The Excel application is crashing frequently while using or running macros written in VBA and Power Query.

Kumar, Shiva 0 Reputation points
2026-09-30T11:54:48.1466667+00:00

The Excel application is crashing frequently, and we have not yet been able to determine the cause. Event Viewer does not capture logs for every crash. However, we were able to collect the Event Viewer details below for some of the crash incidents. Please review these logs and advise on the root cause and possible resolution to prevent these frequent crashes.

Event View 1:
General:

Faulting application name: EXCEL.EXE, version: 16.0.20228.20188, time stamp: 0x6a76d1ca

Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x000001959f137994

Faulting process id: 0x2874

Faulting application start time: 0x1DD4FF605B4596B

Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE

Faulting module path: unknown

Report Id: [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

Details:

  • System
  • Provider [ Name] Application Error [ Guid] {[Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]}

EventID 1000

Version 0

Level 2

Task 100

Opcode 0

Keywords 0x8000000000000000

  • TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2026-09-29T11:33:18.7278757Z

EventRecordID [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]

Correlation 
```- Execution 

   [ ProcessID]  [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]

   [ ThreadID]  [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed] 

   Channel Application 

   Computer xxxx.com 

- Security 

   [ UserID]  [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]

- EventData 

  AppName EXCEL.EXE 

  AppVersion 16.0.20228.20188 

  AppTimeStamp 6a76d1ca 

  ModuleName unknown 

  ModuleVersion 0.0.0.0 

  ModuleTimeStamp 00000000 

  ExceptionCode c0000005 

  FaultingOffset 000001959f137994 

  ProcessId 0x2874 

  ProcessCreationTime 0x1dd4ff605b4596b 

  AppPath C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE 

  ModulePath unknown 

  IntegratorReportId [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]
  
    PackageFullName  

    PackageRelativeAppId

Event view 2:  
__General:__

Faulting application name: EXCEL.EXE, version: 16.0.20228.20186, time stamp: 0x6a76cf6a

Faulting module name: mscorwks.dll, version: 2.0.50727.9179, time stamp: 0x66905d96

Exception code: 0xc00000fd

Fault offset: 0x00000000002e8efc

Faulting process id: %9

Faulting application start time: %10

Faulting application path: %11

Faulting module path: %12

Report Id: %13

Faulting package full name: %14

Faulting package-relative application ID: %15
Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-30T11:55:13.4133333+00:00

    The crash data shows application-crash behavior, but it does not identify a single confirmed root cause from the provided logs alone.

    Supported findings from the logs:

    1. Event ID 1000 indicates an application crash.
    2. Exception code 0xc0000005 in Event View 1 is an access violation crash.
    3. Event View 1 shows the faulting module as unknown, so that log does not isolate the component causing the crash.
    4. Event View 2 shows mscorwks.dll as the faulting module with exception code 0xc00000fd, which is a stack overflow condition.

    Given that the crashes happen while using VBA macros and Power Query, the most practical supported approach is to isolate whether the trigger is:

    • an add-in,
    • workbook content,
    • the runtime environment,
    • or a specific crashing component captured in Windows crash data.

    Recommended troubleshooting path:

    1. Check Application log for repeated Event ID 1000 and 1001 pairs Repeated Event ID 1000 and 1001 entries indicate application crashing behavior and can help identify whether the same faulting module appears consistently.
    2. Start Excel in Safe Mode
      • Open Run.
      • Type Excel /safe.
      • If Excel is stable in Safe Mode, test by disabling COM add-ins:
        • File > Options > Add-ins
        • Select COM Add-ins > Go
        • Clear all check boxes
        • Restart Excel normally
      • Re-enable add-ins one at a time until the crash returns.
    3. Test the workbook in the cleanest possible environment The documented guidance for Excel crash troubleshooting recommends checking whether the issue is file-specific or environmental.
      • Test with a new blank workbook.
      • Test the same actions outside any third-party-generated workbook.
      • If the issue only occurs with one workbook, inspect workbook complexity such as excessive formulas, hidden objects, invalid names, or large numbers of shapes.
    4. Check whether the workbook is generated or modified by a third-party process If the file is produced by another application, test the same Excel features in a new workbook created directly in Excel. If the problem does not occur there, the workbook source may be contributing to the crashes.
    5. Move the file locally before testing Save and run the workbook from a local drive instead of a network location, redirected folder, SharePoint/Web folder, Citrix/Remote Desktop path, or other virtualized/network-backed location. This helps separate file corruption from storage-location issues.
    6. Check calculation behavior For workbooks with complex formulas, set calculation to manual temporarily:
      • Formulas > Calculation Options > Manual If stability improves, recalculation load may be part of the problem.
    7. Install the latest Office updates The Excel troubleshooting guidance explicitly says that if Excel does not start in Safe Mode, continue with installing the latest updates. Also, recent Excel updates have improved handling of large numbers of shapes and complex objects.
    8. Collect deeper crash data if the module remains unclear The Windows Server crash troubleshooting guidance recommends using Debugging Tools for Windows to analyze repeated Event ID 1000/1001 crash behavior and determine the faulting module when Event Viewer is insufficient.

    What can be concluded from the two events:

    • Event View 1: access violation in Excel, but no identified module.
    • Event View 2: crash involving mscorwks.dll with stack overflow, which points to a runtime/component failure path rather than a normal Excel feature error.
    • Because the faulting modules are not consistent across the two samples, the logs do not prove one single root cause yet.

    Most likely next isolation steps are:

    1. Reproduce in Safe Mode.
    2. Disable COM add-ins.
    3. Test the same macro/Power Query flow in a new local workbook.
    4. If only one workbook crashes, inspect workbook content and third-party generation.
    5. If crashes continue and Event Viewer remains incomplete, use Debugging Tools for Windows for crash analysis.

    References:

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

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  2. Demi Nguyen 2,330 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-30T12:34:32.33+00:00

    Hello Kumar, Shiva,

    Thank you for sharing the details.

    Please try the following troubleshooting steps:

    1/ Test Excel in Safe Mode

    • Close Excel completely.
    • Press Windows key + R.
    • Enter the following command: excel /safe
    • Select OK.
    • Open the affected workbook and repeat the same steps that previously caused Excel to crash.

    User's image

    If Excel does not crash in Safe Mode, the issue may be related to an add-in or a setting loaded during the normal startup process.

    2/ Disable COM Add-ins

    Open Excel normally and go to: File > Options > Add-ins

    At the bottom of the window:

    • Select COM Add-ins from the Manage dropdown.
    • Select Go.
    • Clear all selected add-ins.
    • Select OK, restart Excel, and test the workbook again.

    User's image

    If Excel no longer crashes, enable the add-ins again one at a time and repeat the test after each one. This will help identify which add-in is causing the issue.

    3/ Run an Online Repair

    If the problem continues, please repair the Microsoft 365 or Office installation:

    • Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
    • Locate Microsoft 365 or the installed Office product.
    • Select the three dots(...) > Modify.
    • Select Online Repair > Repair, as shown in the screenshot.
    • Follow the prompts and restart the computer after the repair is completed.

    User's image

    For detailed instructions, please refer to: Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support

    4/ Check for updates

    Please make sure that both Windows and Office are fully updated.

    For Windows, go to: Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates

    For Office, open Excel and go to: File > Account > Update Options > Update Now

    Install all available updates, restart the computer, and test the workbook again.

    5/ Reinstall Office if necessary

    If Online Repair and the other steps do not resolve the issue, uninstall Office, restart the computer, and reinstall it using the Microsoft account or work account associated with the license.

    Uninstalling Office removes the applications but does not delete the documents or workbooks stored on the computer: Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from a PC | Microsoft Support

    Please try these steps first and let me know whether Excel still crashes, whether it works correctly in Safe Mode, and whether disabling any add-in changes the behavior. If an error message appears, please share a screenshot after hiding any personal or sensitive information.

    Kind regards,

    Was this answer helpful?

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