Microsoft should FIX - "Errors were detected while saving (filename)"

Asha Kanta Sharma 81

Microsoft must FIX this decade long bug with appears out of nowhere and has ruined a lot of months of work of my life. Please fix the below error message. It is even appearing in latest Office 2019.

"Errors were detected while saving (filename). Microsoft excel may be able to save the file by removing or repairing some features. To make the repairs in a new file click Continue. To cancel saving the file click Cancel."

THIS ERROR/BUG HAS RUINED MY LIFE PROFESSIAONLLY.

FIX IT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY...

Emily Hua-MSFT 27,526 Reputation points

2020-07-30T09:25:29.553+00:00

I am checking the status of this issue. Do you have any update for it?
Emily Hua-MSFT 27,526 Reputation points

2020-08-05T05:06:18.957+00:00

Is there any update? Please remember to share us with solution when you solve this issue, and accept you reply as an answer.
Isahamster11 1 Reputation point

2021-12-17T19:16:43.57+00:00

Yeah, this error caused me half day of work. i've tried the effort of copying it onto a plain new excel worksheet, but it just keeps spinning and does not let me save or even do anything in the new worksheet. I was able to save it as pdf, since it is something I work on top of other people's worksheet, I will be relying on the next worksheet I receive would not have the same issue.

Hope this helps a little?

Best of luck!
Kyle Strachan 0 Reputation points

2023-06-23T17:49:58.1666667+00:00

Hello,

I received this error when the date format of my PC was changed from YYYY-MM-DD to MM-DD-YYYY. My document also uses custom formatting. A date format change also appears to trigger this.

Kyle
Phanishwar Kumar 50 Reputation points

2023-07-17T05:56:52.5666667+00:00
Solved:

Copy the file to another system.

Open the file

Save the file

Copy the saved file back to your system and replace the existing file.

The file should work normally now.
Keshav Modugu 0 Reputation points

2023-07-21T11:27:15.6666667+00:00

Hi Take empty work book and do the format painter with existing file (error file) and take copy the data and paste in new work book and save it
Runit Sareen 0 Reputation points

2023-08-08T07:22:48.27+00:00

@Phanishwar Kumar Thanks!!
Sarah Henry 0 Reputation points

2023-09-08T18:53:23.72+00:00

I had an entire linked workbook with several tabs and embedded objects that I'd worked on for an entire day, and this happened. I'm not savvy enough to understand the other solution that helped everyone, but from reading this forum, I got the idea to Select all Tabs, "Move or Copy", I selected the "Copy" box, and selected the new blank workbook I had opened, to "copy" them to, and hit ok. To my delight, it worked, and I was able to save the new workbook.
Andres Anano 0 Reputation points

2024-01-11T08:43:26.4666667+00:00

Phanishwar Kumar thank you; it worked for me
Darren McMartin 0 Reputation points

2024-02-03T01:18:44.1733333+00:00

This problem is still occurring in Excel. It has existed for over 3 years and Microsoft still haven't fixed it. It's ridiculous.
Vernon L. Kury 0 Reputation points

2024-02-18T16:27:05.4533333+00:00

The correction posted by FEDERICO GALLERANI seemed to work great. Pity this is a apparent problem caused by serveral things (none of which, as far as I can tell, are affrimed by the Excel team at Mocrosoft) that should be more easily avoided. Glad I did not lose more time than was needed to fix this issue.
melsey 0 Reputation points

2024-02-29T20:02:35.0566667+00:00

Thought I would share my experience with this horrendous Excel error. I too lost a lot of work to the error. I've started doing a SAVE AS every once in a while so I build up a number of old backup files. All my versions will be working, then I usually encounter this error when I do another copy. I then try to open the previous save as version, and I find that file does the same thing! Even though it was working 100% perfectly minutes or days ago. I usually have to go back 2 or 3 older copies to get one that works. How can a file work one day perfectly, and I don't touch it, and then all of a sudden it has the same save bug? Now, in addition to doing a save as, I copy all the VBA code/modules/classes/etc to text files as a backup. As sometimes when I get the error, all my modules will be inaccessible so I can't copy the text out of them into another file, once the error occurs.
Boily, Romain (RTA) 0 Reputation points

2024-03-12T12:10:42.3766667+00:00

You saved my life ! Thanks so much !
Davis Holt 0 Reputation points

2024-03-19T20:39:58.3333333+00:00

such an annoying error, and microsoft doesn't seem to care
Jamie Meechan 0 Reputation points

2024-04-08T02:05:29.58+00:00

Easy fix I found - remove all custom number formatting. Once saved successfully you can add it back.
James T 0 Reputation points

2024-04-11T13:40:00.06+00:00

Still having this issue here in May of 2024. Regular spreadsheet, no VB, nothing fancy beyond some arithmetic formulas. These files are stored on a network drive and opened on a computer on that network, but why in the world would there a be a problem with that?? I think that's a pretty common business set up...

I copy and paste the file onto my desktop using a new window, open that one and I can save it, but I lose all of my work since the last time I saved it. Been an issue for years I see and no fix? What?

22 answers

FEDERICO GALLERANI 156 Reputation points

2021-09-23T10:31:22.637+00:00
Well known and really anoying bug. It seems to generate when using the VBA editor and deleting some worksheet that is referenced by some formula.

I have resolved (most of the times) by completely removing the vba project using this procedure:

Create a backup copy of the file (from file explorer)

Change file extension from .xlsm to .zip

Open the .zip file and locate the file /xl/vbaProject.bin

Remove this file

Change the file extension back to .xlsm

Open normally the modified file. It should not show the error and save without problems

Obviously in this way you will loose all the VBA macros in the Workbook, so you have to re-import them from the last (hopefully) working version of your file.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

31 people found this answer helpful.
Tyler Sivis 11 Reputation points

2021-09-23T17:17:57.187+00:00

Hi Federicogallerani!

I just wanted to say this tidbit of information was super helpful! My issue was the same as the above posted and it looks like the VB code in our file got corrupted. I was able to delete the code and insert code from a backup file using this .zip method.

Thanks for sorting my issue!

Doug Scholtes 6 Reputation points

2021-12-08T15:45:43.83+00:00

Awesome! Worked like a charm. Never would have thought to do that.

Thanks very much.

peter broekman 1 Reputation point

2021-12-29T08:30:33.757+00:00

FEDERICO, you are a superstar, thank you so much. This saves tons of time, such a simple method!

Peter Broekman

Long Nguyen 1 Reputation point

2022-01-04T23:14:48.287+00:00

Great to know where the problem is. Thanks a lot, FEDERICO. I'm working a workbook and this problem come up when trying to save it. I really don't want to lose the work i did. Can you tell me how i can back up a copy of current work (from file explorer) without closing it?

Jack Ross 0 Reputation points

2023-02-11T13:36:07.1166667+00:00

Thanks so much for the tip! I've been using the same workbook model for a few years now, and this is the first time I've run into this problem. Worked for 2 days on an updated version of the workbook, and your tip saved my bacon when the error started popping up.

Myrzabayeva Altynay 0 Reputation points

2023-03-01T09:50:07.6533333+00:00

Thanks a lot! Really helped, was struggling for few hours.

Andrew Hardy 0 Reputation points

2023-03-08T16:42:45.99+00:00

Thank you. I lost a few minor macros. But that was nothing to re-create in the face of having to remake the entire workbook.

Sean Salinas 5 Reputation points

2023-05-26T16:20:03.39+00:00

This post just solved months of frustration and stress! Much thanks.

Lachmider, Lukasz J 5 Reputation points

2023-05-31T10:56:14.25+00:00

Thank you so much Federico! Your method saved weeks of work on a file! Indeed it looks like the VB code implemented inside got corrupted and after removing it, the file started working again!

LiarteSepena, Julio 5 Reputation points

2023-06-04T08:00:10.5+00:00

Thank you very much FEDERICO. The solution you proposed worked perfectly. You saved me many hours of work. Thank you again

behnam alavi 0 Reputation points

2023-07-03T08:33:34.0166667+00:00

Thanks so much for your solution , this is amazing method to solve this issue

i have same problem and this solution solved it

thanks again

John Rosts 0 Reputation points

2023-07-04T16:02:46.24+00:00

Thank you so much for this! I was going crazy as thiis is occurring in important work files worst part is trying to go back to previous versions didn't remove error.

Peter Stromberg 0 Reputation points

2023-07-26T06:46:39.88+00:00

Worked perfectly!! Thank you!!

Philip Nelson 0 Reputation points

2023-09-18T20:45:33.98+00:00

Hi Federico

That worked fine for me - thanks for that!

Regards

Philip

Shully Isaacson 0 Reputation points

2023-09-21T17:19:19.8166667+00:00

Worked, thank you!!

Ibrahim Metwally 0 Reputation points

2023-10-01T06:44:54.2866667+00:00

perfect

Guillermo Ramírez Sepúlveda 0 Reputation points

2023-10-11T02:02:59.2933333+00:00

the best thanks

Colin Cunningham 0 Reputation points

2023-11-11T18:09:06.0266667+00:00

Cannot thank you enough. Last month, I worked 2 weeks on a project.. 60+ pages of visual data pulled from multiple sources.. lost it due to this error. Rebuilt the whole thing from scratch. This morning, it happened AGAIN! I was like, I will quit before rebuilding it again.. Searched for this topic. Found it. Found your response. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. You are a saint.

David A 0 Reputation points

2023-11-30T06:20:39.0966667+00:00

This answer was posted over 2 years ago, and today it saved me. Worked like a charm! Thanks!!

Bob Zabcik 0 Reputation points

2024-01-17T04:32:37.2333333+00:00

Hi All! I have run into the many forms of this problem over the years and created this GitHub repository to hold VBA code you may find helpful in recovering from and more importantly, avoiding it altogether. Good Luck Everyone! Hopefully Microsoft will catch a clue on this but I'm personally not hopeful.

Lucas Araujo Carrión 0 Reputation points

2024-01-25T16:07:58.94+00:00

Thanks for the tip Fede, it worked!

George Holowko 0 Reputation points

2024-02-18T07:44:29.87+00:00

Some heroes don't wear capes.
Thank you FEDERICO GALLERANI.

Steve Lipsman 30 Reputation points

2024-02-18T17:07:54.6733333+00:00

Once again, for those who missed it, a much simpler solution that works for me 100% of the time, AND YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR MACROS LIKE YOU DO USING FG's solution.

Fixing .xlsb/.xlsm Macro Files When Macros Stop Working-RESOLVED!

Copy corrupted file to subfolder that is not a “Trusted Location”.

Open file in Excel, without Enabling Content.

Open VBA Editor, click into any line in the ThisWorkbook module, and then save the file from the VBA Editor, and then close the file.

Copy the file back to where it was.

Open file again to see if everything is now working.

TS 10 Reputation points

2024-02-19T19:17:57.38+00:00

I originally used the method described by Federico and it worked as advertised, but of course I lost my macros. I then followed the steps detailed by Steve Lipsman and it also worked, and my macros were maintained. I'd suggest following Steve's steps, and if they don't work for some reason then use Federico's steps as a fallback. Make a backup of the original, corrupted file first.

Schilder Michael (PP-SQU-CYB) 0 Reputation points

2024-03-27T13:02:12.3233333+00:00

you made my Day!!! This is exactly what i am looking for. It works perfectly with me!!! Thank you so much.

Nuqui, Andrew 0 Reputation points

2024-04-09T10:18:01.1466667+00:00

Hi @FEDERICO GALLERANI , after successfully saving the changes to the file. Every time we launch the file, a new error message appears stating, "This won't work because there are more cells in a table on your worksheet." Then, when we click "OK," another error emerges: "The following data range failed to refresh: ExterneGegevens1." Despite attempting to refresh all and saving, upon reopening the file, the same error persists.
Sign in to comment
Muhammad Shehzad 26 Reputation points

2021-08-20T11:27:33.417+00:00
@Micheal McMahon I have fixed my error:
You have to make sure that the language you have opted for as default in your Excel should be the one you have set as your default language in the windows setting

Follow these steps to check.

Open Excel> Click on File > Option > Language and check your default language, normally it will be English US.

Open Windows Setting > Time and Language > Language > Check your Regional Format, it will be the English US by default.

Now scroll down and check your preferred languages and make sure that the same language format is up in the list.

Hope it is helpful
Please sign in to rate this answer.

5 people found this answer helpful.
Michael S 1 Reputation point

2021-08-20T21:05:48.143+00:00

This did not help. I am still getting the same error.

Michael S 1 Reputation point

2021-08-20T21:43:32.677+00:00

sThis is what the exported error reads:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<recoveryLog xmlns="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/spreadsheetml/2006/main"><logFileName>error124200_01.xml</logFileName><summary>Errors were detected in file 'C:\Users\14044\Desktop\Hillgrove Stats\2021\2021 Gm Template.xlsm'</summary><additionalInfo><info>Damage to the file was so extensive that repairs were not possible. Excel attempted to save your formulas and values, but some data may have been lost or corrupted.</info></additionalInfo></recoveryLog>

Ari Gertner 0 Reputation points

2023-05-24T13:08:14.3133333+00:00

Thank you, I had to change my Microsoft Office from English (Israel) to English (US) as my computer was set to English (US).

Joshua K. Mwangala 0 Reputation points

2023-07-08T19:03:37.4833333+00:00

This worked for me, I had to change my computer's regional language from English (Namibia) to English (US) so that both the computer and Microsoft Excel language are the same and finally the sheet saved.

Yaning David 0 Reputation points

2023-12-07T07:28:40.5666667+00:00

Thanks! It worked for me after spending several hours looking for answers.

Andy Overington 0 Reputation points

2024-01-03T11:10:03.7166667+00:00

Many Thanks, this not only fixed my file but saved me a lot of work.
Sign in to comment
Simon Gevcen 20 Reputation points

2023-04-27T12:51:59.5866667+00:00
[SOLVED] Based on the procedure of @FEDERICO GALLERANI , here is what I did that solved my problem.

Copy your file, and rename it NEW

Change file extension of this NEW version from .xlsm to .zip

Open the .zip file and locate the file /xl/vbaProject.bin

Remove this file

Change the file extension back to .xlsm

Open both OLD and NEW versions at the same time.

Open VBA Console

Drag and drop the modules in the NEW file (where we deleted the vba file)

The file will now work fine.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

4 people found this answer helpful.
Feng Qian SGH CKPL2 0 Reputation points

2023-12-15T03:44:55.34+00:00

Hi,

for the step 7 & 8 I can't do it. but I can save the file now.

Problem is I have no idea whether there is any impact of the calculation result without step 7 & 8.

thansk.
Sign in to comment
Annie 16 Reputation points

2020-12-07T15:55:20.657+00:00
@Emily Hua-MSFT I can reproduce this error using Office 365 ProPlus (Build 12527.21330):

Start a new Excel spreadsheet, and add a new blank sheet to it.

Press Alt-F11 to open the VBA window, then minimise it (I think it will also work if it is closed at this point).

Put a number in cell A1 of Sheet 1, and CTRL+C to copy it

Start a new Word document and Paste Special, Paste Link: Microsoft worksheet object

Switch back to Excel and delete the sheet with the number in it (Sheet 1).

Try to save the Excel workbook.

This same error is causing a real-world issue to a client - although the repro steps are a much simplified version. A fix would be more than appreciated.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

3 people found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment
Emily Hua-MSFT 27,526 Reputation points

2020-07-28T08:59:21.053+00:00

Hi AshaKantaXharma,

Does this issue occur with all Excel workbooks? Such as new workbooks?

I would like to suggest you change your regional language settings in Windows and make English US as default language to have a check.

Besides, when this issue only appears in some specific workbooks, please check whether there are any features like charts, pivot table created in old versions which are not compatible with Office 2019 now.

You may also refer to try the workarounds and resolutions mentioned in article "How to troubleshoot errors when you save Excel workbooks".

Any questions, please let me know.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

2 people found this answer helpful.
YounesCheikh 1 Reputation point

2022-05-24T08:17:39.533+00:00

You saved my day! I just switched the Region format from English (Europe) to English (United States) and were able to save the file again!

Danny Garza 0 Reputation points

2024-03-28T16:56:35.52+00:00

I found that opening in Excel Online and making changes then save. Once saved, we dragged back to our network share and it works. Not sure why/how/what changed but it works.
Sign in to comment