a Hebrew font David.

 

[frase]

Odd to create a file in macros, is it MOSSAD?
Where did the file originate from, if it was created in macros that is very sketchy as who knows the scripts running ie; taking ages to load.
This could be setting up hooks and processes.

As @timeshifter stated more info on the file would be good.
File orgin - did you create it or customers or downloaded - metadata attached etc.
There should be no requirement to purchase a new laptop to open a simple so to speak word doc?

 

[timeshifter]

An i5 3rd generation or 14th generation or somewhere in between? Your RAM and drive sound good.

It’s kinda hard to recommend a solution without a better understanding of your use case. I suppose this book is some kind of reference and you periodically open it and scroll and search for things and it’s painfully slow? Are you adding to it, changing, modifying?

Maybe export it to a PDF?? View it in a good PDF reader.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

While it is a large Word doc, it's not TOO large....Word can work with even larger files.

If you make a copy of this file, does that open just as slow? I'm wondering what's behind the content. There are some steps you can take to see what is consuming a lot of space in a Word doc. You make a copy, rename the extension from .docx to .zip And open it, you'll see a few folders as well as files. I forget the logic...but you can find some guides on that to help narrow down which specific part of a Word file is the largest portion...and go from there.

Is it in classic .DOC format, or modern .DOCX format?

 

[carmen617]

Posed your question to ChatGPT and it came up with some things to try:

1700 pages + two-column layout + Hebrew (RTL) + David font + macros = maximum Word stress test.

Why It's So Slow
Let’s break it down:
1. David Font
Beautiful but old and heavy, not optimized for modern rendering.
Not well-suited for large documents — especially with complex layout and RTL text.
2. Two-Column Layout
Columns increase layout complexity.
With RTL, Word has to manage bidirectional flows inside and across columns, which adds rendering overhead.
3. Macros
If macros are modifying content, formatting, or layout dynamically, they may be running on every open, scroll, or edit.
That can drastically slow down responsiveness.
4. 1700 Pages
That’s enormous for Word. Word isn't built for ultra-large layout-rich documents.
It keeps a lot of layout information in memory, especially with columns and styles.
What You Can Do to Improve It
1. Temporarily Switch to a Lightweight Font
Try replacing David with Arial, Tahoma, or Segoe UI just while editing.
You can switch back to David before final formatting or printing.
2. Split the Document
Break the 1700-page document into smaller chunks (e.g., 300–500 pages each).
Use a master document or combine later into PDF.
3. Turn Off Features
Disable Auto-Formatting:
File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > Uncheck everything you don’t need
Disable:
Track Changes
Spelling/Grammar check for Hebrew
File > Options > Advanced > "Update fields before printing", "Show text animation", etc.
4. Temporarily Disable Macros
See if the slowdown improves when macros aren’t running.
Save a copy > open with macros disabled.
If it’s faster, you may need to optimize the macro code.
5. Turn Off Live Layout
View tab > Switch to Draft view while editing.
File > Options > Advanced > Display > Enable "Use draft font in Draft and Outline views"
6. Move Off David Font If Possible
If this is for distribution or printing and you're tied to the David aesthetic:
Consider switching to David Libre, a modern open-source version optimized for digital use.
It retains the look but is lighter.

 

[Markverhyden]

If memory serves me correctly Word processors like MS Word store text in an unformated style with the formatting data included. So every time you open the file it has to render everything all over again. If you don't need to edit it try printing it to a PDF and see if it opens faster.