Excel file name

Question

Excel gives the message: "You do not have permission to save files to this location." when trying to save a file with the character "/" in the name on a Mac.

Answer 1

Hi JoelStutz,

First, my pleasure to assist you.

As per your description, please don’t worry, we can work together to narrow down and resolve the situation.

Normally, this error message will prompt out if you do not have your file saved with the correct permission settings.

I search a lot and find some users also mentioned, yes if the file name includes "/"mark (as like you mentioned) it will return the error as you encountered. Please use other marks instead for the file name.

This article is in regard to SharePoint, but I recommend this advice in general for all applications and file systems. The article doesn't say so, but in addition to file names, avoid these characters in sheet tab names in Excel, and in column headers in any data table.

Meanwhile,, please confirm with us the following information:

1.Please help us check if this issue is occurring on other Office for Mac apps. Such as Word, PowerPoint? Does the same scenario occur when you save to the same location?

2.Could you try changing name of the file and save it to that location?

3.A screenshot of your current Office 365 version and Mac version.

I appreciate your understanding and stay safe!!

Best regards

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 2

I can save files to the same location from Excel if the file name does not include "/". Prior to yesterday I saved several files to that same location from Excel with file names that included "/" and they were saved without any problem. Yesterday, when I couldn't save Excel files with a name that included "/" I tried to save files from Word with "/" in the file name to the same location (folder) and had no problem.

My Excel is version 16.57, Word is version 16.57. and the Mac is macOS Monterey version 12.1.

Thanks, Joel

Answer 3

I can save files to the same location from Excel if the file name does not include "/". Prior to yesterday I saved several files to that same location from Excel with file names that included "/" and they were saved without any problem. Yesterday, when I couldn't save Excel files with a name that included "/" I tried to save files from Word with "/" in the file name to the same location (folder) and had no problem.

My Excel is version 16.57, Word is version 16.57. and the Mac is macOS Monterey version 12.1.

Thanks, Joel

Answer 4

Hi JoelStutz,

Thanks for sharing updates with us and I really appreciate your effort and your precious time doing those tests. First, please accept my apologize you meet such an issue and I understand it effort on your daily work.

We appreciate your understanding that sometimes the initial suggestions may not resolve the problem very soon. However, we can work together to narrow down and resolve the situation.

 Since, you can save with "/" file name in Word document, then you may try the following:

Click the Apple menu>Choose System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Privacy>Click the lock in the lower left corner and enter your system password>In the left panel choose Full Disk Access and in the Right panel choose Microsoft Excel.

At meantime, you can also give a shot to change the folders’ permissions and see whether you can save the files.

 For your information:

Change permissions for files, folders or disks on Mac

Disclaimer*: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology.*

I appreciate your understanding and stay safe!!

Best regards

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 5

I had already set Excel to have Full Disk Access and I also checked the permissions for the files and folders and they were all set to Read and Write. I also assumed that all of this was OK since I had no trouble saving any file that didn't have "/" in the file name and I would;dn't be able to do that if the disk access and permissions were bad.

I really think that this a bug in Excel since it didn't occur previously and just started. I do remember that there was a time when you couldn't have a "/" in a file name since that character was used as drive-file name-extension separators but that was a long time ago.

thanks,