Excel 2016 - Stuck in splash screen when opening a shared file

Question

I have an issue with Excel 2016.

With specific conditions where I open an xlsx file it hangs on splash screen forever.

Some details:

-I have a common network folder

-This folder is on a file server on the network.

-The path of the file is \fileserver\files\excelfile1.xlsx

The scenario:

-User1 from computer1 opens excelfile1.xlsx (Excel 2016) from a shortcut on desktop. The file opens normally.

-User2 from computer2 opens excelfile1.xlsx (Excel 2016) from a shortcut on desktop. Excel is stuck on initial splash screen forever.

-User3 from computer3 opens excelfile1.xlsx (Excel 2021) from a shortcut on desktop. Excel opens in read only as expected because user1 has it open.

****Next day

-User2 from computer2 opens excelfile1.xlsx (Excel 2016) from a shortcut on desktop. The file opens normally.

-User1 from computer1 opens excelfile1.xlsx (Excel 2016) from a shortcut on desktop. Excel is stuck on initial splash screen forever.

-User3 from computer3 opens excelfile1.xlsx (Excel 2021) from a shortcut on desktop. Excel opens in read only as expected because user2 has it open.

In any case if the user that gets the "excel splash screen stuck", opens the Excel application and then selects which file to open from within the application the file opens in read only mode as expected.

Observations. The stuck splash screen:

Happens in version 2016 only

Happens in excel only (shared docx files open normally with Word)

Happens with several xlsx files. The size is usually small 10kb-500kb

Happens only when I double click on the file (shortcut or real location).

Computer specs

Computer1

12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-12500T

16 GiB 3200mhz

NVMe KBG50ZNS512G NVMe KIOXIA 512GB

Intel(R) UHD Graphics 770

Computer2

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10500T CPU @ 2.30GHz

8 GiB 2666 MHz

BC511 NVMe SK hynix 256GB

Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630

Answer 1

Hi,

Is the version number of Excel 2016 the same for both computers?

Have you ever tried to open Workbook in safe mode?

It is recommended that you can hold down the Ctrl key and double-click on the open file, and then it will indeed open in safe mode.

If it works fine in safe mode, please check the add-ins in your excel and disable them.

Click File > Excel Options > Add-Ins on the left side of the dialog. Then click the drop-down arrow at the bottom of the dialog box and select "COM Add-Ins" from the list, then click the GO button. What comes up is a list of COM-Add Ins that are loaded and running.

Just checking in to see if the information was helpful. Please let us know if you would like further assistance.

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