error showing when open

Question

we are sorry, but excel has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Excel will need to be closed as a result, how will i repair it

Answer 1

Run an Online Repair of Microsoft 365 or Office from Windows Settings; this repairs the entire Office installation, including Excel.

Repair Excel

1. Close Excel and all other Office applications.
2. Open the repair settings:
   • Windows 11: Right-click Start → Installed apps.
   • Windows 10: Right-click Start → Apps and Features.
3. Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office.
   • If Excel was purchased separately, find Microsoft Excel instead.
4. Select the three dots or select the product, then choose Modify.
5. If prompted by User Account Control, select Yes.
6. For the usual Click-to-Run installation, select Online Repair → Repair. Online Repair is more comprehensive than Quick Repair.
   • For an MSI installation, select Repair → Continue.
7. Complete the on-screen instructions, restart Windows if requested, and open Excel again.

The repair applies to the complete Office suite even when only Excel is failing.^1^

If Excel still produces the error

Test whether an add-in is preventing Excel from starting:

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Enter:

excel /safe

3. Select OK.
4. If Excel opens successfully, go to File → Options → Add-ins.
5. At the bottom, select COM Add-ins under Manage, then select Go.
6. Clear all enabled add-ins and restart Excel normally.
7. Re-enable add-ins individually until the faulty one is identified.^2^

If Online Repair completes but Excel still cannot start even in Safe Mode, uninstall and reinstall Office from the Microsoft account associated with its licence.^3^

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References

1. Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support
2. Sorry, EXCEL encountered an error that prevented it from working properly, so EXCEL needs to be closed. Want us to fix it right away? - Microsoft Q&A
3. Problem with Excel that prevents if from working - Microsoft Q&A