How to fix “Microsoft Excel is not responding” error in Excel 2016?

Read time10 minutes

Have you ever experienced problems with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets while working on them, only to suddenly receive an error message stating that Microsoft Excel is unresponsive? The answer is likely yes, as this is a common issue that many Excel users encounter at some point.

Inside

• Start MS Excel in Safe Mode
• Install Latest Updates Available
• Inspect issues with Add-ins
• Repair Excel or Office Suite from Control Panel
• Excel should not be use by another process
• Kernel for Excel Repair
• Conclusion

Microsoft Excel often comes with its fair share of errors, leaving you wondering if you’ll ever encounter one. However, it’s important to note that Excel isn’t always to blame; sometimes, external factors play a role. For instance, the number of concurrent applications running, your system’s hardware specifications (can it handle the workload?), and the availability of resources for other programs can all contribute to these issues.

Other factors can also impede the proper functioning of the program, including the installation of third-party plugins, system security software, and running an outdated version of the program.

Identifying the root cause of these issues can indeed be a time-consuming endeavor. Rather than investing precious time in pinpointing the cause, it often makes sense to focus on finding a solution. This approach can help you save valuable time, data, and potentially prevent financial losses in your business. After all, in the business world, every minute counts, and those minutes can translate into significant costs, big or small, depending on the circumstances.

In this article, we will provide you with methods to resolve the issue of the program not responding and address error messages effectively.

Note: The following methods apply to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel for Office 365.

Start MS Excel in safe mode

By running MS Excel in safe mode, you can inspect startup problems, if there are any.

When Microsoft Excel is launched in safe mode, it bypasses certain functionalities, including custom startup locations, modified toolbars, the ‘xlstart’ folder, and installed Add-ins.

Note: COM Add-ins don’t fall under this check.

You can launch Excel in Safe Mode in two ways:

1. Press & Hold CTRL while you start Microsoft Excel.
2. You can start the program using the command prompt with the /safe switch; follow the below steps:
   1. Press button and type cmd to launch the command prompt;CMD executable would be highlighted, as below:
      
   2. Press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER to start cmd with as an administrator.
   3. Now, before we launch Excel in safe mode, we need to know excel.exe file location.
      To find it, press and type excel > right-click on the highlighted application, and select Open file location.
      
   4. Explorer would open, click on the address bar and copy the path.
      
   5. Now, in the command prompt, we need to change the directory.
      Type cd \ and press Enter.
      
   6. Type cd and right-click inside the command prompt to paste the path we copied in step 4, and press Enter. The directory would change.
      
   7. Type start excel.exe /safe – this will open Excel in safe mode.
      
   8. Once Excel is open, you can see the status in the status bar, as below.
      

Install the latest updates available

To reduce the likelihood of encountering issues, it is advisable to install the latest updates, which replace outdated files and address vulnerabilities. To install updates for standalone Office applications, follow these steps:

1. Press Start, type Excel and click Enter.
   
2. Select the Blank Document – Excel sheet.
   
3. Click on File tab > Account and select Update Options.
   
4. Click Update Now
   

Check for issues with add-ins

While installing Add-ins can introduce additional functionality or exclusive features to the program, it’s not without its potential drawbacks. Add-ins can sometimes be the cause of errors, program unresponsiveness, and various other issues.

To determine if an issue is caused by an add-in, you can disable them all at once or one by one, and then restart Excel. If the issue no longer occurs, you can pinpoint the problematic add-in and uninstall it by following the steps below:

1. Open Microsoft Excel.
2. Click on File tab > Options and select Add-ins.
   
3. At the bottom of the window, select COM Add-ins > click GO.
   
4. Here, deselect all the active Add-ins and click Ok.
   
5. Restart and check if the issue persists.

Repair Excel or Office Suite from Control Panel

If you’re encountering a problem without a clear cause, and the issue remains a mystery, attempting to repair the program may offer a solution. Follow the steps below to initiate the repair process:

1. Right-click on the Start button and select Control Panel.
   
2. Select Uninstall a program – under the Programs section.
   
3. Look for your installation of Excel.
   Note: If you’ve installed the standalone version of Excel, then look by its name; in the case of Microsoft Office Suite, do as below:

   Right-click on the application or the Office Suite and click Change.

   

4. Select Quick Repair > click Repair.
   Note: You can also select Online Repair option if the issues are not fixed after Quick Repair.

   

Excel should not be use by another process

When Excel is being used by another process, it will display this information in the status bar. When Excel is in use, you may not be able to perform other actions. Don’t attempt other actions until the current task has completed its tasks.

A Microsoft Excel file can exist on a computer for a very long time. They are frequently upgraded from one version to another and passed from user to user. Excel files are frequently inherited by users who don’t know what’s in them. Several factors can cause performance issues or crashes:

• Formulas in the entire columns.
• Array formulas for an uneven number of elements within the arguments.
• Hidden objects.
• Excessive styles.
• Invalid defined names.

Occasionally, third-party applications generate Excel files. This may result in incorrectly generated files, which may not function correctly when you open them in Excel. It is recommended that you test these features in new files outside of any third-party applications if this occurs. You should notify the third party if the features don’t work as expected.

A number of applications and services start automatically when Windows is launched, and then run in the background. Other software on your PC may be affected by these applications and services. The selective startup process identifies the conflicting application, service, or process. When you perform a selective startup, you can find conflicting applications.

• Open the Run window and type up msconfig. Hit Enter.
• Choose Selective startup and uncheck Load startup items.
• Choose the Services tab and check mark the option Hide all Microsoft services. Tap on Disable all.
• Click on Apply and OK.

Excel may malfunction if your antivirus software isn’t updated.

• Maintain up-to-date antivirus software:
  Antivirus software vendors periodically provide updates so as to stay on top of new viruses. You can get the latest updates by visiting the website of your antivirus software vendor.
• Excel may be conflicting with your antivirus software:
  It is possible to experience performance problems if your antivirus software integrates with Excel. If this is the case, you can disable all Excel integration in your antivirus program. Alternatively, you can disable any installed antivirus software add-ins.

What to do when nothing worked for you?

By employing the methods outlined above, you can successfully address the issue of Excel not responding to errors and continue your work seamlessly from where you left off.

Sometimes, due to extreme corruption or damage, it becomes impossible to repair the Excel file. In such a scenario, methods like the above don’t come handy and need a reliable fix.

This software is an advanced tool designed to tackle the situations mentioned above. It has the capability to resolve various issues related to Microsoft Excel, regardless of the installation you’re using. You can easily repair corrupt or inaccessible Excel files data with this tool. It is compatible with all Excel versions, including Excel 2019 and Office 365 Excel. Even non-technical users can confidently use it for comprehensive Excel recovery.

Conclusion

Microsoft Excel can encounter problems for a variety of reasons. While the manual methods mentioned above can often resolve issues promptly, in cases of severe or persistent problems where conventional methods prove ineffective, you can turn to this software. This tool can analyze both corrupt and severely damaged Microsoft Excel files, regardless of the extent of corruption. It offers the option to repair the file or recover data, making it the ideal solution for overcoming accessibility and corruption issues with your Excel files.