MS Office File Repair

Microsoft Excel Not Responding? 6 Quick Fixes That Work

Written By Monika Dadool
Approved By Alexis Llontop
Updated on 23 Jun, 2025
Min Reading 4 Min
Share

Table of Content

Summary: You can encounter the "Microsoft Excel is not responding" error due to various reasons, including software conflicts, large file sizes, or file corruption. This post explores the potential causes and provides effective solutions to fix the issue. Additionally, you’ll learn about Stellar Repair for Excel, an advanced tool that can help resolve errors caused by file corruption.

Free Download100% secure

What Causes the “Microsoft Excel Not Responding” Error?

You have seen the error exactly as mentioned image “Microsoft Excel is Not Responding” Error

The error may occur while opening, editing, or saving an Excel file. Below are common reasons behind the issue:

Missing or corrupted Excel/MS Office program files.
Faulty or conflicting add-ins.
Issues with specific workbooks, including those in the XLStart folder.
Excel files saved in an incompatible format.
Large file sizes with complex formulas, references, or embedded objects.
Outdated Microsoft Office version.
Conflicts with other programs or applications.
Network issues (when the file is saved on a shared location).
Excel is already in use by another process.

Methods to Fix the “Microsoft Excel Not Responding” Error

Method 1: Update Microsoft Excel

Outdated Excel versions may have unresolved bugs causing the error. Updating Excel often resolves these issues.

Steps to Update Excel:

Open Excel.
Click on File > Account.
Under Product Information, select Update Options, then click Update Now.
Restart Excel after the update is complete.

If the error persists, try the next method.

Method 2: Launch Excel in Safe Mode

Faulty or incompatible add-ins may cause Excel to stop responding. Running Excel in Safe Mode disables all add-ins, allowing you to identify the culprit.

Steps to Launch Excel in Safe Mode:

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.

Type excel /safe and press Enter.

If Excel opens without errors in Safe Mode, follow these steps to disable add-ins:

Open Excel in Safe Mode.
Go to File > Options > Add-ins.

In the Manage dropdown menu, select COM Add-ins and click Go.

Uncheck all add-ins and click OK.

Restart Excel in normal mode.

If the issue persists, repeat the process for Excel Add-ins instead of COM Add-ins.

Method 3: Remove Files from the XLStart Folder

Excel may hang if workbooks in the XLStart folder are causing issues.

Steps to Remove Files from the XLStart Folder:

Open Excel in Safe Mode.
Go to File > Options.
Select Trust Center, then click Trust Center Settings.
Under Trusted Locations, note the path of the XLStart folder.

Navigate to this folder, move all files to another location, and restart Excel in normal mode.

Method 4: Repair Microsoft Office

Corrupt Office program files can cause Excel to freeze. Repairing the installation may fix the issue.

Steps to Repair Microsoft Office:

Close all Office applications.
Open Control Panel and go to Programs > Programs and Features.
Select Microsoft Office, then click Change.Choose Repair and click Continue.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair process.

After the repair is complete, reopen Excel.

For detailed steps, refer to Microsoft’s instructions on repairing Office.

Method 5: Check the Excel File Format

The error may occur if the file format is incompatible with the version of Excel you are using.

Steps to Fix File Format Issues:

Open Excel and click File > Save As.
Select a format compatible with your Excel version, such as .xlsx or .xls.
Save the file and reopen it.

Method 6: Repair the Excel File

If the error is caused by file corruption, use Excel’s built-in Open and Repair tool.

Steps to Repair the File Using Open and Repair:

Open Excel and click File > Open.
Click Browse to locate the file.
In the Open dialog box, select the file, click the arrow next to Open, and choose Open and Repair.

Click Repair to recover as much data as possible.

If the built-in tool doesn’t work, use Stellar Repair for Excel for advanced repair.

If “Microsoft Excel Not Responding” Persists, Try This Recovery Option

When Excel’s native tools fail to repair a severely corrupted file, Stellar Repair for Excel provides a robust alternative.

Key Features of Stellar Repair for Excel:

Repairs severely corrupted Excel files, regardless of file size.
Restores all file components, including formulas, charts, images, and objects.
Repairs multiple Excel files simultaneously.
Compatible with all Excel versions and Windows OS, including Windows 11.

Steps to Use Stellar Repair for Excel:

Download and install Stellar Repair for Excel.
Launch the tool and upload the corrupted file.
Click Repair to start the process.
Save the repaired file once the process is complete.

Preventive Tips to Avoid Excel Errors

Regularly update Microsoft Office to the latest version.
Avoid using unnecessary add-ins.
Break large files into smaller ones to reduce complexity.
Save files in compatible formats.
Maintain backups of important Excel workbooks.

Conclusion

The “Microsoft Excel is not responding” error can disrupt productivity, but it is manageable with the methods outlined in this guide. If the error results from file corruption, Stellar Repair for Excel offers a reliable solution to restore your data without compromising file integrity.

By following these steps and preventive tips, you can resolve the issue and ensure smoother Excel operations.

Was this article helpful?

YES4

About The Author

Monika Dadool

Monika Dadool is a Senior Content Writer at Stellar with over 5 years of experience in technical writing. She is a tech enthusiast and expert who specializes in writing about SQL Server, MySQL Server, MariaDB Server, Microsoft Access, Active Directory, email recovery, Microsoft 365, pattern recognition, machine learning, data recovery, file repair, and operating systems like Linux, Windows, and Mac. She also writes about accounting software such as QuickBooks and Sage 50, as well as web-scripting languages like HTML, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Visual Basic, ASP.NET, and AJAX. Monika is passionate about researching and exploring new technologies, and she enjoys developing engaging technical blogs that help organizations and database administrators resolve various issues. When she's not creating content, you can find her on social media, watching web series, reading books, or exploring new food recipes.

32 comments

Waylon John says:

May 19, 2018 at 11:00 am

I did 1st option for fixing my Office 2016 and it seems to finish 100% repairing. Thank You!

Reply
1. Eric Simson says:
  
  May 20, 2018 at 5:18 am
  
  Good!
  
  But, a “safe mode” is not sufficient for all cases. In case of severely damaged Excel file, you need the instant help of Stellar Repair for Excel Software.
  
  Reply
James says:

April 4, 2018 at 4:54 am

Thanks for the great article. So many options to fix the problem. My file was severely corrupted and Stellar Excel repair helped me to repair my file.

Reply
1. Priyanka Chauhan says:
  
  April 4, 2018 at 5:44 am
  
  Hello James,
  
  Thanks for sharing your experience!
  It’s good to know that, our software worked for you.
  
  Reply
Maria says:

October 29, 2017 at 12:50 pm

Why did it happen in newly purchased Excel 2016 package? Is it a bug?

Reply
1. Eric Simson says:
  
  October 31, 2017 at 4:02 am
  
  Hi Maria,
  
  It is not a bug. You can experience this error due to common reasons like power failure, an improper close of application etc. At the initial stage, you should run inbuilt repair option.
  
  Reply
Anji says:

October 10, 2017 at 6:22 am

While printing from Excel or word 2016 it is giving the error “Microsoft Office has stopped working “.

I have checked in safe mode and by uninstalling and repair the office also its giving same error.

I have uninstalled the office and installed freshly but no result, I tried all option which is mentioned above and changing settings in regedit(word rename) but same problem.

I uninstalled the printer drivers completely and installed again but the same problem, the print is working from pdf, notepad etc..only MS office giving the problem.

we are using MS office 2016 standard version

Printer: HP LJ 1020

Kindly help me!

Reply
1. Rajan Singh says:
  
  October 11, 2017 at 6:51 am
  
  Hi Anji,
  
  Don’t panic for this one error!
  
  You can try some useful tricks as follows:
  
  1. Open Excel in Safe Mode
  2. Change settings of Default Printer
  3. Diagnose Latest Updates
  4. Unwanted Add-ins
  5. Run Repair Office
  6. Clash with Anti-virus update
  
  If a problem still exists then I suggest analysis of Excel file through a free demo of Stellar Repair for Excel .
  
  Reply
arun says:

October 8, 2017 at 6:20 pm

Alter Default Printer solved annoying error i.e. ‘Excel Not Responding while formatting cells’.

Reply
1. Rajan Singh says:
  
  October 9, 2017 at 6:54 am
  
  Hi Arun,
  Thanks for sharing your practical experience with us.
  Our team always publish informative guides related to Excel and other database files. To read the latest tutorial, you can subscribe our blog.
  
  Reply
Parking Sensors says:

July 19, 2017 at 1:39 am

Your mode of describing everything in this post is really nice, all be capable of simply understand it, Thanks a lot.

Reply
1. Jyoti Prakash says:
  
  July 19, 2017 at 6:35 am
  
  Thank you so much for your kind words.
  
  Keep Reading!
  
  Reply
Regin Charles says:

July 5, 2017 at 11:42 am

Excel was giving me “Excel not responding” error message abruptly while working on spreadsheets which was leading me to get extremely frustrated, so after I came across your article, I tried the first three solutions, but they were not able to solve the issue however after I disabled all the plugins installed, it started to work perfectly.

Thanks for helping.

Reply
1. Jyoti Prakash says:
  
  July 13, 2017 at 6:20 am
  
  Dear Regin,
  
  Thanks for your kind words.
  
  Keep Reading!
  
  Reply
Jack Shaw says:

July 3, 2017 at 3:15 am

Thanks Jyoti!
Opening the file in Excel safe mode did the magic but I think I’ll still have to ultimately reinstall my office since I’m experiencing this problem in the whole Office suite.

Reply
1. Jyoti Prakash says:
  
  July 4, 2017 at 3:26 am
  
  Dear Jack,
  
  Thank you so much for your feedback.
  
  Keep reading!
  
  Reply
Mentor Kreios says:

April 28, 2017 at 8:22 am

I tried all options before landing on this page. Stellar Repair for Excel software did a fantastic job.

Reply
1. Jyoti Prakash says:
  
  May 1, 2017 at 3:09 am
  
  Hello Mentor,
  
  Thanks for your the valuable comment.
  
  Keep Reading!
  
  Reply
Kim says:

April 10, 2017 at 4:36 am

Hello Jyoti,
These manual options are not working for me. Should I buy this software?

Reply
1. Jyoti Prakash says:
  
  April 11, 2017 at 10:33 am
  
  Hello Kim,
  
  As no manual options are working for you, so you can try the demo version of Stellar Repair for Excel software because you can see the repairable information in the preview option.
  
  Reply