Why Does Excel Keep Freezing

If you’ve ever used Microsoft Excel, then you might have experienced it freezing up, not responding, or crashing at some point. These issues can be frustrating, especially when one needs to accomplish a critical task promptly.

The reasons why Excel keeps freezing can range from insufficient laptop or desktop resources to built-in settings that limit the amount of memory or CPU usage. Other causes of freezing could be related to the size or complexity of the workbook being used, corrupt add-ins, or conflicting software.

This blog post delves further into these issues and offers some tips on how to fix Excel when it freezes. By following the suggestions given, you can get back to your work without interruption and prevent the same problem from happening again

Insufficient System Resources

One of the most common reasons why Excel keeps freezing is insufficient computer resources. You might have too many applications and programs running in the background, leaving less power for Excel to operate. To fix this, try reducing the number of active programs or upgrading your computer’s memory capacity.

Solution:

Close any running programs, and if possible, upgrade your computer’s memory.

Overloading of Excel’s Memory

Excel can be resource-intensive, and if it’s handling complex data files, it could rapidly surpass the memory limits. When this occurs, Excel runs out of memory and freezes up, failing to execute any orders.

Solution:

Save your work and close all active applications to potentially free up system resources. Afterward, restart Excel with the “Open Recent Workbook” command, which will remove any workbook data saved in RAM and help free up memory.

Conflicting Add-ins

Excel add-ins are great tools to enhance the functionality of the application. However, if two or more integrated add-ins clash, conflicts can occur, leading to system crashes or freezes.

Solution:

To fix this, disable any add-ins that aren’t critical for your work. Go to the “File” menu, choose “Options,” and navigate to the “Add-Ins” tab. Afterward, remove any add-ins that have a suspect status symbol next to them.

Software Conflicts

Conflicts can happen between Excel and other software installed on your computer. Conflicting software could derive from browser extensions, anti-virus programs, or any other system software that could conflict with Excel’s operations.

Solution:

Several resolution steps could fix software conflicts. First, try starting Excel in safe mode or restart your computer to ensure no other programs are running. If you find that this did not fix the problem, you can try disabling any add-ins that aren’t critical for your work or uninstalling conflicting software until you find the cause of the problem.

It’s Time to Summarize

In summary, Excel freezing can occur due to multiple reasons ranging from insufficient resources to software conflicts. Use the steps outlined above to determine the cause of your Excel freeze and take corrective action. With these fixes, you’ll get back to your work and avoid future Excel crashes and freezes.

Corrupted Workbook

Excel might freeze if the workbook you’re using is corrupt or damaged. Corrupted workbook files could indicate the loss of stored data and the inability to save new data.

Solution:

Firstly, open Excel without any workbooks, click on “File,” and then click on “Options.” From there, select “Trust Center” and click on “Trust Center Settings.” Afterward, choose “Protected View” and uncheck all the boxes in “Enable Protected View” and “Files Originating from the Internet.” After completing the process, try opening the corrupted workbook. If that doesn’t work, try using Excel’s built-in repair feature or extract data from the corrupted file to a new workbook.

Outdated Excel version

If you’re using an outdated version of Excel, freezing, and crashes are more likely to happen. Outdated Excel versions could contain bugs and security holes that can crash the application and risk data loss.

Solution:

The best way to ensure that you’re utilizing a reliable and up-to-date Excel version is to keep your Microsoft Office Suite up to date. Check if any software updates are due for download, and run them if there are any updates. Microsoft releases updates to fix bugs and patch security issues, and regular updates can prevent Excel from freezing.

Freeze Panes

Another cause of Excel freezing could be the use of filters, tables, or data validation. Excel might fail to respond when simultaneously performing other operations on the table.

Solution:

One solution to this problem is to use Freeze Panes. Using the Freeze Panes function can help to reduce freezing and improve overall performance by locking specific panes so that they do not scroll out of view. Freeze Panes makes it easy to see headings, column labels, or even row titles for large worksheets, making it much easier to work efficiently with data-heavy files.

Conclusion

Excel freezes disrupt workflow, and they can be frustrating, but there are solutions to these issues. By using the detailed steps provided in this article, users will be able to identify the issues that cause Excel to freeze and take corrective action. Identifying software conflicts, upgrading your computer’s system resources and software, using software updates, and using Freeze Panes can help prevent Excel from freezing in the future. The most important point to remember is to save frequently!

FAQs about Excel Freezing

Below are some frequently asked questions that users may have when dealing with Excel freezing issues.

Why does Excel keep freezing?

Excel may freeze due to insufficient system resources, an overload of memory usage, conflicting add-ins, software conflicts, corrupted workbooks, outdated Excel versions, or filters, tables, or data validation.

How do I fix Excel when it freezes?

The solution to fixing Excel when it freezes depends on the cause of its freezing. Some solutions include disabling any unnecessary add-ins or upgrading your computer’s memory.

How do I prevent Excel from freezing in the future?

One effective way to prevent Excel from freezing in the future is to upgrade your computer’s resources, as well as keeping your Microsoft Office suite up to date with the latest updates and software upgrades.

How do I recover my Excel File if it’s corrupt and causing Excel to freeze?

If you have a corrupted workbook, try opening Excel without workbooks open, and disable “Protected View” in “Trust Center Settings.” If this doesn’t work, try using Excel’s built-in repair feature or extract data to a new workbook or try using a third-party Excel repair tool.

What do I do if Excel keeps freezing despite trying all the fixes?

If you have tried all the suggested solutions to fix Excel when it freezes but it keeps freezing, try to contact Microsoft Support or seek professional assistance from a reputable computer expert.