How to stop Excel from automatically checking Workbook performance?

Anonymous
2023-03-06T17:17:06+00:00

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.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Andreas Killer 144K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-01-25T10:37:57+00:00

    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.

    8 people found this answer helpful.
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155 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-12-19T15:06:58+00:00

    Sample size = 1. My experience.

    The annoying performance check does not appear most of the time.

    I dose happen if Excel does no close cleanly.

    I protect all the sheets in the workbook as part of the Workbook_Open processing. However, when the performance check activates it ruins the Workbook_Open processing. I have to close the performance check. Then close the workbook cleanly and then open it again.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2024-12-30T12:48:01+00:00

    Yes, we need an alternative to Microsoft.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-03T07:53:03+00:00

    Same issue here, please create a possibility to shut this down in options or even in the review tab, even better.

    Seems that Microsoft is forcing people to change their carefully built reports / files and annoying their clients with popups which they not want.

    6 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2025-01-06T14:51:22+00:00

    This ONLY works if the spreadsheet is opened from OneDrive or Sharepoint. I need to disable it ALL THE TIME. This feature is annoying and does absolutely nothing to increase ANYONE's productivity in our workplace. I doubt that a single user asked for this idiotic feature. Kill it.

    9 people found this answer helpful.
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