Excel is not woking on my desk top

Michael Newsom 20 Reputation points
2026-10-30T17:38:01.1633333+00:00

My Excel program is not working today. When used it is will not open

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
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Answer accepted by question author
Vikki-T 13,230 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-10-31T10:33:44.1033333+00:00

Hello Michael Newsom,

I understand that Excel suddenly stopped opening today. Since the Safe Mode and repair steps have already been provided, please open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, look for Microsoft Excel under Processes, and select End task if it is still running in the background. Then restart the computer and try opening Excel again.

If Excel still does not open, please let me know what happens when you select it: does nothing appear, does the Excel window briefly appear and close, or do you receive an error message? If there is an error, please share its exact wording or a screenshot with any personal information hidden. Thank you so much for your understanding.     

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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-30T17:38:39.33+00:00

    Start Excel in Safe Mode; if it opens, disable its add-ins, and if it does not open, run an Online Repair of Microsoft 365 or Office.

    1. Start Excel in Safe Mode

    1. Press Windows key + R.
    2. Type: excel /safe
    3. Select OK.

    Safe Mode starts Excel without most add-ins and startup customizations.^1^

    2. If Excel opens in Safe Mode

    An add-in may be preventing a normal startup:

    1. In Excel, select File > Options > Add-ins.
    2. At the bottom, set Manage to COM Add-ins, then select Go.
    3. Clear every checkbox and select OK.
    4. Close Excel and open it normally.
    5. If Excel now works, re-enable the add-ins one at a time, restarting Excel after each one. Leave the add-in that causes the problem disabled.^2^

    3. If Excel does not open in Safe Mode

    Repair the Office installation:

    Windows 11

    1. Right-click Start and select Installed apps.
    2. Find Microsoft 365, Office, or a standalone Excel installation.
    3. Select the three dots > Modify.
    4. Choose Online Repair > Repair.

    Windows 10

    1. Right-click Start and select Apps and Features.
    2. Select Microsoft 365, Office, or Excel.
    3. Select Modify.
    4. Choose Online Repair > Repair.

    Online Repair repairs the entire Office suite, even when only Excel is affected. Follow the prompts and restart the computer afterward if requested.^3^

    If Excel still will not open after Online Repair, note whether clicking it does nothing, displays an error message, or briefly opens and closes; that symptom and the exact Office edition are needed for the next repair path.

    References

    1. Open Office apps in safe mode on a Windows PC | Microsoft Support
    2. Excel not responding, hangs, freezes or stops working
    3. Repair an Office application
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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