Excel (64 bit) never exceeds 2GB of memory usage

Question

Excel (64 bit) never exceeds 2GB of memory usage

Colin Sachs 85

I use Excel extensively for doing data analysis (because I don't have access to SQL/PowerBI or similar tools) and have to deal with large data files and doing calculations on them.

My prior work system had 32GB of RAM on an i7 processor. My new work systems has 128GB or RAM and an i9 processor.

On BOTH systems, Excel never used more than 2 GB of the built in RAM -- and I keep reading that the 64 bit version has NO built in memory limitation. And yet, no matter what, the RAM usage NEVER exceeds 2 GB.

The end result is that with any changes to the data sets, it can take many minutes to update pivot table or calculations with, sometimes, Excel going into never-never land and becoming "Not Responding" (sometimes crashing out).

What gives? Either there is a limit or there isn't, and it clearly seems like there IS a limit contrary to the Microsoft claim there isn't.

Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-17T20:27:31.5033333+00:00

64-bit version of Excel is installed.

No non-standard add-ins being used and none are actively being used within the workbook. Just a very large data set in a data table with a few columns added to "standardize" description fields (columns, only for names) and to categorize other data. Those all work just fine. Just take ungodly long to recalculated (note that formula calculation is set to manual which Excel seems to ignore sometimes.)

Plenty of "available system resources" as without Excel running, and the system being otherwise idle, only 1-4% CPU usage and no more than 13% memory usage.

Right now, even just working with copy/pasted data into another tab to manipulate locks-up the workbook until I have to force quit it. I mean, I'm just taking a subset of the data table, moving pasting values into an another tab, and classifying it as a work around and the Excel goes into never-never land when I try to delete or move data around on a different tab.

I am not a novice user of Excel. I have been using it, literally, for decades. I am aware of how to optimize workbooks, and this has nada to do with that. Nether my prior work system nor my current one (more powerful) show Excel ever using more than 2 GB or RAM no matter the Excel add-ons active or not, no matter the sort of calculations occurring, and no matter how the workbook is optimized for performance. Nor am I a novice when it comes to computers as I've run an IT unit and been responsible for configuring systems with OS optimization/customization for deployments.

Right now, the workbook I'm working with is a moderately large data set and it keeps going "not responsive" every time I try to do anything, and never more than 1.6 GB of RAM and there is no more than a 3-5% additional load on the CPU that is, again, at idle (with Chrome, Outlook, Teams and Task manager open plus the security and other apps running in the background that IT has installed) using more more than 1-4% of CPU and no more than 13% of RAM.

This is persistent and consistent issue with Excel and large data sets being analyzed. I'd rather use SQL/PowerBi or anther such tool, but I don't have those to work with so I'm stuck with Excel as the tool provided me at work.
Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-17T20:30:52.8633333+00:00

.....
Ryan-N 15,910 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-17T21:23:21.22+00:00

Hi Colin,

Thank you for your response and for providing the additional information.

Since you have confirmed that you are using 64-bit Excel, have no notable add-ins installed, and have already set the calculation mode to Manual, in this case, could you please uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Office to check whether the issue persists after Office has been reinstalled?

If Excel continues to become Not Responding or its performance does not improve after reinstalling Office, I recommend contacting Microsoft Technical Support for further assistance.

A support engineer can perform additional diagnostic steps and, when appropriate, work with you through a remote support session to investigate what is causing Excel to become unresponsive or identify potential bottlenecks while Excel is processing data.

To contact Microsoft Technical Support, please follow the instructions provided in the following article:

Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.
Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-17T21:45:22.4033333+00:00

System is managed by IT Department. I can do nothing (e.g., can't optimize system for Excel use or do any registry fixes) and IT Department won't - but I'll have them do an Office Repair or reinstall (already put in the request, though the problem I mentioned keeps re-occurring.)
Ryan-N 15,910 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-17T21:48:47.4233333+00:00

Thank you for your response.

After your IT team has performed an Online Repair and reinstalled Office, if you have any new updates regarding this issue, please feel free to share them with me. I will continue to assist you.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-18T00:52:42.1266667+00:00

Repair/reinstall seemed to help. At least then it is "Not Responding" it isn't crashing out or locking up for 10's of minutes... though, even doing a simple change, to a simple table of 1 row and 88 rows sends Excel into a state of "Not Responding" for minutes -- even when doing something as simple as changing one value in one cell of that simple table or removing a data row from the table.

Formula calculations are set to manual, so there should be no calculations occurring.

Also, even when closing the workbook (without saving), Excel goes into "Not Responding" for a while before the workbook actually closes.

Workbook is NOT corrupted.
Ryan-N 15,910 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-18T18:31:03.9533333+00:00

Thank you for your response.

If reinstalling Office and performing an Online Repair have not fully resolved the issue, I recommend contacting Microsoft Technical Support for further assistance. They can help investigate the device, application, and Windows profile to determine why Excel is not utilizing more RAM and identify where the process may be experiencing a bottleneck.

To contact Microsoft Technical Support, please reach out to your organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator and provide them with the following guidance:

Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

1 answer

Your answer

Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-17T20:30:52.8633333+00:00

.....
Ryan-N 15,910 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-17T21:23:21.22+00:00

Hi Colin,

Thank you for your response and for providing the additional information.

Since you have confirmed that you are using 64-bit Excel, have no notable add-ins installed, and have already set the calculation mode to Manual, in this case, could you please uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Office to check whether the issue persists after Office has been reinstalled?

If Excel continues to become Not Responding or its performance does not improve after reinstalling Office, I recommend contacting Microsoft Technical Support for further assistance.

A support engineer can perform additional diagnostic steps and, when appropriate, work with you through a remote support session to investigate what is causing Excel to become unresponsive or identify potential bottlenecks while Excel is processing data.

To contact Microsoft Technical Support, please follow the instructions provided in the following article:

Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.
Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-17T21:45:22.4033333+00:00

System is managed by IT Department. I can do nothing (e.g., can't optimize system for Excel use or do any registry fixes) and IT Department won't - but I'll have them do an Office Repair or reinstall (already put in the request, though the problem I mentioned keeps re-occurring.)
Ryan-N 15,910 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-17T21:48:47.4233333+00:00

Thank you for your response.

After your IT team has performed an Online Repair and reinstalled Office, if you have any new updates regarding this issue, please feel free to share them with me. I will continue to assist you.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Colin Sachs 85 Reputation points

2026-09-18T00:52:42.1266667+00:00

Repair/reinstall seemed to help. At least then it is "Not Responding" it isn't crashing out or locking up for 10's of minutes... though, even doing a simple change, to a simple table of 1 row and 88 rows sends Excel into a state of "Not Responding" for minutes -- even when doing something as simple as changing one value in one cell of that simple table or removing a data row from the table.

Formula calculations are set to manual, so there should be no calculations occurring.

Also, even when closing the workbook (without saving), Excel goes into "Not Responding" for a while before the workbook actually closes.

Workbook is NOT corrupted.
Ryan-N 15,910 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-18T18:31:03.9533333+00:00

Thank you for your response.

If reinstalling Office and performing an Online Repair have not fully resolved the issue, I recommend contacting Microsoft Technical Support for further assistance. They can help investigate the device, application, and Windows profile to determine why Excel is not utilizing more RAM and identify where the process may be experiencing a bottleneck.

To contact Microsoft Technical Support, please reach out to your organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator and provide them with the following guidance:

Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

Answer 1

Hi Colin,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on your description, your computer has 128 GB of RAM and an Intel Core i9 processor. However, you have noticed that 64-bit Excel typically uses only around 2 GB of RAM.

According to Microsoft's documentation, in a 64-bit environment, Excel does not have the same hard file-size limit as in a 32-bit environment. The workbook's capacity depends on the available memory and system resources.

Having 128 GB of RAM does not mean that Excel will automatically use more RAM. Therefore, if you see Excel using only around 2 GB of RAM, this does not necessarily mean that Excel is limited to 2 GB.

Regarding the "Not Responding" issue, the cause may be related to add-ins, the workbook itself, or how Excel is processing the task, rather than simply a lack of RAM.

You can refer to Microsoft's documentation here:

Excel not responding, hangs, freezes or stops working | Microsoft Support

In this case, please help me check the following information:

Make sure that your current version of Excel is 64-bit

In Excel, go to:

File > Account > About Excel

Then, check whether your Excel version is listed as 64-bit.

Try opening the affected file in Safe Mode

This will help determine whether the "Not Responding" issue is related to add-ins.

To open Excel in Safe Mode:

Win + R > type excel /safe > press Enter

Then, open the affected file again and check whether the "Not Responding" issue still occurs.

I hope this information is helpful.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it.

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