Microsoft excel is booting me out

The correct fix depends on whether Excel is closing/crashing or remaining open but repeatedly signing you out—use the matching section below.

If Excel closes or crashes every few minutes

1. Test Excel in Safe Mode
   • Press Windows key + R.
   • Enter excel /safe and select OK.
   • Open a workbook and use it for longer than three minutes.
   Safe Mode bypasses Excel and COM add-ins, startup folders, and some customized settings.^1^
2. If Excel stays open in Safe Mode, disable its COM add-ins
   • Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
   • At the bottom, select COM Add-ins under Manage, then select Go.
   • Clear every checkbox and restart Excel normally.
   • If that resolves the issue, enable add-ins one at a time, restarting Excel after each one, until the problem returns. Leave the responsible add-in disabled.^1^
3. If only one workbook causes the problem
   • Go to File > Open > Browse.
   • Select—but do not double-click—the workbook.
   • Select the arrow beside Open, then choose Open and Repair.
   • If prompted, try Repair first. A damaged or incorrectly generated workbook can affect Excel independently of the Office installation.^2^
4. If Safe Mode also crashes, update Excel
   • Open Excel and select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
   • Restart Windows after the update completes.
5. Repair Office if updating does not help
   • Close all Office applications.
   • Windows 11: Right-click Start > Installed apps.
   • Windows 10: Right-click Start > Apps and Features.
   • Find Microsoft 365 or Office, select … > Modify.
   • Select Online Repair > Repair. This repairs the whole Office suite, not only Excel.^3^
   • Restart the PC and retest Excel.

On Windows 10 or later, the Excel check troubleshooter is another option for startup, hanging, and crashing problems.^4^ Before running it, back up the registry and files in Excel’s startup folders: the tool can modify registry entries and move startup files.^1^

If Excel remains open but signs you out or says “Unlicensed Product”

1. Open File > Account and sign in with the Microsoft account used to purchase Microsoft 365.
2. Check whether Unlicensed Product or Non-commercial use / Unlicensed Product appears in Excel’s title bar.
3. In Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, search for “Office.” If multiple Office versions are installed, uninstall the versions you do not use and restart Windows.
4. Check that the associated Microsoft 365 subscription is active.
5. If activation still fails, run the Microsoft 365 activation troubleshooter on the affected PC. It requires Windows 10 or later.^5^

If none of these paths resolves it, note the exact message displayed and whether the problem affects all workbooks or only one; that distinction determines the next diagnostic step.

References

1. Excel not responding, hangs, freezes or stops working
2. Excel fails to respond - Microsoft Q&A
3. Repair an Office application
4. Microsoft 365 troubleshooters | Microsoft Support
5. Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support