Some Excel (.xlsx) files which open fine in Office 365 fail to open in Excel 2024 LTS (32Bit) and need to be repaired

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Some Excel (.xlsx) files which open fine in Office 365 fail to open in Excel 2024 LTS (32Bit) and need to be repaired

Mark Stevens 0

I have certain excel (.xlsx) files which open fine in Excel 365 but not Excel 2024 LTS(32Bit)

When I try open the file in 2024, I get a message saying Excel found a problem with some content and offers to recover the file. If I say yes then the spreadsheet will open and I get a popup message saying unreadable content was removed and I get a list of items that were removed.

Removed Feature: Workbook properties from /xl/workbook.xml part (Workbook)
Removed Feature: Worksheet properties from /xl/worksheets/sheet2.xml part
Removed Feature: Worksheet properties from /xl/worksheets/sheet3.xml part

This doesn't happen in Excel 365?

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Answer 1

Dear @Mark Stevens,

Thank you for reaching out with this detailed question. It’s a very specific issue, but I’ve seen similar cases where files behave differently between versions of Excel. Let’s break down what is likely happening and how you can resolve it.

Based on the error message you received, the core issue is that Excel 2024 LTS is flagging specific elements within the file (like properties in the workbook and worksheets) as "unreadable content" and is removing them during the recovery process, while Excel 365 ignores these same elements and opens the file without issue.

This usually points to a difference in how the two versions handle file validation and legacy features. Excel 365 is constantly updated and might be more forgiving or have newer libraries to interpret the file's structure. Excel 2024 LTS, being a "Long Term Servicing" channel release, is a static snapshot of features and might have stricter or different rules for validating the XML structure inside the .xlsx file. The items being removed (properties) are often metadata, custom document properties, or data validation settings that Excel 2024 no longer recognizes or supports in the same way.

To fix this, I recommend a direct, two-pronged approach:

Clean and Resave the File in Excel 365: This is the most reliable solution. Since the file opens perfectly in Excel 365, we can use it to "clean" the problematic parts.
- Open the affected file in your Excel 365.
- Go to File > Info and click on Check for Issues (next to the Inspect Workbook button).
- Select Inspect Document. This tool scans for hidden metadata and other content.
- In the dialog that appears, ensure all checkboxes are selected (especially "Document Properties and Personal Information") and click Inspect.
- If the inspector finds document properties, click Remove All next to that category.
- After the cleanup, save the file with a new name (e.g., yourfile_fixed.xlsx).
- Now, try opening this newly cleaned file in your Excel 2024 LTS. This process often strips out the exact "features" that were causing the conflict.
Check for a Microsoft Update (as a Workaround): I've seen reports of specific Excel 2024 builds (like Version 2408 Build 17932.20620) introducing unexpected behavior with certain file elements. While those reports focus on VBA and database connections, the underlying principle is the same: a build-specific change can cause file compatibility issues.
- First, ensure your Excel 2024 LTS is fully updated. Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now. Microsoft may have released a patch that addresses this file validation problem.
- Second, if the problem persists and you urgently need to work, you could consider rolling back to a previous, stable version of Office 2024 LTS, as this has helped others in similar situations. However, this is a more technical workaround and should only be done if you are comfortable with IT administration tasks, as it involves uninstalling the current version and installing an older build.

You can refer to a similar situation in another article within the community: Excel problem after updated Office 2024. - Microsoft Q&A

Please try the first solution and let me know if it resolves the issue. If not, we can dig deeper into the possibility of a build-specific bug.

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Sophie N 13,580 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-15T23:24:50.23+00:00

Dear @Mark Stevens,

I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to check in and see how things are going with the steps I shared earlier. If you ran into any difficulties at any point or if something is unclear, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I completely understand that these processes can sometimes be tricky, and I’m here to make it as easy as possible for you.

Feel free to share any details or questions you might have, I’m ready to listen and assist you further.
Mark Stevens 0 Reputation points

2026-03-17T02:38:38.5266667+00:00

Thank you for getting back to me, I will try the first option and let you know but the issue I have is that the documents in question are being processed in batch and I don't have access to the source document and could not hope to fix every document in the batch. Unfortunately this is causing the process to fail when one of those documents are opened. I think the first step is to see if I can fix the document using step 1 then I'll need to see if I can find the source template that is creating the issues.
Sophie N 13,580 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-17T02:42:29.6966667+00:00

Dear @Mark Stevens,

Thank you for the detailed explanation. I understand the challenge, especially since the files are processed in batch and you don’t have direct access to the original source documents. It makes sense that fixing each file individually wouldn’t be practical in this scenario.

Trying the first option on a single affected file is a good initial step, as it should help confirm whether the issue is related to file corruption or structure. If that works, identifying the source template that is generating these files would indeed be the most effective next step, as it could prevent the issue across the entire batch.

If the answer was helpful, please consider clicking “Accept Answer” and giving it an upvote. This small action can make a big difference by helping others with similar questions find this solution more easily.

It’s always a privilege to support you. Your engagement helps make the Q&A forum a more helpful and efficient space for everyone.

Please let me know the result after testing the first option. Based on that outcome, we can better determine whether the root cause is the template itself or another part of the document generation process.

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Some Excel (.xlsx) files which open fine in Office 365 fail to open in Excel 2024 LTS (32Bit) and need to be repaired

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