Excel Not Responding: 10 Ways to Fix It

Quick Fix

Excel not responding? First, wait 1-2 minutes – large files take time to process. If still frozen, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, open Task Manager, find Excel, click End Task. Then reopen Excel in Safe Mode by holding Ctrl while opening Excel. Disable add-ins causing the freeze.

Why Does Excel Stop Responding?

Excel freezes due to large file sizes, complex formulas, too many add-ins, corrupted files, outdated software, insufficient RAM, or conflicting applications. The “(Not Responding)” message means Excel is processing or stuck.

Method 1: Wait for Processing

Excel may just need time.

• Large files with many formulas take time to calculate
• Opening files from network drives is slower
• Wait 1-2 minutes before force closing
• Look for status bar updates (calculating, loading)

Method 2: Force Close and Recover

Close frozen Excel and recover work.

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete
2. Click Task Manager
3. Find Microsoft Excel
4. Click End Task
5. Reopen Excel – it may offer file recovery
6. Check File > Open > Recover Unsaved Workbooks

Method 3: Open in Safe Mode

Safe Mode disables add-ins.

1. Close Excel completely
2. Hold Ctrl key
3. While holding Ctrl, click Excel icon
4. Click Yes when asked about Safe Mode
5. Try opening your file

Method 4: Disable Add-ins

Add-ins often cause freezing.

1. Open Excel in Safe Mode (see Method 3)
2. Go to File > Options > Add-ins
3. Click Go next to COM Add-ins
4. Uncheck all add-ins
5. Click OK
6. Restart Excel normally
7. Re-enable add-ins one by one

Method 5: Repair Office Installation

Corrupted Office files cause issues.

1. Close all Office programs
2. Open Control Panel > Programs and Features
3. Find Microsoft Office
4. Click Change
5. Select Quick Repair
6. If issues persist, try Online Repair

Method 6: Disable Hardware Acceleration

Graphics acceleration causes freezing on some systems.

1. Open Excel (in Safe Mode if needed)
2. File > Options > Advanced
3. Scroll to Display section
4. Check Disable hardware graphics acceleration
5. Click OK and restart Excel

Method 7: Reduce File Complexity

Simplify demanding spreadsheets.

• Remove unnecessary formatting
• Convert formulas to values where possible
• Delete unused rows/columns
• Split large files into smaller workbooks
• Use manual calculation mode (Formulas > Calculation Options)

Method 8: Update Excel

Updates fix bugs and improve performance.

1. Open Excel
2. File > Account
3. Click Update Options > Update Now
4. Install updates
5. Restart Excel

Method 9: Check System Resources

Low RAM causes Excel to freeze.

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
2. Check Memory usage
3. If near 100%, close other applications
4. Consider adding more RAM
5. Close other Office documents

Method 10: Open and Repair File

Corrupted files cause freezing.

1. Open Excel (without the problem file)
2. File > Open > Browse
3. Navigate to your file
4. Click the dropdown arrow next to Open
5. Select Open and Repair
6. Try Repair first, then Extract Data if needed

FAQ

Why does Excel freeze with large files?

Large files with many formulas, formatting, or data require more processing power and RAM. Use manual calculation mode, split files, and ensure sufficient system resources.

Will I lose my work if Excel not responding?

Excel auto-saves periodically. After force closing, check File > Open > Recover Unsaved Workbooks. AutoRecover files are stored in %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel.

Why does Excel freeze when opening files from OneDrive?

Syncing issues cause delays. Try downloading the file locally first, then opening. Ensure OneDrive is fully synced before opening large files.