Have 365 on my Mac but execel will not open

Ronald Scifo 0 Reputation points
2026-09-02T21:12:43.5933333+00:00

all other apps like word, notes and etc. Execel will not open in windows correctly. Help?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | MacOS
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  1. John Jefferson Doyon 87,160 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-02T21:49:14.6666667+00:00

    Hi, @Ronald Scifo

    Since the other Microsoft 365 apps open normally, this may be specific to Excel.

    First, completely quit Excel and restart your Mac. Then try opening Excel directly from the Applications folder instead of opening an Excel file.

    If Excel still will not open, to help narrow down the issue:

    1. What exactly happens when you open Excel — nothing happens, it freezes, or do you get an error message?
    2. Which macOS version are you using?
    3. Does Excel open if you start it without opening any workbook?

    If there is an error message, please share the exact message or a screenshot.

    Click "Add comment" to let me know. Thanks!

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-02T21:12:59.4233333+00:00

    On Mac, start with updating Office and checking the macOS version.

    1. Make sure macOS is version 12 or later.
    2. Close all Office apps.
    3. Open Finder > Applications > Microsoft AutoUpdate.
      • If Microsoft AutoUpdate is not there, check /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/.
    4. In Microsoft AutoUpdate, select Update All or update Excel specifically.
    5. After updates finish, open Excel again.

    If Excel was installed from the Mac App Store instead of microsoft.com:

    1. Open the App Store.
    2. Select Updates.
    3. Update Microsoft Excel.
    4. Test Excel again.

    If Excel files are opening in the wrong Office app on Windows, repair the Office installation:

    1. Right-click Start.
    2. In Windows 11, select Installed apps. In Windows 10, select Apps and Features.
    3. Select the Microsoft Office product.
    4. Select Modify.
    5. Choose Online Repair > Repair.

    If double-clicking Office files opens the wrong program on Windows, also fix file associations:

    1. Open Control Panel.
    2. Go to Programs > Default Programs.
    3. Under Set a default for a file type or link type, choose the file type and set the correct Office app.

    If there are multiple Office versions installed on Windows, uninstall the versions not needed and restart. Multiple versions can cause files to open in the wrong app.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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