Dec 21, 2020 • Filed to: Recover & Repair Files • Proven solutions
This is very common for any user dealing with Excel files to encounter any of the many types of errors. Often an error about opening an existing excel file (which means a problem in accessing the desired excel file), or concerning saving a file or excel document (spreadsheet) occurs. There are several possible reasons for these errors and corresponding remedial actions that can help resolve such issues.
An error by and large similar in nature appears as either of the following messages:
'FileName is not valid': while creating and saving, or opening an Excel file such error may mean one of the following reason:
The difficulty in creating a link to another excel file arises from the limitation of 256 characters. Whereas 218 characters limit for defining the path is based as:
This situation is, however, simple to deal with as one may either rename file or folder using a shorter name (not exceeding 218 characters) or moving the file to a shorter named folder. But the difficulty arises when an excel file gets corrupted or damaged.
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Solved: Errors Were Detected While Saving Excel 2020
Fixed: Excel Cannot Open the File Because of File Format
Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
Method 1. Use Open and Repair Feature | Launch Excel and click File > Open > select the inaccessible Excel file...Full steps |
Method 2. Disable the Add-ins | Selec the File tab, then click Options. In the pop-up window, click Add-Ins...Full steps |
Method 3. Change Default File Extension | Open Microsoft Excel and select "File" > "Export > Change File Type in order, then...Full steps |
Method 4. Try Excel Repair Tool | Try Stellar Excel Repair tool to fix corrupted or damaged Excel files when Excel cannot ...Full steps |
MS Excel's features facilitate an automatic recovery procedure in case it detects a corrupted Excel file. However, if recovery mode fails to start user may try recovery manually as shown below.
Step 1. Click File > Open.
Step 2. Click folder containing affected worksheet, and location
Step 3. Select in the dialog box the corrupted file
Step 4. Press arrow near the open button
Step 5. Click open & repair as highlighted here.
Apart from using the third party Excel Repair Tool or Excel file repair software, a few tips may help the user to recover or repair a corrupted Excel file.
In some case, a few add-ins you installed may cause this kind of issue. If you can open the files in safe mode, there is an chance that one of the add-ins prevent the Excel file from opening. You can follow the below steps to remove or disable the add-in in Excel:
1. Selec the File tab, then click Options. In the pop-up window, click Add-Ins category.
2. You can see all active or inactive application add-ins in the Add-ins list. Select Excel Add-ins in the Manage box and click Go.
3. Uncheck the add-ins in the pop-up box and then click OK.
As for removing the add-ins, you need to uninstall the add-in through Control Panel or Settings.
As we know, the Excel file is saved in XLS format in Excel 2003 and earlier versions, while the later versions start to use XLSX to save the file. There is a few chance you encounter the error 'Excel file extension not valid' due to the incompatible file extension.
You can change the default file format to any other formats the Excel supports. It's easy to achieve this aim, click the 'Microsoft Office' button and choose Excel Options in Excel 2007. For Excel 2010 or the higher versions, click File > Export > Change File Type option. Then select one of the formats to save the file.
Finally check if the Excel file can be opened successfully.
To repair corrupted Excel file many Excel repair Tools and Excel file repair software are available. Stellar Excel Repair Tool can handle errors such as "Unable to read the file" or "file is corrupt and cannot be opened". It can handle all Excel versions but up to Excel 2003. Supports all XLS versions.
Following the sequence of screen displays (for Wins) swiftly help to move step by step repairing and recovering Excel files that are corrupted or damaged. Option for Mac similarly may be used.
Step 1 Launch Excel file repair, and select corrupt Excel file from local drive and search.
Step 2 In the searched result section display all corrupt Excel file, select one or all start to repairing process
Step 3 Previewing the repaired files selected from the left bar.
Step 4 Saving repaired Excel file to a destination location.
Amy Dennis
staff Editor
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