Issue Opening Embedded Excel Object in Word Document

Question

Hello, I am experiencing an issue when trying to open or edit an embedded Excel object inside a Microsoft Word document. When I double-click the object, Word shows the following error:

“The program used to create this object is Excel. This program is either not installed on your computer or it is not responding.”

Excel is installed on my computer and opens normally. I have already tried the following steps without success:

Closing all Excel processes

Restarting Word and Windows

Running Word and Excel as administrator

Checking file associations

Office repair (Quick Repair and Online Repair)

However, the issue persists and I still cannot open the embedded Excel object.

Could you please assist me in diagnosing and resolving this problem ?

Answer 1

It seems you are encountering a common issue with embedded Excel objects in Word documents. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the problem:

1. Check for Updates: Ensure that both Microsoft Word and Excel are up to date. Sometimes, compatibility issues can arise from outdated software.
2. Reinsert the Object: If possible, try removing the embedded Excel object and reinserting it. This can sometimes resolve issues related to the object itself.
3. Open in Excel: Instead of double-clicking the embedded object, right-click on it and select "Open" or "Open Link" to see if that allows you to access the Excel file directly.
4. Check ActiveX Settings: If the embedded Excel object contains ActiveX controls, ensure that your security settings allow ActiveX to run. You can check this in the Trust Center settings in Word.
5. Repair Office Installation: Although you mentioned performing a repair, ensure that you try both Quick Repair and Online Repair again, as sometimes one may not fix all issues.
6. Create a New Document: Try creating a new Word document and embedding a new Excel object to see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is with the specific document or with Word itself.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it may be beneficial to reach out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

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References:

• In-place edit of an embedded Word document that contains ActiveX control causes flicker
• How to troubleshoot damaged documents in Word

Answer 2

Hello @Amrit Kaur,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on the information you provided, it appears you are encountering an issue when opening a Word document that contains an embedded Excel object, and you receive the following error message: “The program used to create this object is Excel. This program is either not installed on your computer or it is not responding.”

To assist you more effectively, could you please confirm the following details:

• The version of Microsoft Office you are currently using (e.g., Office 2016, Office 2019, Microsoft 365).
• When did this issue first occur?
• Where is the file stored: on your local device or in a cloud location such as OneDrive or SharePoint?
• Does this issue occur with all Word documents containing embedded Excel objects, or only with specific files?
• If possible, please try creating a new Word document and embed a new Excel object to see if the same error appears.
• Are you using a Windows 10/11 device or a Mac?

These details will help us narrow down the root cause and provide the most accurate guidance. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to your response.