How to stop Excel from automatically checking Workbook performance?

Question

Performance check??

The Excel sheet is the way I want it to look and don't want to change it for better performance. I just want Excel to stop prompting me.

Every time I open an Excel sheet, it wants me to do a performance check because of:

"Excess formatting and unneeded metadata cause large, slow workbooks. Check for improvements to performance"

So I find myself X-clicking away this message every time. Because there is no 'excess' of formatting. The Excel sheet simply is a nicely layouted workbook and we want it to be looking this way. We don't need Excel trying to outsmart us and giving this suggestion every time you open the workbook to remove information.

It is only very confusing for not-very-experienced users who also make use of my Excel sheet.

How and where can I set Excel in a way that is stops asking this unwanted question?

• The question mostly pops-up in the Web version of Office 365.
• I tried unchecking boxes in the performance check tool, in the desktop version, but to no result.

Would be lovely if someone has a workaround or knows which box needs to be un-checked.

And it would be awesome if a MS engineer helps giving priority to this problem, so that it can be switched of universally.

Answer 1

This thread shows that there are a significant number of people complaining about this. Unfortunately, this is only a user forum, we understand your problem, but we cannot do anything to fix it. Only the Excel developers can do this if they are instructed to do so.

As previously stated, this is simply a statistical problem, Microsoft must first recognize that this is a problem. Unfortunately, this is not so easy considering that more than 200,000 people work at Microsoft.

There is a feedback portal where you can cast your vote. There is already a feed on this topic, unfortunately with very few votes. I'm sure if we get as many votes as this post has been viewed, then Microsoft will react.

Anyone reading this, please follow these steps:

Click on this link:
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/89bb523d-b197-ef11-95f6-0022484d7a88

1. Sign in
2. Click the Vote button

@HanzieV:

If you mark this reply as answer, it will be the first to appear when someone views this thread. I hope we can encourage as many people as possible to draw Microsoft's attention to this problem. Unfortunately, this is all we can do for you.

Andreas.

Answer 2

Dear Prash,

I appreciate that you and Microsoft are ‘working on this’. And a local solution is nice and all… but please listen to us.

The main problem is not working ‘locally’. I personally know - by now - very well that I simply click the ‘x’ and nothing of the formatting changes.

However the REAL problem is in online collaboration with all those other inexperienced users who dumbly follow silly suggestions of the almighty Microsoft, even if the Microsoft suggestion messes things up.

We’re not looking for a solution where all individual users have to click the right button. That’s trouble ahead!

Why is this option there in the first place??? Is it for some **** people who don’t know how to create an Excel file and therefore are stuck with too much formatting and colours?? Well, let them sort their own sluggish Excel sheets, but allow people who know what they are doing to efficiently use your brilliant tool.

If this would be a Poll:

Should the functionality of checking performance be removed entirely?

I VOTE YES!!!

Please. Help.

Answer 3

I also vote YES!

Microsoft representatives, do you have any evidence of need for this feature? I know you've spent time investing in it but if you are receiving so much grief about it at what point do you give up on it?

Answer 4

10/17/24 - it still hasn't been fixed and it happened to me for the first time today.

Windows 11 Pro

version 23H2

OS build 22631.4169

Excel 365 Apps for business

version 2409

build 18025.20140

I get the stupid banner on a spreadsheet sent to me from another party

Of course I can't make any changes to it before it gets to me.

And when I get it I don't want to make any changes because it's perfect as is.

Now, how do we get this banner to stop?

Perhaps we should start charging Microsoft for each instance we have to go out of our way to click on banners that don't have a fix YEARS after the first request was made!

Answer 5

We just want to shut the checker off! I know it's hard to comprehend, but MS, you might not know everything. Which is the assumption if you can't shut this off. "Your sheet is wrong, fix this or I will bother you everytime you open it."
I have yet to have a suggestion from the checker that I want to apply. It's a good feaure if you can shut off, or run manually.