How to repair Excel when not working correctly and forcing shut down.

Question

Running into unknown error forcing Excel to automatically close.

Answer 1

To repair Excel when it is not working correctly and is forcing a shutdown, you can follow these steps:

For Windows 10:

1. In the search box, type Control Panel, and then click Control Panel in the search results.
2. Under Programs, click Uninstall a program.
3. Click Microsoft 365 > Change.
4. Select Online Repair > Repair.
   • Note: You may need to restart your computer after the repair process is completed.

For Windows 8:

1. On the Start screen, type Control Panel.
2. Select Control Panel.
3. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
4. Select Microsoft 365 > Change.
5. Select Online Repair > Repair.
   • Note: A restart may be required after the repair.

For Windows 7:

1. Select Start > Control Panel.
2. Select Programs and Features.
3. Select Microsoft 365 > Change.
4. Select Online Repair > Repair.
   • Note: Restarting the computer may be necessary after the repair.

If the problem persists after repairing, consider checking for updates or reinstalling Office as a last resort.

Answer 2

Hello Kyle Pippenger,

I know how disruptive it is when Excel suddenly shuts down with no clear explanation, especially if you’re in the middle of important work. An “unknown error” that forces Excel to close usually points to something deeper than a simple file issue. It can be caused by add‑ins misbehaving, outdated updates, or even conflicts with graphics drivers. Let me walk you through the most effective ways to narrow this down.

First, try starting Excel in Safe Mode. You can do this by holding Ctrl while launching Excel, or by running excel /safe from the Run dialog. If Excel stays open in Safe Mode, that’s a strong sign an add‑in or extension is causing the crash. You can then disable add‑ins one by one under File → Options → Add‑ins to find the culprit.

Second, make sure both Office updates and Windows updates are fully applied. Microsoft regularly releases stability fixes for Excel, and missing updates often explain sudden crashes.

Third, check your graphics drivers. Excel relies heavily on hardware acceleration, and outdated or incompatible GPU drivers can trigger unexpected closures. You can test this by disabling hardware acceleration in Excel: File → Options → Advanced → Display → Disable hardware graphics acceleration.

Fourth, if the issue happens only with specific files, try opening them on another machine. If they crash everywhere, the file itself may be corrupted. In that case, saving the file in a different format (like XLSX to XLSB) can sometimes repair it.

I hope this helps,

If this guidance proves helpful, please kindly click “Accept Answer” so we know we’re heading in the right direction 😊. And of course, I’m here if you need further clarification or support.

Domic Vo.