[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.

Repair Office 2016 Files (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)on Windows

If you frequently work with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) files, then issues like file inaccessibility or corruption won’t be new to you.

Let’s discuss some common scenarios which may lead to corrupt MS Office 2016 files:

Scenarios behind Microsoft Office Files Corruption

Scenario 1 – Disruption during Data Migration

You decide to move Office files from your hard drive to other removable media. However, when you try to access the data within the files post-migration, you may find Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files showing gibberish characters. Due to a power surge, sudden system shutdown, and internal mechanical failure, the files may have turned corrupt.

Figure 1- Microsoft Word file showing garbage characters

Scenario 2 – Office Files and Registry Entries Become Infected

When you open or use the Microsoft Office application, it crashes as soon as it opens. You assume that an add-in was causing the problem and restart the Office application without add-ins loaded, but the application still crashes. This may happen because of a virus infecting the Office files and registry values, thus leading to corrupt or damaged Office files.

Scenario 3 – Inaccessible or Lost Data

Suppose all your Office files are stored on a USB device, and you unplugged the device while it was still open in Windows. Now, when you attempt to open a Word or an Excel file, all the data is gone. Unsafe removal of USB or any other external storage device may corrupt the data inside your Office files or turn the file inaccessible.

How Can You Deal with Microsoft Office Files Corruption?

Here are a few solutions that can help you fix or repair Office 2016 Files Corruption:

Solution 1 – Use Microsoft in-built Repair Utility

Microsoft recommends using its in-built repair utility, ‘Open and Repair’, to fix corrupt Office files. Follow these steps to understand how you can use the utility to repair the corrupt Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files:

• Launch the MS Office application whose file you want to repair:

1. To repair corrupt Word (.doc, .docx) files, launch MS Word
2. To repair corrupt Excel files (.xls, .xlsx) files, launch MS Excel
3. To repair corrupt PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) files, launch MS PowerPoint

• Click File, and then click the Open tab.
• Click Navigate to the location or folder where the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file is stored.
• Select the corrupt file you want to repair by single-clicking on it, and then find the Open button and click on the drop-down menu next to it.

• From the drop-down menu, click the Open and Repair option and follow the subsequent instructions to repair Office 2016 files.

Solution 2 – Repair Office 2016 Installation

Try repairing the Office installation to fix the MS Office files. The steps to repair your Office installation may vary depending on the operating system you are using.

For Windows 7

• Open your PC’s control panel
• Click Programs

• Click Programs and Features, and then click Uninstall a program option

• Right-click on the Office application you want to repair, and then click Change

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• Under Change your installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016, choose Repair and then click Continue.

For Windows 10

• Right-click the Start button, and type in Apps & Features (For Windows 10)

NOTE: This step will work for Windows 10/8/8.1/7 and Vista

• Click Programs from the window that opens, click on the MS Office product you want to repair, and then click on Modify

Note: Following the step will repair the entire Microsoft Office suite even if it contains only one application you want to repair such as an Excel or PowerPoint file. But, in case you have a standalone app installed, try to locate that application by name.

• Under Change your installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016, choose Repair, and then click Continue to initiate the repair process.

Click here


• Once the repair process completes, you’ll be prompted to restart your PC. Click Yes

Solution 3 – Use Stellar Toolkit for File Repair

Repair MS Office 2016 files by using Stellar Toolkit for File Repair . This software comprises four essential utilities that can help you repair corrupt MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and PDF files.

The toolkit helps repair corrupt Office 2016 and other version documents and files while maintaining the original file format, which is less likely achievable with inbuilt methods. Follow these steps to repair MS Office 2016 documents by using the Office file repair tool:

• Download and install Stellar Toolkit for File Repair.

• Launch the software.
• From the software’s main interface, select the MS Office file you want to repair.

• From the window that pops up, select the corrupted file to be repaired.

Note: If you don’t know the exact location of corrupt office files or if they are large in number, you can locate the files by using the Find/Search option included in the software.

• After selecting the file, click the Scan button to initiate the repairing process.
• Once the scanning process is complete, all the recoverable information is displayed in the software’s left-hand panel. Click on any item to preview it before recovery.
• To save the repaired data, click the Save button, and enter a destination of your choice.
• Click OK.

Conclusion

This post outlined possible scenarios and their causes that may lead to corruption in MS Office 2016 files. It also emphasized how the inbuilt methods such as Open and Repair, and Repair Office Installation help to resolve the corruption issues. But these are not competent enough to resolve all the errors. With Stellar Toolkit for File Repair, you can resolve all sorts of corruption issues and recover data of Office 2016 files – Excel, Word, PPT, and PDF – in their original state.

How to fix Pivot Table Field Name is not Valid error in Excel?

The Pivot Table field name is not valid error can occur while creating, modifying, or refreshing data fields in the pivot table. It can also appear when using VBA code to modify the pivot table. It usually occurs when there is an issue with the field name in a code or if there is a hidden or empty column in the pivot table. However, there could be many other reasons behind this error.

Why the “Pivot Table Field Name is not Valid” Error Occurs?

You can get the “Pivot Table field name not valid” error in Excel due to several reasons. Some possible causes are:

• Excel file is corrupted
• Damaged fields in the pivot table
• Pivot table is corrupted/damaged
• Hidden columns in the pivot table
• Macro (referring to the pivot table) is corrupted
• Preserve formatting option is enabled
• Missing or incorrect fields in the VBA code
• Issue with workbook.RefreshAll method syntax (if using)
• Pivot Table contains empty columns
• Header values or header column is missing in the Pivot Table
• Pivot table is created without headers
• Columns/rows are deleted from the Pivot Table

Methods to Fix Pivot Table Field Name is not Valid Error in Excel

You can get this error if you have selected the complete data sheet and then trying to create the Pivot Table. Make sure you choose only the data fields that you want to insert in the Pivot Table. If this is not the case, then follow the troubleshooting methods mentioned below.

Method 1: Check the Header Value in the Pivot Table

The “Pivot table field name is not valid” error can occur if you have not set up the pivot table correctly. All the columns having data in them should have header and header values. A pivot table without a header value can create issues. You can check the header and its value from the Formula bar. Change the header if the header value is too lengthy or if it contains special characters.

Method 2: Check and Change the Data Range in the Pivot Table

The “Pivot Table field name is not valid” can occur while modifying a field in Pivot Table. It usually occurs if you’re trying to add or modify the field by selecting an incorrect data range in the Create PivotTable dialog box. The “Create PivotTable“ feature helps define how data would be displayed within the pivot table.

Let’s take a scenario to understand this. Open the Excel file with PivotTable. Click on the fields (you want to add), go to the Insert option, and click PivotTable.

If you select an incorrect range, i.e. A1:E18, instead of correct range - “Expenses**!$A$3:Expenses!$A$4**,” you will immediately get the error message.

So, type the correct range under the Select a table or range option and click OK.

Method 3: Unhide Excel Columns/Rows

The error can also occur if some columns/rows of the Pivot Table’s data source are hidden. When you try to add a hidden column as a field in the PivotTable, the Excel application will fail to read the data of the hidden column. You can check and unhide the Excel columns by following these steps:

• Open the Excel file.

• Locate the hidden column number.

• Move your cursor on the hidden column number and right-click on the space between the columns. Click Unhide.

  

Method 4: Check and Delete Empty Excel Columns

Sometimes, you can get the “Pivot Table field name is not valid” error if you are trying to use an empty column as a field in your Pivot Table. Check the columns with no values in all cells. If found, then delete the empty columns. This method is ideal for small-size Excel files. However, for large-sized files, it is a time-consuming process.

Method 5: Unmerge the Column Header (If Merged)

The “Pivot Table field name is not valid” error can also occur due to merged column headers. The pivot table references headers to identify the data inside the rows or columns. The merged headers can sometimes create data inconsistencies. You can try unmerging the column headers to fix the issue. Follow these steps:

• In the Excel file, go to the Home
• Click the Merge & Center option and select Unmerge Cells from the dropdown.

![unmerging cells from home tab in Excel](https://www.stellarinfo.com/public/image/catalog//article/Repair-Office-Documents/Recover-Excel-Files/pivotimage/click-home-select-unmergecells.jpg)

Method 6: Disable the Background Refresh Option

If the “background refresh” option in the Excel file is enabled, it may also create issues with Pivot Table. The Excel updates all the pivot tables in the background even after a small change if the background refresh option is enabled. This may create issues if the Excel file is large with too many tables. You can try turning off the “background refresh” option in the Excel file to troubleshoot the issue. Here is how to do so:

• In the Excel file, go to the Data tab and then click Connections.

  

• In the Workbook Connectionsdialog box, click on the ‘Add’ dropdown to add the workbook (in which you need to modify the refresh settings).

  

• Once you have chosen the Excel file, click Properties.

![Selecting Properties for the Workbook connections.](https://www.stellarinfo.com/public/image/catalog//article/Repair-Office-Documents/Recover-Excel-Files/pivotimage/click-properties-on-workbook-connections.jpg)

• In the Connection Properties window, unselect the **”Enable background refresh”**option, select the “Refresh data when opening the file“, and click **OK.

![Enabling the connection properties by enabling and refreshing data](https://www.stellarinfo.com/public/image/catalog//article/Repair-Office-Documents/Recover-Excel-Files/pivotimage/select-background-refresh-and-refresh-data-option.jpg)

**

Method 7: Check the VBA Code

The error can also occur when working with PivotTable using VBA code in Excel. Some Excel users reported this error on forums as run-time error 1004: The PivotTable field name is not valid. This error usually occurs when there are issues in the VBA code, affecting the PivotTable data source or field references. You can check field names referring to PivotTable or Workbook.RefreshAll function syntax and other errors in the code.

Method 8: Repair your Excel File

One of the reasons behind the “Pivot Table field name is not valid” error is corruption in the Excel file, containing the Pivot Table. You can repair your Excel file using Microsoft built-in utility - Open and Repair. Here’s how to use this utility:

• In Excel, navigate to File > Open.

• Click Browse to choose the affected workbook.

• The Open dialog box will appear. Click on the corrupted file.

• Click the arrow next to the Openbutton 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.

Method 9: Use a Professional Excel Repair Tool

If the Excel file is heavily damaged or corrupted, then the “Open and Repair” utility may not work or provide the intended results. In such a case, you can opt for a professional Excel repair tool. Stellar Repair for Excel is an advanced Excel file repair tool, which is highly recommended by experts. It can repair severely corrupted Excel files and restore all the data from corrupt file, including pivot tables. This tool comes with a user-friendly interface that even a non-technical user can use. You can try the software’s demo version to check how it works. The software is fully compatible with all Excel versions, including Excel 2019.

Conclusion

The Excel error “Pivot Table field name is not valid” can occur due to hidden or merged column/row headers, empty columns/rows, corrupted pivot table, and various other reasons. You can try the methods mentioned above to fix the error. If this error has occurred due to corruption in the Excel file, then you can use Stellar Repair for Excel - an advanced tool to repair corrupted pivot table, macros, fields, or other elements in an Excel file. It is compatible with all Windows editions, including the latest Windows 11. It can help fix the error if the data source or Pivot table configuration is affected by corruption.

How to fix runtime error 424 object required error in Excel

The Runtime error 424: Object required occurs when Excel is not able to recognize an object that you are referring to in a VBA code. The object can be a workbook, worksheet, range, variable, class, macro, etc. Some users have also reported that this error occurred when they tried to copy the values of the cells from one workbook to another.

Let’s understand the error through a small scenario. Suppose, I want to check the last field row in a table in a spreadsheet named “First” using the VBA code. To do this, I have added a command button and double-clicked on it and entered the below code in the backend:

Private Sub CommandButton2_Click()

Dim LRow As Integer

LRow = Worksheets(“First”).Cells(Rows.Count, 2).End(xlUp).Row

MsgBox (“Last Row “ & LRow)

End Sub

In this code, Worksheets(“First”) is a data object. If I mistakenly delete this data object and insert any random name (for example - kanada), then it will not be recognized by Excel. When I run this code, I will get the “Run-time error 424”.

Causes of Runtime Error 424 in Excel

The Runtime error 424: Object required can occur due to the following reasons:

• Incorrect name of the object you are trying to refer to in a code.
• You have provided an invalid qualifier to an object.
• You have not used the Set statement while assigning an object reference.
• The object is corrupted.
• Missing objects in a workbook.
• Objects you are trying to call in a code are mistakenly deleted or unavailable.
• You have used an incorrect syntax for object declaration.
• You are trying to perform an invalid action on an object in a code.
• Workbook is corrupted.

Solutions to Fix Runtime Error 424: Object Required in Excel

The VBA error ‘object required’ may occur due to different reasons. Based on the reason, you can follow the solutions mentioned below to fix the error.

1. Check the Name of the Object

The Runtime error 424 can occur when you run the VBA code using an incorrect name of the object. For example, the object name is ‘MyObject’ but you’re using “Backcolor”.

 When you click the Debug button, the line with the error will highlight.

To fix the issue, you need to provide the correct name of the object.

2. Check if the Object is Missing

 The Runtime error 424 can occur if the object you are referring to as a method is not available or you are using the wrong object in a code. In the below example, you can see that the error occurs when an object named “Employee” is not available in the Project list.

 You can check and mention the object which is available. For instance, Sheet2 in the below code.

3. Check All References are Declared in the Code

You can get the Runtime error 424 if all the references are not declared. So, make sure you have declared all the references in the code. To verify this, you can use the debug mode by pressing F5 or clicking on the Debug option.


4. Check the Macro Security Settings

Sometimes, the error can occur if macros are disabled in the Macro Security settings. You can check and change the settings by following these steps:

• On the Developer tab, in the Code section, click Macro Security.
• In the Trust Center window, select Enable all macros.

• Click OK.

5. Repair your Workbook

Sometimes, the ‘Object required’ error can occur if your Excel file is damaged or corrupted. In such a case, you can try repairing the file using Microsoft’s in-built utility - Open and Repair. To use this utility, follow these steps:

• In Excel, go to File > Open > Browse.
• In the Open dialog box, click on the corrupted Excel file.
• Click the arrow next to the Open button and select Open and Repair from the dropdown.
• Select Repair to recover as much data from the file as possible.

If the Open and Repair utility fails or stops working, then you can try a professional Excel repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Excel . It is an advanced tool that can repair severely corrupted Excel files (.xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, and .xlsm). It helps recover all the file components, including images, charts, tables, pivot tables, cell comments, chart sheets, formulas, etc., without impacting the original structure.

Conclusion

The Runtime error 424 usually occurs when there is an issue with the objects in your VBA code. In this article, we have covered some effective methods to resolve the “object required” error in Excel. If the error occurs due to corruption in Excel file, then you can repair the corrupt file using Stellar Repair for Excel. It is a reliable tool that can repair severely corrupted Excel file without changing its actual formatting. You can download the free trial version of the software to evaluate its functionality.

Filter Not Working Error in Excel [Fix 2024]

Summary: The filter is not working issue in Excel can occur due to several reasons, like blank rows, hidden rows, merged cells, corrupted data, etc. In this post, we will mention the reasons why the filter is not working correctly in Excel and several fixes to resolve the issue. We will also mention an advanced Excel repair tool to repair the Excel file if corruption in file is the cause of the issue.

You can use the Filter function in Excel to filter data in large-sized Excel files quickly. While using Excel filters, sometimes, you face a situation where the filter is disabled or may fail to function properly.

The Excel filter usually fails to work if you have not selected the complete and correct range of data. Let’s learn more about the “Sort and Filter not working in Excel” issue and look at the possible methods to fix it.

Why the Filter is not Working in Excel?

You can face the “filter is not working” issue if you are applying the filter on a protected worksheet or trying to find the data from a hidden row. Besides this, there could be many other reasons contributing to this issue, such as:

• The data you are trying to filter is in merged cells.
• The Excel file automatically selected the data up to the first empty cell, excluding the remaining rows.
• Grouped sheets in Excel file.
• Blank row in the Excel sheet.
• You are trying to apply a filter on an invalid data range.
• The workbooks in which you’re facing the filter issues are corrupted.
• You are specifying incorrect criteria in the filter columns.

Solutions to Resolve the Filter is not Working Issue in Excel

There might be two scenarios: the Excel filter option is disabled/grayed out or the filters fail to function properly. You can follow the given troubleshooting solutions to resolve the issue based on the scenario you’re facing.

Scenario 1 – Filter Option is Disabled or Grayed Out

Method 1: Check and Un-group the Worksheet

When you apply filters to a single sheet in a grouped set, Excel disables the filter option in other sheets within the group. You can check the grouped sheets and try ungrouping them to enable the filter option. Here’s how to do so:

• In the Excel file, go to the Group section.

• Right-click on the Ungroup Sheets.

Alternatively, you can press the Shift + Alt + Left keys to ungroup the sheets.

Method 2: Unprotect Worksheet

The “disabled Excel filter” issue can also occur if your worksheet is protected. You can unprotect the worksheet to enable the filter option. To do so, go to the Review tab and then select Unprotect Sheet.

Method 3: Check and Uninstall Excel Add-ins

Sometimes, the Excel filter gets disabled due to faulty or corrupted Excel add-ins. You can run the Excel in Safe mode to check whether the issue has occurred due to add-ins. To do this, type excel /safe in the Run window and click OK.

In safe mode, if you see the filter option, it indicates some problematic Excel add-ins were causing the issue. In such a case, you can check and uninstall the faulty Excel add-ins to fix the issue.

Scenario 2 – Filter is not Working

Method 1: Try Clearing Filters

Sometimes, the Excel filter fails to work correctly if some filters from the previous sessions are still active. In such a case, you can clear the applied filters. Follow the below steps:

• In Excel file, click Sort & Filter option.
• Select clear.

Method 2: Select Entire Data

The filter not working issue in Excel can occur when the range selected for filtering is incomplete or incorrect. You need to make sure that you’ve selected the entire data range in Excel. You can use the Ctrl+A keys to select the entire content in the worksheet.

Method 3: Check and Delete Blank Cells from the Table’s Columns

When you apply a filter to the data, Excel expects data to be in a continuous range. Excel filters do not consider the blank cells, thereby resulting in incorrect functioning of the filter. To resolve this issue, check and delete all blank cells. In case your Excel file is too large to delete the blank cells, then you can add a “Serial number” row as an alternative. Adding serial number row creates a data continuity, thus helping in fixing the filter-related issue.

Method 4: Unhide Hidden Rows and Columns

Hidden rows or columns in worksheets can also affect the filter functionality. You can check and unhide rows/columns to troubleshoot the issue. Here is how to do so:

• In the affected Excel file, go to Home.
• Click on Format > Hide & Unhide.

• Click Unhide Rows or Unhide Columns (as required).

Method 5: Unmerge Cells

You can experience the filter in Excel is not working issue if you are using the filter to extract data from merged cells. Ensure to unmerge the “merged cells” before applying a filter in Excel. Follow the below steps to unmerge the merged cells in Excel:

• Navigate to the Home option.
• In the toolbar, select the Merge & Center option.
• Click Unmerge Cells.

Method 6: Repair the Workbook

Sometimes, the Filter Not Working in Excel issue can occur due to inconsistencies in file structure. If these issues occurred due to corruption in the worksheet, you can repair it using the Open and Repair tool. It is an in-built tool in Excel that is used to repair corrupted Excel files. Here are the steps to use this tool:

• In the Excel application, navigate to the File option.
• Click Open and then click Browse to choose the Excel file.
• In the Open dialog box, click the problematic Excel file.
• Click the arrow next to the Open option and select Open and Repair.
• Click Repair to recover as much data as possible.
• The application prompts a message after the repair process is complete. Click Close.

In most cases, the Open and Repair tool can easily fix corruption issues in the Excel file. However, for any reason, if the open and repair tool doesn’t work you can consider repairing the file using a professional Excel Repair tool. Stellar Repair for Excel is one such advanced and secure tool to repair Excel files. With this tool’s powerful scanning capabilities, you can repair highly corrupted Excel files and recover all their objects with complete integrity. The tool is compatible with all Windows editions, including the latest Windows 11.

Closure

Several reasons are associated with the filter not working issue in Excel. The filter option may not work as expected if you have not selected the complete and correct range of data or for many other reasons. You can follow the troubleshooting methods discussed above to fix the issue. If the filter fails to work due to corruption in the workbook, then try Stellar Repair for Excel . It is an advanced tool that can even repair severely damaged files. It also helps to recover all the data from corrupted files without changing the original formatting. You can check the tool’s functionality by downloading its demo version. It allows you to preview all the repairable objects in the corrupted Excel file.

How to Repair Excel Document on a Flash Drive

Summary: Microsoft Excel files are stored on flash drives if they need to be transferred between systems or if they need to be backed up. But sometimes unforeseen issues can corrupt the Excel sheets stored on flash drives. When that happens, it can be an arduous task to repair Excel documents on a flash drive. Through this post let us try to understand the reasons why Excel sheets stored on flash drives can get corrupted and how users can resolve them easily.

In this digital age, we all work with computers, files, and documents. Flash drives or USBs are common ways of storing data in an external place. Be it for a meeting or for a party playlist, these devices come handy when one wants to transfer data or access the files stored elsewhere.

You may need to access your data from another location. That’s when a USB flash drive might come in handy. And, that’s exactly why Excel sheets too end up on flash drives; either that or for backup purposes. However, there are many instances where an Excel file stored in a USB gets corrupted when one tries to access the file. The error message you get while trying to open the Excel file would be a great clue for figuring out the exact reason behind corruption.

This blog will provide insights into what are the reasons for the corruption of a USB and how the users can repair Excel on flash drive that has been corrupted.

Reasons for USB inaccessibility

Sometimes flash drives or USBs can become unresponsive due to numerous reasons. There are two types of corruption – logical and physical. Physical corruptions occur due to broken stems and connectors, broken circuits, NAND gate, not recognised, RAW, need to format, not accessible, and dead drives (no power supply).

One of the main reasons behind such an error could be that the USB drive has been infected by some virus. This can affect any file – not only the ones which are there in the USB drive but also the ones which are there in the PC/Laptop where you connect the USB drive. It is recommended that you scan the USB drive with reliable antivirus software to detect viruses.

There can be various other reasons that may make your USB corrupt or unresponsive. But there are very slim chances that you will be able to recover a flash drive that has physical damage. However, you can try to run the check disk on the USB drive to fix the drive. We will be discussing this as you read on.

Recovery Methods for Corrupted Flash Drives

There are 3 tried and tested recovery methods. Try them and see which one works out for you.

1. Restoring Excel Files from Windows backup

To bring back your old Excel files, fixing up the corrupt file is your best option. Importantly note that this method would work only if your system’s Windows backup option has been enabled.

Step-by-step process for restoring your older Excel files:

• Connect your USB drive
• Go to “My Computer”->USB Drive->Check if the file exists
• Right click on the excel file and click on the restore previous versions

• You will now see a list of older versions which were created
• Select one the backups and click on “restore”

2. Using Command Line to Recover Excel Files

In case you are looking to repair Excel on flash drive, you can also resolve it by using the command line. Just follow the below steps to see if you can recover the excel files.

• Connect your USB Flash drive
• Open “Run” (press Windows+R) and then open “cmd”

• Type “attrib -h -r -s /s /d (USB Drive Letter):\*.*” where the (USB Drive Letter) is the drive letter you can find using “My Computer”
• Once this has been completed, Windows will start repairing your files
• After the process gets over, try accessing the excel file to see if the data has been recovered

3. Running a “Check Disk” on flash drives

Follow the below steps while the USB flash drive has been plugged into your computer:

• Open “Run” and then open “cmd”
• Type in “chkdsk /X /f (USB Drive Letter)” where the “(USB Drive Letter)” is the letter of the corrupted USB Drive. You can get this letter easily from the “My Computer”.

It will now check your disk to and correct any corrupted records.

What if none of these methods works?

In case none of the above methods works to repair Excel document on a flash drive, then you would need a professional Excel repair software such as Stellar Repair for Excel to restore your files. Such software not only help repair corrupted Excel files on flash drives but also help in recovering the data stored within them in their original format.

Stellar Repair for Excel resolves corruption problems in Excel files and recovers all formulas, charts, cell formatting, and more from them. It can repair multiple Excel files in one go. Equipped with a fully interactive GUI, working with this product is extremely easy.

To sum it up

Although flash drives are quite popularly used, they are not the most reliable of storage devices. These drives can fail anytime without warning. Thus, always back up your data on other more robust devices instead of flash drives. We hope that with the above tried and tested methods you will easily be able to repair Excel document on flash drive if need be. For any queries that you have, feel free to leave a comment below!

Ways to Fix Personal Macro Workbook not Opening Issue

Many users have reported encountering issues while accessing personal macro workbook, such as personal macro workbook not opening, personal macro workbook not loading automatically, Excel personal macro workbook keeps getting disabled, etc.

Such issues may arise due to a problem with the directory where the personal workbook is stored. However, there are various other reasons that may lead to such issues. Below, we’ll discuss the reasons behind the personal macro workbook not opening issue and the solutions to troubleshoot and fix the issue. But before proceeding, let’s understand why personal macro workbook is used.

Why Personal Macro Workbook is used?

You can access macros in a specific Excel workbook. However, when you need to use the same macro in other Excel worksheets, then you can create a personal macro workbook. A personal macro workbook (Personal.xlsb) is a hidden workbook that is used to store all macros. It makes your macros available every time you open Excel.

Causes of Personal Macro Workbook not Opening Issue

You may encounter personal macro workbook is not opening issue when attempting to record macros. Some possible causes behind such an issue are:

• Personal macro workbook is stored at an untrusted location
• Location of xlsb is changed
• Personal macro workbook is hidden
• Personal macro workbook becomes corrupted
• Disabled items in add-ins
• Workbook is Read-only

Methods to Fix the “Personal Macro Workbook not Opening” Issue

 Follow the given methods to fix the personal macro workbook is not opening issue:

Method 1: Check the Path of Personal.xlsb

The personal macro workbook (Personal.xlsb) file is stored in XLStart folder. It opens automatically when you open your Excel application. However, sometimes it fails to load automatically. It usually occurs when you try to open the file from an incorrect path. You can check the path of Personal.xlsb by following these steps:

• Open the workbook.
• Click on the Developer tab.

• Press Alt + F11 to open Visual Basic Editor.
• Go to View > Immediate Window.

• In Immediate Window, type the following code to know the location of the workbook:

?thisworkbook.path.

• Then, hit Enter.

• You will see the path of the personal macro workbook.
• Copy the path and paste it into Quick Access field in File Explorer.

Method 2: Unhide Personal Macro Workbook

If personal macro workbook is hidden, you may unable to see and open the Personal.xlsb file. To unhide the personal Macro workbook, follow the below steps:

• In Microsoft Excel, go to View and then click Unhide

• The Unhide dialog box is displayed. Click PERSONAL and then OK.

Method 3: Enable the Macro Add-ins

You may unable to open the previously recorded macros in your personal macro workbook if the macros are disabled. To check and enable the items, follow these steps:

• Go to File > Options.
• In Excel Options, click on the Add-ins
• Select Disabled Items from the Manage section and click on Go.

• The Disabled Items dialog box appears. Click on the disabled item and then click Enable.

Method 4: Change the Trusted Location

You may encounter the “personal macro workbook not opening” issue if the Personal.xlsb file is stored at an untrusted location. You can check and modify the path of XLSTART folder using the Trust Center window. Here are the steps:

• Open MS Excel. Go to File > Options.
• Click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.
• In the Trust Center Settings dialog box, click on Trusted Locations.

• Verify the path of the XLSTART If it is untrusted or there is any issue, then click Modify and then click OK.

Method 5: Repair your Excel File

You may fail to open personal macro workbook if it is corrupted. To repair the corrupt workbook, you can use the built-in Open and Repair utility in MS Excel. To use this tool, follow these steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Click File > Open.

• Browse to the location where the corrupted file is stored.
• In the Open dialog box, select the corrupted workbook.
• From the Open dropdown list, click Open and Repair.

The dialog box appears with the Repair and Extract buttons. Click Repair to retrieve all possible data or the Extract option to recover the data without formulas and values.

If the Open and Repair utility fails to repair the corrupted Excel workbook, then you can use a professional Excel repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It can easily repair severely corrupted Excel (XLSX and XLS) files and recover all the components. You can download the free trial version of the tool to preview the recoverable data.

Closure

This article discussed the ways to fix the personal macro workbook not opening issue. In case you are unable to open the personal macro workbook because of corruption in the workbook, you can use the Open and Repair utility in MS Excel. If it fails, then you can use Stellar Repair for Excel to fix corruption in the Excel file and recover all its data with complete integrity.