FIX: Crashing, Freezing, Not Responding or Stop Working Issues in MS Excel 2013 and 2016

Are you the one facing crashing freezing, not responding or Stop Working issues in MS Excel 2013 and 2016? Then you are at the RIGHT place. Here in this article, we are discussing the troubleshooting steps to resolve these common issues in MS Excel 2013 and 2016

Well, this is a very irritating issue as this might leads that data loss situation. It is found this is commonly faced by the MS Excel 2016 users. There are various reasons behind facing these problems like loading excess of data in Excel workbook, defect in the Excel application, add-ins and many others. 

Here follow some of the common error messages faced by the users:

Excel is not responding.
Excel has stopped working.
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

Manual Steps to Fix the Issues in MS Excel 2013 and 2016

 

Also Read: 

  1. 13 Inexpensive Ways to Fix Corrupt Excel File Assuredly
  2. How to fix “The file is corrupt and cannot be opened” excel error
  3. Ways to Fix “Excel 2013 has stopped working” Error Message

 

Here follow the list of possible workarounds to resolve not responding hangs freezes, stops working MS Excel 2013 and 2016:

 

Step 1: Verify and Install the latest updates

 

MS Excel can run successfully on Windows 10, Windows 8 or 8.1, Windows 7 or Windows Vista. Windows frequently release the update, if you have set the Windows Update as automatically download and install recommended updates, then, in that case, it will automatically install all the updates, in this way it fixes the file in Excel by replacing the obsolete file from the system. In this way, the excel file can be repaired. If you are still facing Excel crashing, hanging, freezing issue then, in that case, follow the next step.

 

Step 2: Open Excel in the Safe Mode

 

In this case, you have to restart the system in Safe Mode. And, it bypasses some functions and settings like the xlstart folder, changed toolbars, Excel add-ins, and alternative startup location. If you are able to open the Excel in Safe mode then,  the problem is related to Excel startup folder. In this case from the startup folders, you have to temporarily remove any files, and then try to start Excel.

  1. Search xlstart folders on the hard drive. From these folders move any files to a temporary location and track where they came from.
  2. While startup, open all files in File Options Advanced General, then look for a path. From that location temporarily remove any files one by one.
  3. Now start Excel.

If the Excel starts, then troubleshoot the problem by replacing the files one at a time.

 

Step 3: Check Excel File Contents & Details

 

Excel files are presented in the PC/laptop for a long time. And these files are upgraded from version to version and pass through one to another user. Habitually, a user takes over the Excel file but is not aware of the included content in the file. Since this can also be a reason behind facing the crashing, freezing or hanging issues of Excel 2013 and 2016.

Here know how this can cause the performance and other Excel problems:

  • In stored Excel file using unnecessary and invalid defined names
  • The Formulas are referencing the entire columns can cause the Excel crashing issue.
  • The array formulas in the arguments referencing an uneven number of elements.
  • Using Excess of hidden or 0 height and width object in Excel
  • Utilizing extreme styles caused due to repeatedly copy and paste between books

Hope the given steps fix the issue but if not then troubleshoot it by following the step 5.

 

Step 4: Check whether the issue is related to COM add-ins

 

Generally the COM add-ins are saved as .xls, .xlam, or .xll files. While installing it requires DLLs and registry keys. It has been seen that the add-ins in Excel are not compatible with the newer version and may result in crashing Excel. So, disable the COM add-ins in Safe Mode. Try to open the excel file in safe mode and then disable this add-in. follow the ways to do so:

Follow the ways to do so:

  1. Select File Options Add-ins.
  2. Change the Manage dropdown to COM add-ins at the bottom of the dialog box, and then choose Go.
  3. Unmark the checkbox for any enabled COM add-ins. And then select OK.

If you are still facing the problem then follow the next step.

 

Step 5: Antivirus software may conflict with Excel

 

Sometimes it has been seen that antivirus is interfering with Excel and is responsible for performance issue. In order to check whether this issue is related to antivirus software, disable the antivirus and then try to open excel file. If the Excel file opens successfully, then the antivirus software is responsible for this issue. In such cases, you have to contact the antivirus service provider in order to fix the intervention of the software with Excel.

 

Step 6: Verify If the File Is Generated By a Third Party

 

Check whether the Excel file is produced by the third party application. As in this case, the file might be produced incorrectly and also some of the features might not work correctly while opening the Excel files. To check this, test the features in new files outside the third party application. And if the features work perfectly, then this clear the third party is causing the issue.

Hope that by following the given workarounds now you are able to troubleshoot issues in the MS Excel 2013 and 2016 but if still, you are facing problem then make use of the automatic repair tool to repair the problem with Excel 2016 and 2013.

 

Automatic Solution: MS Excel Repair Tool: 

 

It is recommended to make use of the MS Excel Repair Tool to fix the various problems with Excel 2016 and 2013. This is the best repair utility to repair all sort of damages, corruption, and errors in the Excel file. It is a unique tool that repairs multiple corrupted excel file at one time and also recovers everything included charts, cell comments, worksheet properties and other data. It is capable of recovering complete data without modifying the original format. This is a unique tool to repair multiple corrupted excel file at one repair cycle and restore the entire data in the preferred location.

* Free version of the product only previews recoverable data.

Steps to Utilize MS Excel Repair Tool:

 

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Conclusion:

 

Hope now you are able to fix the crashing, freezing, hanging issues in MS Excel 2013 and 2016. You can make use of the given manual solution but if you face difficult then make use of the automatic repair utility to fix the problems in Excel file and start making use of it without any hassle.



Priyanka is a content marketing expert. She writes tech blogs and has expertise in MS Office, Excel, and other tech subjects. Her distinctive art of presenting tech information in the easy-to-understand language is very impressive. When not writing, she loves unplanned travels.