[Fixed] Excel Found a Problem with One or more Formula

Summary: The error ‘Excel found a problem with one or more formula references in this worksheet’ may appear while saving the Excel workbook. It occurs when Excel found a problem with the formula used in the sheet. However, it may also occur when the Excel workbook gets damaged or corrupt. In this guide, we’ve explained the reasons that may lead to this Excel error and methods to resolve the error, by using various Excel options and a third-party Excel file repair software.

If you are experiencing the ‘Excel found a problem with one or more formula references in this worksheet’ error message in the Excel workbook, it indicates that the Excel file is corrupt or partially damaged. However, it may also occur due to incorrect reference to a wrong cell or object linking, which is not working. The complete error message says,

‘Excel found a problem with one or more formula references in this worksheet. Check that the cell references, range names, defined names, and links to other workbooks in your formulas are all correct.’

In any case, resolving the error is critical as it doesn’t let you save the file and may result in loss of information from the Excel workbook.

Reasons for Excel Formula References Error

A few reasons that may lead to such error are as follows,

• Wrong formula or reference cell
• Incorrect object linking or link embedding OLE
• Empty or no values in named or range cells
• Multiple Excel files (not common)

Methods to Resolve ‘Excel Found a Problem with One or More Formula References in this Worksheet’ Error

Following are a few methods that you can follow to fix Excel file that can’t be saved due to problems with one or more formula references in the worksheet.

Method 1: Check Formulas

If the problem has occurred in a large Excel workbook with multiple sheets, it’s quite hard to pinpoint the problem cell. In such cases, you can use the Error Checking option that runs a scan and checks for a problem with formulas used in the worksheet.

To run Error Checking in the Excel sheet, follow these steps,

• Go to Formulas and click on the ‘Error Checking’ button

• This runs a scan on the sheet and displays the issues, if any. If no issue is found, it displays the following message,

The error check is completed for the entire sheet.

In such a case, you can try saving the Excel file again. If the error message persists, proceed to the next method.

Method 2: Check Individual Sheet

The problem may also occur due to an issue with one of the sheets in the workbook. To find the faulty sheet and fix the problem, you can copy each sheet content in a new Excel file and then try to save the Excel file.

This will help you find the faulty sheet from the workbook that you can review. This method makes the entire process of troubleshooting Excel formula reference error quite easy and convenient.

In case the error is not fixed, you can back up the faulty sheet content and remove it from the workbook to save the Excel file.

Method 3: Check Links

When the Excel file contains external links with errors, MS Excel may display such error messages. To check and confirm if external links are causing the error, follow these steps,

• Navigate to Data Tab > Queries & Connections > Edit Links
• Check the links. If you find any faulty link, remove it and then save the sheet

Method 4: Review Charts

You can review the charts to check if they are causing the formula reference error in Excel. It may take a while based on the size of the Excel file. Sometimes, it’s not practically possible to track down which Excel chart object is causing the error. Thus, you need to check specific locations, such as:

1. Check horizontal axis formula inside Select Data Source dialog box
2. Check Secondary Axis
3. Check linked Data Labels, Axis Labels, or Chart Title

Method 5: Check Pivot Tables

To check Pivot Tables, follow these steps,

• Navigate to PivotTable Tools > Analyze > Change Data Source > Change Data Source…

• Check if any of the formula used is problematic. Sometimes small typo, such as misplaced comma, can lead to such problems in Excel. Thus, check each formula thoroughly and correct the formulas wherever needed.

Method 6: Use Excel Repair Software

When none of the methods resolve the error, then you can rely on advanced Excel repair software , such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It’s a powerful tool that is recommended by several MVPs and IT administrators for resolving common Excel errors, such as ‘Excel found a problem with one or more formula references in this worksheet.’

It repairs corrupt or damaged Excel (.xls/.xlsx) files, recovers Pivot tables, charts, etc., and save them in a new Excel worksheet. It helps Excel users, facing formula reference error, restore their Excel file without any risk of data loss, while preserving the sheet properties and formatting with 100% precision.

Conclusion

Although the error ‘Excel found a problem with one or more formula references in this worksheet’ can be resolved by using various options in MS Excel, it may lead to a partial loss of information. Thus, you must perform these operations after taking a backup of the Excel worksheet. Also, if the MS Excel options fail to resolve the problem, you can use an Excel file repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel. The software helps fix Excel file corruption and restores the information and data from corrupt or damaged Excel files (.xls/.xlsx) to a new worksheet.

[Fixed] Excel VBA Runtime Error 9: Subscript Out of Range

Summary: The runtime error 9 in Excel usually occurs when you use different objects in a code or the object you are trying to use is not defined. This post will discuss the reasons behind the Excel VBA error “Subscript out of Range” and the solutions to resolve the issue. It will also mention an Excel repair tool that can help fix the error if it occurs due to corruption in worksheet.

Many users have reported encountering the error “Subscript out of range” (runtime error 9) when using VBA code in Excel. The error often occurs when the object you are referring to in a code is not available, deleted, or not defined earlier. Sometimes, it occurs if you have declared an array in code but forgot to specify the DIM or ReDIM statement to define the length of array.

Causes of VBA Runtime Error 9: Subscript Out Of Range

The error ‘Subscript out of range’ in Excel can occur due to several reasons, such as:

• Object you are trying to use in the VBA code is not defined earlier or is deleted.
• Entered a wrong declaration syntax of the array.
• Wrong spelling of the variable name.
• Referenced a wrong array element.
• Entered incorrect name of the worksheet you are trying to refer.
• Worksheet you trying to call in the code is not available.
• Specified an invalid element.
• Not specified the number of elements in an array.
• Workbook in which you trying to use VBA is corrupted.

Methods to Fix Excel VBA Error ‘Subscript out of Range’

Following are some workarounds you can try to fix the runtime error 9 in Excel.

Method 1: Check the Name of Worksheet in the Code

Sometimes, Excel throws the runtime error 9: Subscript out of range if the name of the worksheet is not defined correctly in the code. For example – When trying to copy content from one Excel sheet (emp) to another sheet (emp2) via VBA code, you have mistakenly mentioned wrong name of the worksheet (see the below code).

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Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
Worksheets("emp").Range("A1:E5").Select
Selection.Copy
Worksheets("emp3").Activate
Worksheets("emp3").Range("A1:E5").Select
ActiveSheet.Paste
Application.CutCopyMode = False
End Sub

When you run the above code, the Excel will throw the Subscript out of range error.

So, check the name of the worksheet and correct it. Here are the steps:

• Go to the Design tab in the Developer section.
• Double-click on the Command button.
• Check and modify the worksheet name (e.g. from “emp” to “emp2”).

• Now run the code.
• The content in ‘emp’ worksheet will be copied to ‘emp2’ (see below).

Method 2: Check the Range of the Array

The VBA error “Subscript out of range” also occurs if you have declared an array in a code but didn’t specify the number of elements. For example – If you have declared an array and forgot to declare the array variable with elements, you will get the error (see below):

To fix this, specify the array variable:

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Sub FillArray()
Dim curExpense(364) As Currency
Dim intI As Integer
For intI = 0 to 364
curExpense(intI) = 20
Next
End Sub

Method 3: Change Macro Security Settings

The Runtime error 9: Subscript out of range can also occur if there is an issue with the macros or macros are disabled in the Macro Security Settings. In such a case, you can check and change the macro settings. Follow these steps:

• Open your Microsoft Excel.
• Navigate to File > Options > Trust Center.
• Under Trust Center, select Trust Center Settings.
• Click Macro Settings, select Enable all macros, and then click OK.

Method 4: Repair your Excel File

The name or format of the Excel file or name of the objects may get changed due to corruption in the file. When the objects are not identified in a VBA code, you may encounter the Subscript out of range error. You can use the Open and Repair utility in Excel to repair the corrupted file. To use this utility, follow these steps:

• In your MS Excel, click File > Open.
• Browse to the location where the affected file is stored.
• In the Open dialog box, select the corrupted workbook.
• In the Open dropdown, click on Open and Repair.
• You will see a prompt asking you to repair the file or extract data from it.
• Click on the Repair option to extract the data as much as possible. If Repair button fails, then click Extract button to recover data without formulas and values.

If the “Open and Repair” utility fails to repair the corrupted/damaged macro-enabled Excel file, then try an advanced Excel repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It can easily repair severely corrupted Excel workbook and recover all the items, including macros, cell comments, table, charts, etc. with 100% integrity. The tool is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Excel.

Conclusion

You may experience the “Subscript out of range” error while using VBA in Excel. You can follow the workarounds discussed in this blog to fix the error. If the Excel file is corrupt, then you can use Stellar Repair for Excel to repair the file. It’s a powerful software that can help fix all the issues that occur due to corruption in the Excel file. It helps to recover all the data from the corrupt Excel files (.xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, and .xlsm) without changing the original formatting. The tool supports Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, and older versions.

How to Fix a Corrupted .xls File? The Everything Guide

Undoubtedly, Excel is so powerful that it can help you to process, analysis, and store data, in masses.

That’s the reason it has been there for years and helping this world in data.

But…

With all those powers comes some nasty problems which no Excel users like to face. Can you guess what I’m talking about?

Think about a Corrupted Excel File. Nightmare? Isn’t it?

And do you remember that last time when you have opened a workbook and you got a message that this workbook is might corrupt?

The TRUTH is, this is something which you cannot avoid, but, you can prepare yourself in the best way and deal with it like a PRO.

So today, in this post, I’d like to share with you to everything you need to know about a corrupt Excel file (.xls), why it happens, how to fix it like a PRO, and much more.

…let’s get started.

Note: In this post, we’ll be covering the .xls version (which is the extension for the file which is created in Excel 2007 or the earlier versions) and if you want to know about the new version, here’s the quick fix for that.

Why My Excel File Got Corrupted?

There can be one or multiple reasons for an Excel file to get corrupted. Below I have detailed about some of the major of them.

1. Large Excel File

You can store data in a workbook the way you want but sometimes using excessive thing can make an Excel file bigger in size.

And that kind of data files can crash at any point in time. Here are a few things which make the Excel files heavy, like

• Conditional Formatting.
• Colors formatting.
• Using merged cells in place of text alignment.
• Volatile functions: Formulae that iterate every time you open or change a cell value; OFFSET, NOW.
• Using a complete column or row as a reference than the data set range.
• Using complex formulas; VLOOKUP in place of Index/Match, Nested If in place of MAXIFS, MINIFS.
• Calculations or reference across workbooks.

Related: How to Fix Formatting Issues in Excel

2. Abrupt System Shutdown

Shutting down the system without following the procedure can corrupt your data file.

This shut down can be due to a power failure or any other unexpected technical challenges.

So it is always important to follow the procedures and shut down your system properly to avoid data losses.

3. Infected Excel File (Virus Attack)

This is the most common and obvious reason for Excel file corruption.

Although we always keep our system safe using various Antiviruses, still there is always a probability of virus attacks and loss of important files.

It is always advised to use a safe and strong antivirus compatible with your system requirements.

What are the Signs to Know When an Excel File is Corrupted?

In this section, we will discuss what are the signs which you can get when an Excel file is corrupted, let’s dig into it.

1. The File is Corrupt and Cannot Be Opened

This is one of the most common messages you can see when your workbook is corrupted.

But there is also a chance that it is just because of the version compatibility where you have a .xls file but you are using the latest version of Excel check out this detailed post by Priyanka

2. We Found a Problem with some Content in this File…

There’s another error message which you can get while opening a file:

We Found a Problem with some content in Do you want us to recover as much as we can? If you trust the source of this workbook, click yes.

There are a lot of applications out there (I think almost every) which exports the data as a .xls format. Those files have a greater chance of having this kind of error.

3. “Filename.xls” cannot be accessed

There can also be a situation where you get the error:

“Filename.xls” cannot be accessed. The file may be corrupted, located on a server that is not responding.

Well, this message is a bit misleading.

You won’t be able to decide that your file is actually corrupted or just not on the location.

My Excel File Got Corrupted, now What Should I Do?

There are many ways to recover the data from the corrupt excel files. But before you start, it is always advised to create a copy of the corrupted file.

You can save a lot of time with Stellar Repair for Excel, which make data recovery just with few clicks.

But before you go for a data recovery software, let’s try out some manual steps which can help.

When a workbook get corrupted the first thing comes to the mind is to recover data from it…

…and you what there’s a simple option there in the Excel which you can use to do this. Below are the steps you need to follow:

• First of all, open the Excel and click on the office icon.

• After that, go to the “Open” and select the file which is corrupted.

• Now, click on the open drop-down and select “Open and Repair”.

• At this point, you have two options:

1. Repair File
2. Extract Data

Let’s get into both of these options one by one…

1. Repair File

This option helps you to repair the file and the moment you click on it it takes a few seconds afterward and shows you the result with a message box and also provide you a log file.

And once it is done with repairing, you’ll get your file opened and you can save that file as a new copy.

Yes, that’s it.

2. Extract Data

If somehow you aren’t able to get your file repaired, you can also extract data from that file using “Extract Data” option.

Even in this option, you can get data in two ways.

1. As Values
2. With Formulas

In the first option, Excel simply extracts data as value ignoring all the formulas driving those value (which is the best way if you just need to have that data back ).

But in the second option, Excel tries to recover the formulas as much as possible.

Check out this smart technique by Jyoti which you can use it you aren’t able to recover data from the file.

Preventions to Not to have any Excel File Go Corrupt in Future

Future is fragile, what I’m trying to say is the more you work in Excel and process data there could be a chance that your workbook goes corrupt.

If there’s no security then what an EXCEL POWER user should do?

Well, there are few things which you can do or take care of while working with Excel so that you won’t have to worry about corruption of Excel workbooks.

Let’s see what you can do…

1. Change Recalculation Option

Now here’s the thing when you work with a hell lot of data, there a common thing that you gotta using formulas. Right?

But, the thing these formulas are something which makes your Excel file slows down sometimes make them go corrupt.

There’s one small tweak you can do in your workbook is change the calculation method.

Now with the manual calculation, you just need to whenever you open your file it won’t recalculate all the formulas.

And when you update your data you can simply click on the “Calculate Now” and it will calculate all the formulas again.

Quick Tip: Beware of Volatile Functions and use them with caution as recalculates them every time you change something in the worksheet.

2. Use VBA Codes Instead of Formulas

Now, this is what I do when I need to use complex formulas in a workbook.

Here’s how you can do this: Let’s say you have a formula in the cell A1, like below, which calculates the age.

=“You age is “& DATEDIF(Date-of-Birth,TODAY(),”y”) &” Year(s), “& DATEDIF(Date-of-Birth,TODAY(),”ym”)& “ Month(s) & “& DATEDIF(Date-of-Birth,TODAY(),”md”)& “ Day(s).”

Now, instead of simply entering it into the cell A1 which I would write a macro code which inserts this formula into the cell A1 and then convert it into the a value.

Here’s the code:

Sub CalculateAge()
Range(“B1”).Value = _
“=””Your age is “”” & _
“&DATEDIF(A1,TODAY(),””y””)” & _
“&”” Year(s), “”” & _
“&DATEDIF(A1,TODAY(),””ym””)” & _
“&”” Month(s), and “”” & _
“&DATEDIF(A1,TODAY(),””md””)” & _
“&”” Days(s).”””
Range(“B1”) = Range(“B1”).Value
End Sub

Note: To write these code you need to have basic understading of VBA (make sure check out this guide for this).

3. Use a File Recovery Application

Recently we asked a quick question to our readers on ExcelChamps that if they have ever faced a situation where they got a corruption message in Excel.

You’ll be astonied to hear that 50% percent of the people said “YES” they faced this thing in the past.

Now, this is alarming, if you are heading a team or you have a bunch of people in your company who use Excel…

…there’s a high probability that half of them gonna face this issue. So the best way to deal with this to have an App FIX your Excel file for you.

With STELLAR REPAIR FOR EXCEL, you just need a few clicks, yes that’s right. Let me show you with the below steps:

• First of all, download the app and install it (it’s simple).

• After that, open the app and click on the “Browse” and simply select the file which is corrupted.

• In the end, click on the REPAIR to let the Excel repair software fix your file (it takes a few seconds).

Once you complete repairing your file, you’ll get a message in your on the status bar and after that, you can open your file.

Final Thoughts

If you are a POWER Excel user then there’s a must for you to have known how to deal with a situation where you got a corrupt Excel file.

But I must recommend you to TRY OUT Stellar Repair for Excel so that’s you don’t have to worry about your Excel files anymore.

I’m sure you found this post helpful, and please don’t forget to share this tip with your colleagues, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.

Recover Corrupted Excel File 2007, 2010 | Easy Methods

There are several reasons that can cause Microsoft Excel workbooks to turn corrupt, such as virus attack, bad sectors on a drive on which Excel file is saved, system shutdown without properly closing the Excel application, etc.

Corruption in an Excel workbook can result in data loss or render the workbook inaccessible. Fortunately, Excel automatically starts recovery upon opening a corrupted Excel file. But, if it fails, you can manually repair the file or extract data from the corrupt file.

Quick Solution: Performing 2007, 2010 Excel repair or recovery process manually can be time-consuming. Also, manual workarounds to recover corrupt Excel workbook does not guarantee recovering the complete workbook data. Use Stellar Repair for Excel software to repair single or multiple Excel (XLS/XLSX) files in 3 simple steps. The software also helps recover the Excel file, keeping the data intact.

How to Fix Microsoft Excel 2010 & 2007 Files Corruption?

Microsoft Excel comes with an inbuilt repair utility, called ‘Open and Repair’, that helps fix and recover corrupted Excel files.

Steps to Repair MS Excel 2010 Files Manually

The detailed steps to open and repair Excel 2010 are as follows:

• Open Microsoft Excel 2010 and click File from the main menu.

• Next, click Open.

• Browse the corrupt Excel 2010 file on your computer and select it in the Open dialog.

• Click the arrow next to the Open button and choose Open and Repair.

• Click Repair when prompted to recover data to the maximum.
• If Excel fails to repair, click Extract Data to extract values and formulas in the corrupt file.
• Excel prompts to ‘Convert to Values’ or ‘Recover Formulas’.
• Click Yes if it prompts the following error:

“The document file name caused a serious error the last time it was opened. Would you like to continue opening it?

• When Excel opens the last saved file, save it.

Once you’re able to access the last saved 2010 Excel file, try extracting the file contents.

Save Excel 2010 File in HTML Format

If you can open the Excel file, choose the HTML format to save it in filtered form. After that, close the Excel file as you have your data in the HTML file. The steps to save an Excel file in HTML format are as follows:

• Open Microsoft Excel 2010, click Save As, and then choose Web Page in the ‘Save as’ type drop-down list.
• Select the “Enable Entire Workbook” option, and then click the Save button.
• Close the Excel file and reopen your Microsoft Excel application. Browse the HTML file that you have saved.
• Click File from the main menu, and select Save As in the list.
• Type-in a different name, choose Microsoft Excel Workbook in the ‘Save as’ type drop-down menu, and then click the Save button.

With this, you would be able to access the data in the corrupt Excel file.

If the inbuilt tool fails to repair Excel 2010 file, a few methods can help you recover data from corrupted or lost workbook manually.

Steps to Repair Excel 2007 Files Manually

Follow these steps to repair a corrupted 2007 Excel file by using the inbuilt Microsoft Excel repair tool:

• Open Microsoft Excel 2007, click the Office button, and then select Open.

• In the Open dialog box that pops-up, browse and select the corrupt Excel 2007 file. Click the arrow next to the Open button and choose Open and Repair.

• Click Repair when prompted to recover as much data as you can from Excel 2007 file.

• If a repair fails, follow steps 1 till 3, and then click Extract Data to extract values and formulas from the corrupt file.
• In the window that appears, click Convert to Values or Recover Formulas to extract workbook data.

Note: The built-in Microsoft Excel 2007 repair tool may fail to resolve Excel corruption issue. Also, choosing to extract data from the workbook involves data loss risk. Using a professional Excel repair tool, however, can resolve all types of Excel file corruption errors and restore all its data.

Methods to Recover Data from Corrupt Excel 2010 & 2007 Files

If the ‘Open and Repair’ feature fails in getting your Excel 2010, 2007 file repaired, you can try retrieving the file contents by following some manual methods. However, the methods may vary depending on whether you can open a workbook or not.

Method 1 – Move Corrupt Excel File to another System

Move the corrupt Excel file to any other computer and try opening it in MS Excel 2010/2007. Doing so, may help you resolves disk or network-related errors leading to Excel file corruption.

Method 2 – Revert Unsaved Excel File to its Last Saved Version

If an Excel file turns corrupt while working on it but before saving any changes, try reverting it to its last saved version. To do so, perform the following:

• Open your Excel application, click the Office button, and then click Open from the menu.
• Browse the corrupt Excel file, click Yes when prompted to revert to its last saved version.

What if Nothing Works?

If you fail to recover a corrupt Excel 2007/2010 file, perform Excel file recovery with Stellar Excel repair software. The software is specially designed to help users fix their corrupted XLS/XLSX files quickly and easily without any technical assistance. It also helps restore all the file data to its original form.

Points to Remember

• Close all the MS Excel instances before using the software
• If the sheet you are repairing contains engineering formulas, please include ‘Analysis TooPak’ manually from Tools > Add-Ins

If you know the corrupt Excel 2007 or 2010 file location, click Browse to choose the file. Otherwise, click Search. Follow the below steps to recover data from corrupt Excel 2007/2010 file by using Stellar Excel repair tool:

• Click the Repair button to scan the file.

• Once the scanning process is complete, the software shows a preview of recoverable Excel file items.

• To save the repaired file, click the Save File option on File menu.

• In ‘Save File’ dialog box, choose to recover Excel 2007 & 2010 data to either the Default or New location. Click OK.

The repaired Excel file gets saved at the specified location.

Preventive Measures to Avoid Losing Excel File Data

The above-discussed methods might help salvage your data. But, it is recommended that you must take some preventive measures to avoid losing the data. One such important measure is backing up a copy of your workbook automatically. Doing so, will help you get back data in case the workbook is accidentally deleted or corrupted.

Steps to Create Backup Copy Automatically

You can automatically create an Excel backup copy by following these steps:

• Click Save As from the main menu of your Excel application.
• Browse to the location where the corrupt Excel 2010/2007 file is saved.

• In ‘Save As’ dialog box, click the arrow next to Tools button (given at the bottom left corner) and choose General Options.

• In ‘General Options’ box, check Always create backup checkbox, and then click OK.

With this, you instructed MS Excel to create a backup of every Excel file you create or open for work.

Conclusion

This article outlined the typical reasons resulting in a corrupt Excel 2010 or 2007 file, such as virus infection, bad sectors on drive, etc. It explained how to fix a corrupted Excel file by using the inbuilt MS ‘Open and Repair’ tool. The article also discussed methods to recover Excel files in MS Office 2010 & 2007 when the Microsoft Excel repair tool fails. Further, it explained how using a professional repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel can come in handy when the manual methods to repair and recover Excel 2007 and 2010 file fails. But, keep in mind, a workbook may get corrupt again. And so, make sure to automatically backup your workbook to avoid losing its data.

Excel Repair Tool to Repair Corrupt Excel files (.XLS/.XLSX)

When to Use Stellar Excel File Repair Tool?

Unable to Open an Excel File Due to Invalid Extension?

You may face an error - “Excel cannot open the file .xlsx” in Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, etc., leading to data loss. This error occurs when you try to open corrupt Excel file or an invalid file format. Using the correct extension can resolve the issue, if there is no corruption. However, you need an Excel repair tool if the file is corrupt. Stellar Repair for Excel can repair the corrupt file and recover all objects in intact form.

Learn More

Excel File Not Opening Due to Corruption?

You cannot open an Excel file if it is corrupted. For example, opening an Excel file created in a lower version like Excel 2007 in Excel 2010 or later version can throw a corruption error message. Or, the file may open in a ‘protected view,’ not allowing any write operations. The Excel repair tool from Stellar provides a comprehensive solution to fix corrupt Excel files across all versions, including Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and older.

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Excel Found Unreadable Content?

You may encounter an error message – “Excel found unreadable content in filename.xls”, with a message to recover the contents of the workbook. Clicking ‘Yes’ to recover the contents may lead to loss of formatting, replacement of formulas, and inconsistencies. Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair software now Stellar Repair for Excel can scan the workbook and recover its contents.

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KEY FEATURES FOR REPAIR FOR EXCEL

Software Important Capabilities

Repair Large-sized Excel Files

Stellar Repair for Excel software previously known as Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair can repair & fix corrupt Excel files of any size. It removes corruption from individual objects, fixes the damage, and restores the Excel file back to its original state. The Excel repair tool can repair multiple Excel files in a batch.
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Resolves All Excel Corruption Errors

This Excel file repair tool fixes all types of Excel corruption errors, such as unrecognizable format, Excel found unreadable content in name.xls, Excel cannot open the file filename.xlsx, file name is not valid, the Excel file is corrupt and cannot be opened, etc. It provides a comprehensive solution for fixing Excel file issues.
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Preview the Repaired Excel File

The software shows a preview of the repaired Excel file and its recoverable contents in the main interface. This functionality allows you to verify the data in your repaired Excel file, including all of its objects, before saving the file. The Excel File Recovery software helps in determining the final state of data you will receive after repairing the corrupted Excel file.
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Recovers All Excel file Objects

The software repairs the corrupt Excel file and recovers all objects, including tables, charts, series trendline, conditional formatting rules, and properties of the worksheet. The software also recovers embedded functions, group & subtotal, engineering formulas, numbers, texts, rules, etc. It recovers Excel file data in its intact form.

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OTHER IMPORTANT FEATURES

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Option to Find Excel Files

Stellar Excel repair software helps users unaware of the Excel file location to search for all the Excel files on the computer. It provides ‘Find’ option to quickly locate and list all the Excel files for repair. You can select single or multiple files from the list that you want to repair.

Stellar Toolkit for File Repair

Stellar Toolkit for File Repair provides essential tools to repair corrupt Office files via a single interface. It comprises tools like MS Excel Repair, MS Word Repair, MS PowerPoint Repair, and PDF Repair to fix corrupt documents while maintaining the original file format.
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Repairs corrupted Excel, Word, PowerPoint, & PDF files.

• Repairs XLS, XLSX, XLTM, XLTX, and XLSM files
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Repairs corrupted Excel, Word, PowerPoint, & PDF files up to 3 systems.

• Repairs XLS, XLSX, XLTM, XLTX, and XLSM files
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• Supports Excel 2021 & older versions
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How do I repair multiple Excel files by using Stellar Repair for Excel software?

After launching the software, click Select File button in the Home tab. Next, click Browse and select the checkbox against all the Excel files you need to repair. Then, click the Repair button to start repairing all the Excel files.

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How do I see the Preview of repaired Excel file using the Demo version of the software?

Browse and select the file(s) to repair. The software will start scanning the Excel files once you click the Repair button. Next, it will display the files in the left pane. You can preview their contents in the right pane.

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How do I find the recovered Excel file?

The software saves the repaired file with the prefix “Recovered” at the user-specified location. You can find the recovered file using the Search box utility in the taskbar.

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How to Fix “Errors were detected while saving Excel” Error?

When trying to save the Excel file, you might face unexpected errors. The “Errors were detected while saving Excel” is one such error. It can also occur when using VBA in Excel. The complete error message appears as:

**“Errors were detected while saving [file name]. Microsoft Excel may be able to save the file by removing or repairing some features. To make the repairs in a new file, click Continue. To cancel saving the file, click Cancel.”
**

The error can occur if the features (Pivot tables, charts, macros) used in the Excel file get corrupted . However, there could be several other reasons behind the occurrence of the error. Let’s discuss them.

What Causes the “Errors were detected while saving Excel” Error?

There are various reasons why you encounter this error. Here are some of them:

• Incompatible pivot table in the Excel file
• Large or uncompressed images in the Excel file
• File-sharing properties are not allowing file saving
• Excel file is corrupted
• Large-sized Excel file
• File version incompatibility
• VBA code is corrupted

Ways to Fix the “Errors were detected while saving Excel” Error

You’re not able to save the Excel file if there is no storage space on your hard drive. So, first check if your hard drive has sufficient storage space to save the file. If this is not the case, then it might happen that your antivirus program is interrupting the saving process. To check this, temporarily disable your antivirus program and then try to save the file. If still your Excel is throwing the “Errors were detected while saving Excel” error, then follow the below given methods to fix the error:

Method 1: Open the Excel in Safe Mode and Disable the Add-ins

When you open Excel in safe mode, it opens without the third-party add-ins. This helps in finding out if any add-ins are causing the error.

 Here’s how to open the Excel in safe mode:

• Open the Run window by pressing Windows key + R.

• Type excel /safe in the Run window.

  ?

• Next, click on OK.

• It will open Excel in safe mode.

• Now, try to open and save the affected file.

If you are able to save the file without any issue, then this means that the error has occurred due to third-party add-ins or settings. You can try disabling the add-ins to fix the issue. To do this, follow these steps:

• First, open Excel.
• Then, go to the File tab and click Options.

• In Excel Options, click on the Add-ins

• Under the Manage section, select Excel Add-ins and then click on the Go

• In the Add-ins dialog box, unselect the add-ins under the Add-ins available option and click OK.

  

Note: Disabling add-ins does not remove them from the system. To remove them permanently, you need to uninstall them.

Method 2: Check the Excel File Name

Some users have observed this error when saving the Excel file with an invalid name. You can check the file name and ensure that it should not contain more than 218 characters. If the name exceeds the required limit, then try shortening the file name or move the file to a folder with a short path name.

Method 3: Copy the Data from the Affected File to a New File

If you are not able to save the Excel document, then try copying the data from the affected file to a new Excel file. Then, save the new file with a different name. This helps in resolving the issue.

Method 4: Check and Provide File Permissions

You may experience the “Errors were detected while saving Excel” issue when you do not have desired permissions to modify the folder in which your Excel file is located. To modify the folder, you should have read, write, and create permissions. You can check and provide the desired permissions using the below steps:

• Navigate to the Windows Program Files and then find the desired folder (where the Excel file is saved).
• Right-click on the folder and then choose Properties.
• Select the Security tab and then click
• Click on Change Permissions in the Advanced Settings
• Click Administrators and then click Edit.
• Now set the Apply to drop-down button to This Folder, Subfolder, and Files.
• Click on the Full Control field and then click Apply > OK.

Method 5: Check Pivot Tables in Excel Sheet

You can review Pivot tables to see if they are causing the “Errors were detected while saving Excel” error. To do so, follow the below steps:

• Click Power Pivot > Manage.

  

• Check the tabs in the Power Pivot

• Check if all the formulas used in the table are correct. Sometimes, even a small typo can create an issue in Excel.

Method 6: Repair Your Excel File

The “Errors were detected while saving Excel” issue can also occur if the Excel file is corrupted. In such a case, you can take the help of the built-in utility in Excel – Open and Repair to repair your Excel file. Here’s how to use the tool:

• In Excel, click the File tab and then click Open.
• Click Browse to select the desired file.
• The Open dialog box is displayed. Click on the corrupted file.
• Click on the arrow next to the Open button and then click Open and Repair.
• Click on the Repair

• After repair, a message will appear (as shown in the below figure).

  

• Click Close.

 However, sometimes, the Open and Repair utility fails to fix the file if it is severely corrupted or large-sized. In such a case, you can take the help of a third-party Excel repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel. The tool performs a comprehensive scan of the corrupted Excel file to fix the issues and recover all the items from the file without changing the original formatting. It can recover pivot tables, charts, images, engineering formulas, etc. The tool is compatible with Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7. You can download the free trial version of the tool to evaluate its functionality.

Closure

Many Excel users reported facing the situation when they are saving the Excel file. You can check the file’s compatibility to fix the “Errors were detected while saving Excel” issue. If you are getting this error in a Macro-enabled file then you can try deleting the VBA project from a document to resolve the issue. However, deleting the entire VBA code cannot be a better solution as it can lead a data loss in the Project you are working on. In the above article, you have learned the reasons behind the issue and discovered how to fix the error. Follow the methods and if none of them works then try using Stellar Repair for Excel. It is an advanced tool that can quickly repair corruption in Excel worksheets at any level. It lets you restore the corrupted components from the corrupted file without removing the existing data.

[Fixed] “Microsoft Excel Cannot Access the File” Error

Summary: The “Microsoft Excel cannot access the file” error usually occurs when there is an issue with the Excel file you are trying to save. This post summarizes the causes behind the error and mentions some effective solutions to fix it. If you suspect the problem is encountered due to corruption in the Excel file, you can use the professional Excel repair tool mentioned in the post to repair the file.

You may experience the “Microsoft Excel cannot access the file” error when saving the Excel file. This happens when the Excel application fails to read the file you are attempting to save. The error message indicates that there is an issue with the file name or its path. Sometimes, the error occurs if the file you are trying to access is already in use by another application. Some other reasons for the “Excel cannot access the file” error are:

• Faulty or incompatible Excel add-ins.
• The file is in Protected View.
• The Excel file is damaged or corrupted.
• You do not have the required permissions to access the file.
• The Excel file is not in a compatible format.

Methods to Fix “Microsoft Excel Cannot Access the File” Error

Sometimes, changing the file location can fix the “Microsoft Excel cannot access the file” error. You can try changing the file location, if the location is incorrect. If moving the file to a different location didn’t work, then try the below troubleshooting methods.

Method 1: Check the File Name and Path

You can get the “Microsoft Excel cannot access file” error if there is an issue with the file path – either the path does not exist or it is too lengthy, thus creating conflicts. Make sure the file path is correct. If the file name is too long, you can rename the file with a short name and also move the file to the parent folder instead of a subfolder. After that, remove the file from the Recent list that is created by Excel based on your recent activity. Follow the below steps:

• Open the Excel application.
• In the Recent list, right-click on the affected Excel file.
• Now, select Remove from list.

• Close the Excel application.

Now, reopen the problematic file and check if the error exists. If yes, then follow the next solution.

Method 2: Try Clearing the Microsoft Office Cache

Sometimes, clearing the Microsoft Office cache can help eliminate the “Excel cannot access the file” error. To clear the Microsoft Office cache, follow the given steps:

• First, close all the Office applications.
• Press Windows+R to open the Run window.
• Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache and press the Enter key. You can change ‘16.0’ with your Office version.

• In the OfficeFileCache window, clear all the temporary files.

Method 3: Check and Update Microsoft Excel

You can try updating your Microsoft Excel application. The latest updates include bug fixes, security patches, and other improvements. Updating the application can help fix several issues that might be causing the error. Here are the steps to update Microsoft Excel:

• Open your Excel application.
• Go to File and then select Account.
• Under Product information, click Update Options and then click Update Now.

Method 4: Disable Protected View

You may get the “Microsoft Excel cannot access the file” error if the Protected View option is enabled. You can try disabling the Protected View settings in Excel. This allows you to open the file without any restrictions. However, disabling the protected view can put your system at high risk. To disable the Protected View in Microsoft Excel, follow the below steps:

• In Excel, go to File and then click Options.
• In the Excel Options window, click Trust Center and then click Trust Center Settings.

• Click Protected View from the left pane in the Trust Center Settings window.
• Unselect the options under Protected View. Click OK.

Method 5: Check and Disable Add-ins

The “Excel cannot access the file” error can also occur due to faulty add-ins in Excel. To check if the error has occurred due to some faulty add-ins, open the application in safe mode (press Windows + R and typeexcel /safe in the Run window**)**. If you can save the file without any hiccups in safe mode, this indicates some problematic add-ins are behind the error. You can remove the Excel add-ins by following these steps:

• Open your Excel application and go to File > Options.

• In Excel Options, select Trust Center and then click Trust Center Settings.

• In Trust Center Settings, click Add-ins and thenselect “Disable all applications Add-ins”. Click OK.

Method 6: Check File Permission

You can get the “Excel cannot access the file” error if you don’t have sufficient permissions to modify the Excel file. You can check and provide the write permissions to fix the issue. Here’s how to do so:

• Open Windows Explorer.
• Find the affected Excel file, right-click on it, and click Properties.

• In the Properties window, click the Securities option and click Edit.

• In the Security window, select the user names under ‘Group or users name’.
• Check the file permissions and make sure the write option is enabled. If not, then grant the permission. Click Apply and then OK.

Method 7: Check External Links

The “Excel cannot access the file” error can also occur due to broken external links in the Excel file. External links are references to the data or content in other files. The link usually breaks if the file has been moved to another location or the file name is changed. You can check and change the source of link.

Method 8: Repair your Excel File

Excel may fail to read the file if it is corrupted or damaged. If the error “Excel cannot access the file” has occurred due to file corruption, then try the Excel’s Open and Repair utility to repair the Excel file. Here are the steps:

• In the Excel application, click the File tab and then select Open.
• Click Browse to select the problematic workbook.
• The Open dialog box will appear. Click on the corrupted file.
• Click the arrow next to the Open button and then select Open and Repair.
• You will see a dialog box with three buttons – Repair, Extract Data, and Cancel.

• Click on the Repair button to recover as much of the data as possible.
• After repair, a message is displayed. Click Close.

If the Open and Repair utility fails to work , it indicates the Excel file is severely corrupted. Use Stellar Repair for Excel to repair severely corrupt Excel file. It helps recover all the components of the corrupted Excel file, such as charts, formulas, etc. without making any changes to the original file. It can also fix all types of corruption-related errors. You can use Stellar Repair for Excel to repair Excel files created in all Excel versions – from 2007 to 2023.

Closure

The “Microsoft Excel cannot access the file” error can occur due to numerous reasons. Follow the troubleshooting methods, such as checking file location, path, permissions, etc., as discussed above to fix this error. Sometimes, Excel throws this error if the file you are trying to save is corrupted. You can try repairing the file using the built-in utility – Open and Repair. If the file is severely corrupted, then you can use Stellar Repair for Excel . It can repair damaged Excel files (.xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, and .xlsm) with complete integrity.