MS excel not saving on iphone ios 27

Question

MS excel not saving on iphone ios 27

K 15

I have recently been unable to save changes to excel spreadsheets since updating the office app on my iPhone which is running ios 27.0

If I try to close the app which would normally save then close it gets stuck on the “saving your changes” screen

Please help it looks like a lot of people have the same problems. I already can’t run it on my iPad anymore because of older software

K 15 Reputation points

2026-09-23T22:26:15.0766667+00:00

??? Anyone
Pratik Karadia 10 Reputation points

2026-09-24T09:20:55.8766667+00:00

I am reporting the same problem.

On iPhone, AutoSave is on, it spins on closing and becomes unresponsive. I have created a new workbook with literally nothing in it apart from some text in 1 cell to test and even whilst in it, the cloud icon is spinning all the time and never reaches a tick. Tried all of the above methods, nothing has fixed it. I have been using OneDrive reliably/successfully since 2020 with no problems.

On laptop, when pasting a file into a shared folder, it continues to spin and error message reports the file is open by another user - which it is not.

I am using 1% of the allocated 1TB. I have uninstalled, unlinked, reset everything, started again, logged in, re-linked, and the problem still persists.

As there is syncing issues on both laptop and iPhone, I would argue there is an underlying issue somewhere else and not with our devices or complexity of our files.
Jassi Scott 0 Reputation points

2026-09-24T11:06:41.2433333+00:00

If Excel isn’t saving on iOS 27, I’d first check that you have enough free storage and that Excel is updated. Also make sure the file isn’t being opened from a location with restricted write access. If it still won’t save, force-close Excel and restart the iPhone before trying again.
Pratik Karadia 10 Reputation points

2026-09-24T11:11:31.92+00:00

Thanks, I have tried this but not did not work.
Lee Williams 0 Reputation points

2026-09-25T07:47:43.2+00:00

Been having the same issue on iPhone even before I updated to iOS27. Works fine on my iPad. Just on iPhone I get the same stuck on “saving changes” and then have to close and restart the app and any changes have been lost. I’ve also noticed the formula bar is blank.

1 answer

Your answer

K 15 Reputation points

2026-09-23T22:26:15.0766667+00:00

??? Anyone
Pratik Karadia 10 Reputation points

2026-09-24T09:20:55.8766667+00:00

I am reporting the same problem.

On iPhone, AutoSave is on, it spins on closing and becomes unresponsive. I have created a new workbook with literally nothing in it apart from some text in 1 cell to test and even whilst in it, the cloud icon is spinning all the time and never reaches a tick. Tried all of the above methods, nothing has fixed it. I have been using OneDrive reliably/successfully since 2020 with no problems.

On laptop, when pasting a file into a shared folder, it continues to spin and error message reports the file is open by another user - which it is not.

I am using 1% of the allocated 1TB. I have uninstalled, unlinked, reset everything, started again, logged in, re-linked, and the problem still persists.

As there is syncing issues on both laptop and iPhone, I would argue there is an underlying issue somewhere else and not with our devices or complexity of our files.
Jassi Scott 0 Reputation points

2026-09-24T11:06:41.2433333+00:00

If Excel isn’t saving on iOS 27, I’d first check that you have enough free storage and that Excel is updated. Also make sure the file isn’t being opened from a location with restricted write access. If it still won’t save, force-close Excel and restart the iPhone before trying again.
Pratik Karadia 10 Reputation points

2026-09-24T11:11:31.92+00:00

Thanks, I have tried this but not did not work.
Lee Williams 0 Reputation points

2026-09-25T07:47:43.2+00:00

Been having the same issue on iPhone even before I updated to iOS27. Works fine on my iPad. Just on iPhone I get the same stuck on “saving changes” and then have to close and restart the app and any changes have been lost. I’ve also noticed the formula bar is blank.

Answer 1

This matches a known pattern after recent iOS and Excel app updates where Excel can freeze during save or when exiting on iPhone or iPad.

Try these steps in order:

Test whether the issue is app-wide or file-specific
- Open Excel and create a new blank workbook.
- Enter a small amount of test data.
- Try Save and Exit.
- If the new file saves normally, the problem is more likely related to a specific workbook.
Force-close Excel and reopen it
- On iPhone, open the app switcher and swipe Excel away.
- Reopen Excel and try saving again.
Restart the iPhone
- This is one of the recommended first steps for Excel freezing after an update.
Reset Excel cloud settings
- Go to Settings > Excel > Reset > Reset Cloud Settings.
- Reopen Excel and test saving again.
If Excel freezes, temporarily disconnect from the network
- Turn off Wi‑Fi or enable Airplane mode when the app becomes unresponsive.
- Once Excel responds again, reconnect and test saving.
- This has been used as a workaround for iOS freezing issues.
Check available iPhone storage
- Low storage can prevent saves or make apps unresponsive.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and confirm there is free space available.
Reinstall Excel if the problem continues
- First make sure files are synced to OneDrive or otherwise backed up.
- Then uninstall Excel, restart the iPhone, and install Excel again.
- This is important because reinstalling without confirming sync or backup can risk unsaved local changes.
If the workbook is stored in OneDrive, watch for sync conflicts
- If the same file was edited on another device and changes did not fully sync, Excel can get stuck or report merge/save problems.
- After editing, save the file and confirm syncing has completed before closing the app or switching devices.
If the iPad can no longer edit files after its older OS
- Starting July 13, 2026, unsupported older macOS/iOS/iPadOS versions can cause Office apps to enter reduced functionality mode: files can open and print, but cannot be edited, saved, or created.
- The supported fix is to update the OS first, then update the Office apps.

If a specific workbook still hangs on save after these steps, try opening it on another device and using Save As with a new file name or a different Excel file type such as .xlsx.