Excel not working and keeps shutting down

Question

we're sorry but excel has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Excel will need to be closed as a result

Answer 1

Try these steps in order:

1. Update Office first
   • Open any Office app.
   • Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
   • If Enable Updates appears, select it first.
   • If the error continues after updates, continue below.
2. Start Excel in Safe Mode
   • Press Windows + R.
   • Run: excel /safe
   • If Excel opens in Safe Mode, the problem is commonly caused by an add-in or startup item.
3. Disable add-ins
   • In Excel, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
   • Disable Excel add-ins and COM add-ins, then restart Excel normally.
   • If Excel works after that, re-enable add-ins one at a time to find the one causing the crash.
4. Check startup files loaded by Excel
   • Excel can automatically open files from the XLStart folder or an alternate startup folder.
   • If a workbook in one of those locations is damaged, Excel can hang or crash at startup.
   • Start Excel without opening those startup workbooks and test again.
5. Repair Microsoft 365 / Office
   • Close all Office apps.
   • In Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
   • Find Microsoft 365 or Office.
   • Select Modify.
   • Run Quick Repair first.
   • If that does not fix it, run Online Repair.
   • Online Repair reinstalls Office components and can take 15–30 minutes.
6. Check antivirus integration
   • Make sure antivirus software is fully up to date.
   • If antivirus has Excel integration or an Excel add-in, it can cause performance or stability problems.
   • Warning: changing antivirus settings can reduce protection. Use that workaround only with care.
7. If Excel still freezes or closes
   • Test whether the issue happens with all files or only one workbook.
   • If it is file-specific, save the file locally and test again, especially if it is opened from a network location, SharePoint, web folder, Remote Desktop/Citrix session, or virtualized environment.
   • Also check whether printer or video drivers are contributing, because Excel checks the default printer and display drivers when it starts.

If the issue continues after these steps, guided troubleshooting or Microsoft Support is the next step.

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• I get a "stopped working" error when I start Office applications on my PC
• Excel not responding, hangs, freezes or stops working
• When I open an excel file it shows - We're sorry, but excel has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly, Excel will need to be closed as a result. would you like us to repair now? then shows the option "repair now","help","close" - Microsoft Q&A

Answer 2

Hi,

The error message: "Excel has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Excel will need to be closed as a result." is often related to a corrupted Office installation, a conflicting Excel add-in, or an issue that occurs during Excel's startup process.

To help narrow down the cause, please try the following steps:

1/ Start Excel in Safe Mode:

First, let's check whether an add-in or customization may be causing the problem.

• Press Windows + R
• Type excel /safe
• Click OK

If Excel opens successfully in Safe Mode, this usually indicates that an add-in, extension, or customization is interfering with Excel's normal startup.

2/ Disable Excel add-ins:

If Excel opens in Safe Mode, I recommend temporarily disabling all add-ins:

• Open File > Options > Add-ins
• At the bottom of the window, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins
• Click Go
• Clear all checked add-ins
• Select OK

After that, close Excel and open it normally.

If Excel works correctly, you can re-enable the add-ins one at a time. This approach can help identify which add-in may be triggering the issue.

3/ Repair Microsoft 365 / Office:

On the other hand, if Safe Mode does not resolve the issue, the Office installation itself may need repair.

You can follow Microsoft's instructions here: Repair an Office application.

A repair can often resolve missing, damaged, or corrupted Office files without affecting your documents.

4/ Check for Office updates:

Additionally, it's a good idea to ensure that Office is fully up to date.

If you can open another Office application, such as Word or Outlook:

• Go to File > Account
• Select Update Options
• Choose Update Now

Once the updates are installed, restart your computer and test Excel again.

Alternatively, you can follow Microsoft's guide: Update Office with Microsoft Update.

5/ Determine whether the issue is file-specific:

Another important point to check is whether the problem occurs with all Excel files or only one particular workbook.

If Excel crashes only when opening a specific file, that workbook may be damaged.

In that case:

• Open Excel first
• Go to File > Open > Browse
• Select the workbook
• Click the arrow next to Open
• Choose Open and Repair

This may help recover and repair the file.

If the issue persists after trying the steps above, it would be helpful if you could provide the following details:

• Your Windows version
• Your Excel version (found under File > Account)
• Whether other Office applications are experiencing similar crashes
• Whether Excel crashes immediately on launch or only when opening a specific workbook
• Any recent changes involving Office, Windows updates, antivirus software, or add-ins

I hope these suggestions help point you in the right direction. Please let me know the results after trying them, and I'll be happy to continue working with you to find a solution.

Kind regards,

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