Excel Word freezes on iPhone iOS 26 and iPad iPadOS 26

Question

Excel Word freezes on iPhone iOS 26 and iPad iPadOS 26

MSToTheMoon 175

As other discussions* mention, have the issue where Excel / Word application freezes upon opening an Excel / Word file.

A hot fix solution that works for me with the least intrusive steps:

Disable my wifi when it freezes and then enable it again. After doing this the app works fine until I restart it (Excel application?) again. I have also tried this using airplane mode toggle, least hassles solution so far, recommend to try this first!

Hope this helps with all affected users and useful hint for MS to address the underlying issue.

Credit:

Keyword to search on Google:

"Excel on iOS and iPad OS freezes and completely non-functioning"

v004 update, Possible workaround solution 3 (Network reconnection), Suggested by u/ForestBliss.

*: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5587312/word-keeps-freezing-on-ipad

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588257/ios-excel-app-not-working

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588273/since-last-night-i-cannot-edit-my-word-documents-o

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588464/word-app-for-ipad-won-t-work-since-it-2-102-1-upda

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588601/excel-issue

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588663/last-update-excel-is-a-disaster-on-ios

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588673/excel-and-office-documents-freezing-on-iphone

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588720/excel-on-ipad-glitching-keeps-freezing

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5588962/experiencing-excel-issues-on-ipad-since-latest-app

Mike Radmacher 0 Reputation points

2025-11-09T15:52:55.24+00:00

I have pretty much the same issue.

Using an iPhone 16 and an iPad, both with iOS 26.1

When I open a smb share with the apple file app, excel is freezing and sometimes it reacts perfectly but in any case changes I made are not stored.

First, when I close excel and return to the file app everything look fine but after reopening the spreadsheet an error message is coming up - excel wasn’t able to store the file, store a copy.

First, I thought it is a typically permission error, but it doesn’t. Using Collabora office on the same iPhone / iPad with the smb drive - everything works fine.

if I recall correctly, it started with iOS 26 but I’m not sure.

Working with the office apps and a smb share is not possible anymore under iOS :-(

6 answers

Your answer

Mike Radmacher 0 Reputation points

2025-11-09T15:52:55.24+00:00

I have pretty much the same issue.

Using an iPhone 16 and an iPad, both with iOS 26.1

When I open a smb share with the apple file app, excel is freezing and sometimes it reacts perfectly but in any case changes I made are not stored.

First, when I close excel and return to the file app everything look fine but after reopening the spreadsheet an error message is coming up - excel wasn’t able to store the file, store a copy.

First, I thought it is a typically permission error, but it doesn’t. Using Collabora office on the same iPhone / iPad with the smb drive - everything works fine.

if I recall correctly, it started with iOS 26 but I’m not sure.

Working with the office apps and a smb share is not possible anymore under iOS :-(

Answer 1

paulr0511 44,525 Independent Advisor

Hello, good day and thanks for your question. Sorry to know about this as there are indeed others reporting of the same issue. I understand that there are temporary fixes or workarounds but tt is still highly recommended to report this as a feedback via the any of the app (Word or Excel) or leave a review for this to get checked by the team that is working on these and hopefully a new update will be released soon to patch this issue.

MSToTheMoon 175 Reputation points

2025-10-18T15:45:51.18+00:00

Reported several times a few hours ago. No feedback at all. Tried all solution on MS Q&A page, completely out of luck. Had to search through the web to find this working solution.

It's funny how MS Q&A suspended my account when I tried to post some potential workarounds in other discussions posts, yet at the same time MS Q&A is very supportive to those useless answers claiming certain solution is a "workaround" while they are clearly not, also that person could repeatably post the same useless answer in a number of posts without getting suspended.

Almost as if MS does not want the affected users to see workable workaround while MS try to hide their own problem to secretly pushes out the solution, and flooding the community with fake responses.

Answer 2

Anonymous

Airplane toggle works for me as a temporary fix

Darrell Maahs 10 Reputation points

2025-10-19T01:20:08.2933333+00:00

Worked for me too until you open Excel app again.

Answer 3

WaltG 36

The app is at this moment now working for me after delete and reinstall. Others please check. Had not been working for the past week.

WaltG 36 Reputation points

2025-10-23T19:20:35.9+00:00

Version 2.102.25102234

Answer 4

paulr0511 44,525 Independent Advisor

Sorry to know about this, kindly take note that this is a user to user forum and an expected update will vary depending on when it will be released and please wait for it and again my apologies.

0 comments

Answer 5

paulr0511 44,525 Independent Advisor

My apologies on this as the feedback can be seen but there is no guarantee for a response and hopefully a new update will be released soon to fix the issue that is also being experienced by the other users.

MSToTheMoon 175 Reputation points

2025-10-19T13:46:49.16+00:00

It’s been more than 3 days and now affecting most if not all users.

It’s been more than 24 hours where a workable fix was found by users, notified to MS and give them lead to narrow down the underlying issue, yet still no announcement of this issue nor expected timeline on the fix.

Is MS even trying?

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Excel Word freezes on iPhone iOS 26 and iPad iPadOS 26

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