Excel Keeps Crashing? Solve the Issue with These 7 Fixes

If you're experiencing frequent issues like Excel crashes when opening files, don't worry – there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to identify and resolve the issue.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the potential causes of why Excel keeps crashing and provide you with seven effective fixes to get your spreadsheet application back up and running smoothly.

Part 1: Why My Excel Keeps Crashing?

There could be various reasons why Microsoft Excel keeps crashing on your computer. Knowing what might be causing it can help you fix it better.

Part 2: 7 Fixes to Solve Excel Keeps Crashing Issues

Now that we've explored some potential causes of why "Excel keeps crashing", let's dive into seven effective troubleshooting fixes that can help resolve the issue of "Excel keeps crashing when opening a file".

Fix 1: Launch Excel in Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode in Excel that starts the application with a minimal set of features and add-ins. This can help identify if a specific add-in or setting is causing the crashes like "Excel file keeps crashing". Just follow these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.

Step 2: Type "excel.exe /safe" (without quotes) and click OK.

Step 3: Excel will now start in Safe Mode.

If Excel runs smoothly in Safe Mode, an add-in or setting is likely causing the crashes like "Excel file keeps crashing when opening". You can then proceed to the next fix to identify and remove the problematic add-in or reset your Excel settings.

Fix 2: Update MS Excel

Keeping your Excel software up-to-date is crucial for ensuring stability, security, and compatibility. Microsoft regularly releases updates that address known issues, bugs, and vulnerabilities, which can help prevent issues like "My Excel keeps crashing".

To update Excel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Lanuch Excel and click the "File" section.

Step 2: Select "Account" (or "Office Account" in older versions).

Step 3: Click "Update Options" and then "Update Now." Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the latest updates.

After updating Excel, try opening your files or performing the tasks that previously caused crashes. If the issue persists, move on to the next fix.

Fix 3: Remove Faulty Add-ons

As mentioned earlier, incompatible or outdated add-ins can cause "Excel keeps crashing" or "Excel file keeps crashing". To identify and remove potentially problematic add-ins, follow these steps:

Step 1: Launch Excel in Safe Mode (as described in Fix 1).

Step 2: Click on the "File" tab and select "Options."

Step 3: In the Excel Options dialog, click "Add-Ins" in the left pane. Then, select "Excel Add-ins" and click the "Go" button.

Step 4: In the Add-Ins dialog, clear the checkboxes next to any add-ins you don't need or recognize.

Step 5: Click "OK" to save the changes and close the dialog boxes.

Restart Excel normally and check if the issue like "Excel keeps crashing when opening file" is resolved.

Fix 4: Test and Repair Excel File

Sometimes, the issue may stem from a corrupted or damaged Excel file, causing problems like "Excel file crashes when opening". In such cases, you can use a specialized file repair tool like Wondershare Repairit to attempt to repair the corrupted file.

Wondershare Repairit - File Repair

Try It Free Try It Free

1,010,994 people have downloaded it.

• Repair damaged Excel files with all levels of corruption, including blank files, files not opening, unrecognizable format, unreadable content, files layout changed, etc.

• Repairs all kinds of data stored in damaged Excel files such as tables, charts, formulas, comments, images, etc.

• Support all formats of Excel files: XLSX/XLSM/XLTX/XLTM/XLS

• Perfectly repair corrupted files with a very high success rate, without modifying the original file.

• No limit to the number and size of the repairable files.

• Support Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista, Windows Server 2003/2008/2012/2016/2019/2022, and macOS 10.10~macOS 13.

• Except Excel, Repairit also supports all formats of PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ZIP, and Adobe files.

Wondershare Repairit is a powerful data repair software that can repair corrupted Excel files, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and other types of files. Here's how to use it:

Step 1: Launch the software and select "File Repair" from the main menu. Click "Add" and navigate to the corrupted Excel file you want to repair.

Step 2: Click "Repair" to start the repair process. Once the repair is complete, Wondershare Repairit will provide you with a preview of the repaired file.

Step 3: If the preview looks satisfactory, click "Save" to save the repaired file to a desired location.

By repairing the corrupted Excel file, you may be able to resolve the crashing issue caused by the file itself, which could be the reason for the "Excel file keeps crashing when opening".

Fix 5: Clear Conditional Formatting Rules

In some cases, complex or conflicting conditional formatting rules can cause "Excel keeps crashing", especially when working with large spreadsheets. To resolve this issue, you can clear the conditional formatting rules and start fresh.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Excel file that's causing crashes.

Step 2: Press Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac) to select the entire worksheet.

Step 3: On the Home tab, click "Conditional Formatting" and choose "Clear Rules" from the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Click "Clear Rules from Entire Sheet" in the pop-up dialog.

After clearing the conditional formatting rules, try working with the file again. If the issue persists, move on to the next fix.

Fix 6: Disable Microsoft Excel Animation

Excel animations can sometimes cause performance issues and crashes like "Excel keeps crashing" or "My Excel keeps freezing", especially on older or low-powered computers. Disabling these animations may help improve stability and prevent crashes.

To disable Excel animations, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Excel and click on the "File" tab. Select "Options" and then click "Advanced" in the left pane.

Step 2: Scroll down to the "Display" section and uncheck the "Disable hardware graphics acceleration" option.

Step 3: Click "OK" to save the changes and close the dialog box.

With animations disabled, Excel should run more smoothly and be less prone to crashes like "Excel keeps crashing when opening file". If the issue persists, try the final fix.

Fix 7: Repair MS Office Package

If none of the previous fixes have resolved the crashing issue like "Excel keeps crashing" or "Microsoft Excel keeps crashing", it's possible that there's a deeper problem with your Microsoft Office installation. In such cases, you can try repairing the Office package to resolve any corrupted or missing files.

Follow these steps to repair the Microsoft Office package:

Step 1: Open the Control Panel and navigate to "Programs" or "Programs and Features" (depending on your Windows version).

Step 2: Locate the Microsoft Office entry in the list of installed programs. Right-click on the Microsoft Office entry and select "Change”.

Step 3: In the repair or setup wizard, choose the "Online Repair" or "Quick Repair" option when prompted. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair process.

After repairing the Office package, try launching Excel again and check if the crashing issue like "Excel file keeps crashing" has been resolved.

Part 3: Tips to Avoid Excel Crashes When Opening File

While the fixes above can help resolve Excel crashes, it's always better to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here are some tips to help avoid crashes when opening Excel files.

Conclusion

Excel crashes like My Excel keeps crashing can be frustrating and disruptive, but with the right troubleshooting approach, you can often resolve the issue and get back to work. By following the seven fixes outlined in this guide, you'll be equipped to tackle various causes of crashes, such as "Excel file keeps crashing when opening".

Remember, prevention is always better than cure. By implementing the tips provided in the final section, you can help minimize the risk of Excel crashes ensure a smoother, more stable experience when working with spreadsheets.