Overview: Is your Excel not responding, hanging, freezing, or stopping working, and you’re not sure how to fix it? If that sounds familiar, you’re on the right page. This write-up explains why Excel is not responding, and how to fix it by starting Excel in safe mode, disabling add-ins, updating MS Excel, repairing Excel from the Control Panel, and other manual techniques. Also, you can also use automated solutions to handle corrupt or large Excel files easily.

MS Excel is widely used by organizations to store and manage financial data. Excel is used for several operations, such as the calculation of profit/loss, averages, etc. It allows users to manage data efficiently. However, Excel not responding issues can disrupt productivity, which is a frustrating, stressful situation.

If you are facing the same issue, then you are not alone. Excel keeps crashing, freezing, and not responding due to various reasons, which are explained in the upcoming sections. Here you will get complete information with a step-by-step process to fix the Excel not responding without closing.

Table of Contents
  1. Why Does Excel Not Respond or Hang?
  2. What to Do When Excel is Not Responding?
  3. Final Tips to Fix the Excel Not Responding Issue
  4. Conclusion

Why Does Excel Not Respond or Hang?

  • Before jumping into the fixes, it is important to understand why it happens and these are the common causes:
  • Large File Size: Multiple sheets, heavy formulas, or many objects make your file larger and can interrupt Excel file performance.
  • Corrupted Excel File: Sometimes improper saving, sudden system shutdown, or virus infection can make your file corrupt, which becomes a reason why the “Excel not responding” error.
  • Add-ins or Plugins: Also, third-party add-ins can affect the Excel performance. Some add-ins consume high memory or create compatibility issues.
  • Outdated Excel Version: Using an older version of Excel is another reason for Excel not responding, hanging, or stopping work.
  • System Limitations: If your system has low RAM or CPU, then it will affect the Excel performance. It’s a major issue in older computers or systems.

What to Do When Excel is Not Responding?

Here we have provided a list of 9 proven techniques to fix the Excel stop responding and working issue using:

  • Wait for Process Finish
  • Start Excel in Safe Mode
  • Disable Add-Ins
  • Update MS Excel Application
  • Repair Excel from the Control Panel
  • Reduce Workbook Size
  • Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration
  • Clear Conditional Formatting & Unnecessary Formulas
  • Check for File Corruption

Method 1: Wait for Excel to Finish Processing

This is the basic and simple technique to resolve the “Excel not responding, hangs, freezes, or stops working” issue. If your Excel is working with a large dataset, then it may hang while processing data. You need to wait for a few minutes for the process to complete. And if Excel resumes, then save your work immediately.

Method 2: Open Excel in Safe Mode

You can try to open your Excel application in Safe Mode, because it will disable all the add-ins and start Excel with default settings to resolve the error:

  1. Go to the “Start” menu and select the “Run” option.
  2. Or else, you can also press the “Windows + R” key.
  3. Then, enter “Excel.exe/safe” in the command prompt to run MS Excel in safe mode.
  4. Finally, you can try to open your Excel file to fix the Excel not responding error.

Method 3: Try to Disable Add-Ins

  1. Open your Excel workbook.
  2. Head to the “File” >> “Options” >> “Add-Ins” options.
  3. Choose the “COM Add-ins” and choose the “Go” icon.
  4. Finally, uncheck all the add-ins and restart your Excel.

Method 4: Fix Excel Not Responding by Updating Excel Application

Try updating your Microsoft Excel; it can improve the performance:

  1. Launch your Excel.
  2. Head to the “File” >> “Account in Excel” application.
  3. Hit on the “Update Options” > “Update Now” options.

Method 5: Excel Not Responding Fix: Reducing Workbook Size

The Excel not responding, hangs, or stops working issue appears mainly because of large data files. And deleting data or compressing an Excel file size is not a practical solution in the long run. So, in case your file contains crucial information, and you don’t want to delete any row or column, then use the SysTools Excel Splitter Tool.

It helps you to break Excel file into multiple files by Row and Sheet without errors and limitations. It can handle any size of data files in bulk. Download the free version to manage your large files smoothly.