EXCEL FILE DIDNT OPEN

The message indicates that Excel cannot validate the Office installation, so identify the Office 2013 license type and reactivate it before troubleshooting the workbook.

1. Identify and restore the license

Open another Office application such as Word, if possible, and select File > Account. Check the product name and activation status.

• Retail/account-linked Office 2013: If Sign in appears, sign in with the Microsoft account originally used to purchase or activate Office. If another account is shown, sign out and use the correct one. You can also check whether Office appears under Services & subscriptions at: https://account.microsoft.com/services
  This account procedure applies only if that Office 2013 purchase was linked to a Microsoft account.^1^
• Product-key installation: Select Change Product Key, if available, and enter the valid 25-character Office 2013 key. Microsoft also documents Office 2013 product-key management through OSPP.VBS; use that only if the normal activation screen is unavailable.^2^
• Workplace or volume-licensed edition: Contact the organization’s IT administrator. These installations can use KMS, MAK, or Active Directory-based activation and may require access to the organization’s network or activation service. Administrators can use ospp.vbs /dstatus to inspect licensing and ospp.vbs /act to attempt activation and obtain an error code.^3^

2. Repair Office if the license is valid

If the correct license or product key is present but Excel still displays the error:

1. Close all Office applications.
2. Press Windows key + R.
3. Enter appwiz.cpl and press Enter.
4. Find Microsoft Office 2013 under Programs and Features.
5. Right-click it and select Change.
6. For a Click-to-Run installation, select Online Repair > Repair.
7. For an MSI-based installation, select Repair > Continue.
8. Restart Windows and open Excel again.

Online Repair is more complete than Quick Repair, while MSI installations provide the standard Repair option.^4^

3. If activation still fails

• Check Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features for multiple Office versions. Remove only an obsolete or unused copy, then restart Windows; multiple installations can cause activation conflicts.^5^
• Verify the Windows date, time, and time zone are correct.
• Right-click Excel and select Run as administrator once to test for an activation permission problem.
• Install any available Office 2013 updates. The last documented Office 2013 version is 15.0.5603.1000.^6^

Office and Excel 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023 and no longer receive security updates or technical support. If activation cannot be restored with a valid license, migrate to a supported Office release or Microsoft 365 rather than obtaining Office 2013 from an unofficial download.^7^

References

1. I can't access Excel. What could be the reason? - Microsoft Q&A
2. [Command line](https://support.microsoft.com/microsoft-365-activation-licensing/office-install/change-your-office-product-key)
3. Troubleshoot volume activation of Office
4. Error code 0-3 when installing Office | Microsoft Support
5. Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support
6. Update history for Office 2013
7. Office 2013 products and Skype for Business 2015 end of support on April 11, 2023