Excel won’t save. My Authenticator hasn’t requested a code for probably close to a month

Rush, Zane 0 Reputation points
2026-09-26T12:16:52.2633333+00:00

Trying to trouble shoot my excel the won’t save any of my work books. Have also realized that I haven’t been asked to authenticate anything in around a month. I used to have to authenticate everything.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For education | iOS
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  1. Demi Nguyen 2,330 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-26T13:02:10.6733333+00:00

    Hello Rush, Zane,

    To help me better understand the issue, could you please confirm the following?

    • When you select "Save", does Excel display an error message, or does it remain stuck while saving? If possible, please share a screenshot of the error or the screen where Excel becomes unresponsive.
    • What iOS version are you using?
    • Did you create the affected workbook, or was it shared with you by another person?
    • Is the workbook saved locally on the device or in OneDrive, SharePoint, or Teams?
    • Does the problem affect only this workbook or every workbook?
    • Can you create a new blank workbook, enter a small amount of text, and save it successfully?

    There are currently multiple user reports about Excel for iOS not completing AutoSave, freezing when closing a workbook, or becoming unresponsive when saving a copy to an iPhone or iPad.

    You can review a related discussion here: Excel iOS app not autosaving and freezing. | Microsoft Community Hub

    If you are using iOS 27 and experiencing the same behavior, the issue may related to the current Excel app version and its compatibility with the updated iOS environment. Please keep both Excel and iOS updated and install the next available update when it becomes available.

    In the meantime, please try uninstalling Excel from your device, restarting the iPhone, and then reinstalling Excel from the App Store. After reinstalling it, sign in again with the affected school account and test with a new blank workbook first.

    Before uninstalling Excel, please make sure that any files stored only locally on the device have been backed up. Removing the app may delete locally stored app data that has not yet synchronized.

    The lack of recent Authenticator prompts does not necessarily indicate a problem. The existing sign-in session may still be valid, and the school’s security policy may not require MFA each time Excel is used.

    After trying these steps, please let me know the results and provide the requested information. This will help me understand the situation more clearly and offer the most appropriate guidance.

    Kind regards,

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-26T12:17:09.2766667+00:00

    For the Excel save issue, start with the fastest isolation steps:

    1. In Excel, use File > Save As and save the workbook with a new file name.
    2. If that fails, try saving it to another location.
    3. Create a new blank workbook and try saving it to the original location. If the new file saves but the original one does not, the problem may be with that workbook.
    4. If possible, save the file as a different Excel file type such as .xlsx or .xlsm instead of .xls.

    Common causes supported by the documented troubleshooting are:

    • Missing folder permissions: Excel needs Read, Write, Modify, and Delete permission to save.
    • Not enough free space at the destination.
    • Antivirus software interrupting the save process.
    • A third-party Excel add-in interfering with saving.
    • File path too long: if the full path and file name exceed 218 characters, Excel may show Filename is not valid.
    • Another user or another Excel instance locking the file during save.

    If add-ins may be involved, test in Excel Safe Mode:

    1. Exit Excel.
    2. Select Start, point to Programs.
    3. As Excel starts, press and hold Ctrl until the safe mode prompt appears.
    4. Select Yes.
    5. Open a new workbook and try saving it, then test the problem workbook.

    If saving works in Safe Mode, a third-party add-in or startup file is the likely cause.

    For AutoSave specifically, it is enabled only when the file is saved to OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint Online. AutoSave is disabled if the file is:

    • saved locally or to another cloud service
    • on SharePoint on-premises
    • in an older format such as .xls, .ppt, or .doc
    • in a local OneDrive folder while OneDrive sync is paused
    • being synced by an older OneDrive sync app
    • embedded inside another Office file

    If the workbook is in Excel and AutoSave is off, also check whether it uses features that block AutoSave, including:

    • Shared Workbook
    • password encryption

    For password-encrypted workbooks, the documented approach is to remove the password from File > Info > Protect Workbook, then apply a sensitivity label from Home > Sensitivity if needed.

    About the missing Authenticator prompts: the available material only supports that if a workbook is stored on OneDrive, SharePoint, or another cloud location, Excel may prompt for Microsoft 365 sign-in rather than a workbook password, and signing back into the Microsoft account in Office can resolve that type of prompt. It also notes that if every workbook prompts for credentials, the issue is more likely related to Microsoft 365 sign-in, Windows credentials, or organizational security policies.

    A practical next step is to sign out of the Office app and sign back in, then test saving again.

    References:

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

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