Resolve Compile Error in Hidden Module in Excel: Causes & Solutions

The hidden module in Excel refers to a container with VBA codes, custom queries, and complex macros. The compile error in a hidden (protected) module in the Excel worksheet usually occurs when doing different activities on a macro-enabled sheet, such as merging .xls files. The error can result in macros execution failure. You need to quickly resolve this compile error to restore full functionality of the VBA code. Below, we’ll be discussing the solutions to fix this Excel error. But before that, let’s see why this error occurs.

You may encounter the Compile error in hidden module due to one of the following reasons:

• The code in the workbook is not compatible with the Excel application.
• Manual queries created in a previous version are no longer compatible with your current version of Excel.
• Missing references.
• Invalid .exe files (control information cache files) are automatically created with ActiveX control insertion in Excel file.
• Protected module is corrupted.
• The workbook with hidden module is damaged or corrupted.
• Incompatible add-ins.
• Incompatible Excel file version.
• The module is protected or password-protected.
• Missing or corrupted mscomctl.ocx file.

Excel can throw the compile error while compiling the code that exists in the protected module. So, first check the error and identify the hidden module that is creating the issue. You can unprotect the module. Also, ensure that you have permission to access the VBA code in the module. If the error still exists, follow the below troubleshooting methods.

Method 1: Re-register ActiveX Control Files or mscomctl.ocx Files

You can get the compile error in the Excel file, containing the VBA code related to ActiveX controls or OCX files. The ActiveX control files and OCX files (mscomctl.ocx files) are the components of Microsoft’s standard controls library. The compile error in the hidden module can occur if these files are missing. In this case, you can use the Regsvr32 tool to re-register the OCX files. The Regsvr32  is a command-line utility to register and unregister OLE controls in the Windows registry.

Method 2: Delete .exd Files

 The .exd files are temporary files created by Excel when inserting ActiveX controls objects. These temporary files can lead to a compile error if they are corrupted. So, if this issue has occurred, particularly in the Excel file containing ActiveX controls, then deleting .exd files might fix the issue. To delete the .exd file, follow the below steps:

• First, open the Run window by pressing the Windows+R keys.

• In the Run window, type %appdata%.

• In the Roaming window, click on the Microsoft option.

• Under Microsoft, you will see a list of folders. Search and click on Forms.
• Right-click on a file with .exd extension and select Delete.
• Once you delete the .exd files, restart your Excel application.

Method 3: Rollback the Office Updates

MS Office updates or upgrades may also cause the compile error in hidden module in Excel. If the error has occurred after downloading the recent Microsoft Office updates, try reverting to the previous version or uninstalling the recent updates to fix the issue.

Method 4: Unselect Missing References

The compile error in hidden module determine path in Excel can also occur if your file contains a reference to object library/type library, which is labelled as Missing. You can locate, check, and uncheck the references marked as ‘Missing’ to fix the issue. Here are the steps:

• Open your Excel and press Alt + F11 keys.
• The Visual Basic Editor is displayed.

• Go to the Tools option and then click References.

• In the References-VBAProject window, under Available References, search and unselect the references starting as “Missing”.

• Click OK.

Method 5: Check the Code in Module

The compile error in hidden module can occur if there are issues in the code within the module. The problems include incorrect or missing syntaxes, missing parameters/references, or the code contains incompatible functions or a wrong name of the object. You can check and fix these issues in the code by opening the VBA editor.

Method 6: Check and Remove Add-ins

In Excel, the compile error in macro-enabled files can also occur due to incompatible add-ins. You can check and disable the add-ins in Excel using the below steps:

• First, open the Run window and type excel /safe and then click OK. The Excel application will open in safe mode.
• Now try to open the affected Excel file. If it opens without the error, then check and remove the latest installed Excel add-ins.
• Navigate to the File option and then select Options.
• In the Excel Options window, click Add-ins.

• Under Add-ins, search and select the latest add-ins, and then click on Go.
• In the Add-ins window, uncheck the add-ins and then click OK.

• Restart Excel and then check if the error is fixed or not.

Method 7: Repair the Corrupt Excel File

Corruption in the Excel file can affect the macros in the hidden module, which may result in the compile error. In such a case, you can try repairing the Excel file using Microsoft’s inbuilt utility -Open and Repair. To use this tool, follow these steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Click the File tab and then click Open.
• Click Browse to select the affected workbook.
• The Open dialog box will appear. Click on the corrupted file.
• Click the arrow next to the Open button and then 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.

What if None of the Above Solutions Works?

If the above methods fail to get rid of the “compile error in hidden module” in Excel, then use an Excel repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel. This tool is specifically designed to repair the corrupted Excel file. It can recover all the components from corrupted Excel file (macros, queries, formulas, etc.) without changing their original formatting. The tool is compatible with all Excel versions and can be downloaded on a Windows system. You can download the free trial version of Stellar Repair for Excel to scan the corrupted Excel file and preview the data.

Closure

You can get the “compile error in hidden module” when Excel detects any issue while compiling the code in a protected module. It can occur when there is an issue with the macro-enabled Excel workbook or Excel add-ins. You can follow the above-mentioned methods to fix the issue. If the error occurs due to corruption in the database file, then you can try Stellar Repair for Excel . It can repair severely corrupted Excel files. It also helps recover all the Excel workbook’s components, including macros and queries. The tool has a simple and user-friendly interface.

[Fixed] The Workbook Cannot Be Opened or Repaired By Microsoft Excel

An MS Excel workbook (.XLS/.XLSX) file may not open due to damage or corruption caused by various reasons, such as:

• Sudden power failure
• System crash
• Virus or malware intrusion
• Large or oversized Excel file
• Incompatible add-ins
• Drive errors
• Damaged MS Office/Excel program files

As a result, when you try to open or access a corrupt Excel document, the program displays errors, such as “The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt.” This may lead to a data loss situation.

Methods to Fix ‘The Workbook Cannot Be Opened’ Error

When an Excel workbook gets corrupt, MS Excel automatically detects and starts the file recovery mode to open and repair the file. However, when it fails to repair the corruption or recover the Excel file automatically, it displays the error message, “The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt.” In such a situation, you can follow these methods to repair and recover the Excel document manually.

If the manual methods fail to resolve the error, you can use an Excel repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel. The software repairs corrupt XLS/XLSX file, recovers all the data, and saves it in a new Excel document with 100% precision, while keeping the cell formatting and properties intact.

NOTE: Before performing the below methods to repair or recover Excel documents, create a backup copy of the original file. This will help you recover data by using an Excel repair tool and avoid permanent data loss.  

1. Repair Excel Workbook Manually

If the automatic repair fails, you may try manual repair to fix the damage or extract the data from the damaged Excel workbook. The steps are as follows:

• Navigate to File > Open and then go to the location where the spreadsheet is located.
• In the Open window, select the corrupted workbook that you want to fix and then click on the arrow next to the Open button.
• From the available options, choose Open and Repair…

• Then click ‘Repair‘ if you want to recover maximum data from the workbook or click ‘Extract data‘ if the repair option fails to fix the issue. It will extract all the values, formulas, tables, etc., from the corrupt workbook.

If both options fail to fix the issue, head to the next method.

2. Remove Faulty or Incompatible Add-ins

Faulty or incompatible add-ins may also cause this error. To find and remove such add-ins, follow these steps:

• Press **Windows key + R.
  **

• Type Excel /safe and press ‘Enter‘ or click ‘OK.’ This opens MS Excel in Safe Mode.
• Go to File > Options and then select ‘Add-ins.‘

• Choose ‘Excel Add-ins‘ from Manage: option and then click on the Go button to view all Add-ins.

• Uncheck the checkboxes of Add-ins and then click ‘OK‘ to disable them.

Now close the Excel program and run it normally. Click ‘File > Open‘ and choose the Excel file you want to access.

3. Repair MS Office Installation

Damaged Excel program files may also lead to such errors. However, you can easily repair MS Office installation to fix the problem. The steps are as follows:

• Open Control Panel and select ‘Uninstall a program.‘

• Search and choose MS Office from the programs list. Then click on the ‘Change’ button.

• Select ‘Repair’ and follow the wizard to fix the damaged program files.

If this fails to address the issue, you can uninstall and then fresh install MS Office on your system. Alternatively, try accessing the file on another PC.

4. Use Excel Repair Software

The best option is to use an Excel repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel , to repair the file, resolve the error, and access the Excel (XLS/XLSX) worksheet. The software can repair an Excel file without any size limitation.

After recovering the Excel file using the software, you can open it in any MS Excel program without encountering the error message.

Conclusion

A corrupt or damaged Excel workbook may lead to errors, such as “The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt,” and cause a data loss situation. The most efficient way to fix such corrupt Excel files is to repair them by using an Excel repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Excel.

Unlike manual methods that may fail to resolve the issue or lead to further damage, this software extracts the data from the damaged Excel file and saves it in a new Excel workbook. Thus, it is 100% safe to run on an original Excel file, as it does not overwrite or alter the original file.

The software is free to download. You can scan, repair, and preview a corrupt Excel file by using the demo version. Once you are satisfied with the results, activate the software to save the repaired Excel workbook data in a new sheet.

How to Fix Microsoft Excel Error Code 0x800A03EC?

Summary: You can encounter the error code 0x800A03EC in Excel due to different reasons. This post discusses the causes of the error and the workarounds and methods to fix it. If the “Microsoft Excel error 0x800A03EC” prevents you from accessing the Excel file data, use the Excel repair file tool mentioned in this post to restore the data with complete integrity.

The error code 0x800A03EC in MS Excel can occur while exporting or importing Excel sheets to or from another application. It can occur when trying to execute a macro. It usually appears when the Excel application fails to read the queries in the VBA code, especially when using the PasteSpecial method (Range.PasteSpecial method) to paste cell data from the clipboard into an Excel sheet. It can occur if the cell data format is not compatible with the target data.

Causes of MS Excel Error Code 0x800A03EC

The error code 0x800A03EC in Excel can occur in different scenarios. There could be several reasons associated with this error. Some of them are:

• Incompatible data formats.
• Trying to paste an extensive range of cells into a smaller range of cells.
• Add-ins are interrupting the code operation.
• Issue with the VBA code (incorrect or incomplete queries).
• Excel file is corrupted/damaged.
• Corrupted macros.
• Trying to export large-sized Excel file which is more than the Excel’s prescribed limit.
• Outdated Excel version.
• Incompatible cell formats on source and destination (when copying/pasting cell data).
• Missing cell range (forget to specify the range while using PasteSpecial method in the VBA code).
• Trying to save Excel file to incorrect directory.
• File path contains invalid characters.

Solutions to Fix MS Excel Error Code 0x800A03EC

The error 0x800A03EC can appear if your Excel file is incompatible with your Excel application version. You can run the compatibility checker  to review the compatibility issues in your Excel file. If this is not the issue, then follow the below methods.

Method 1: Review VBA Code

The exception from hresult 0x800a03ec excel can occur if you are trying to execute incorrect or incomplete queries in the Excel VBA code. It can also appear if the formulas do not contain the equal (=) symbol at the beginning. Verify the VBA code for any logical flaws, typo errors, syntax errors, or missing references.

Method 2: Check the Field Size

Excel has certain limits and specifications . If the Excel file’s data exceeds these designated size limits, you can get the MS Excel error code 0x800A03EC error. For example, this error occurs if you try to export a file with more rows than the limit of 65536 and columns than the limit of 256. Check and optimize the file size by minimizing complex formulas and other objects.

Method 3: Check Add-ins for Disabled Items

Sometimes, disabled items in Add-ins settings can prevent macros from functioning correctly. You can check and enable the disabled items in Add-ins using these steps:

• Navigate to File > Options.

• In Excel Options, click on the Add-ins option.
• Click the arrow corresponding to the Manage section.
• Select Disabled Items and click on the Go option.

• You will see a list of disabled items.
• Click on the disabled items and then click Enable.
• Restart Excel for the applied changes to take effect.

Method 4: Change Macro Settings

The error code 0x800A03EC can also occur if macros are disabled in the Macro Security settings. Follow these steps to change the macro settings in Excel:

• In MS Excel, go to File > Options > Trust Center.

• Under Trust Center, click on Macro Settings.

• Select Enable all macros and click OK.

Method 5: Check the OLE Objects

The Microsoft Excel error code 0x800A03EC can also appear if there is a connection disruption in the VBA. Such an issue can occur if there is an issue with Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) in an Excel workbook. The OLE objects are linked to external files. You can check and remove the unnecessary OLE objects from your Excel file to fix the issue.

Method 6: Check Methods in VBA

Excel can throw the “Exception from HRESULT: 0x800A03EC” error if you are trying to call an invalid method in a VBA code. Many users have reported this issue when trying to use ‘copy and paste’ feature using copy paste special method  (range.pastespecial) in Excel. Paste special is an advanced option in Excel to smooth the copy-and-paste task. While using this method, the exception can usually occur when Excel application detects an invalid or misaligned range or mismatch data type in the syntax. To fix this, check the syntax of the paste special method.

Method 7: Repair your Excel File

Corruption in Excel file can create inconsistencies in the macro and lead to the “Exception from HRESULT 0x800a03ec Excel” error. In such a case, you can try repairing the Excel file using Microsoft’s inbuilt utility – Open and Repair. To use this utility, follow these steps:

• In the Excel application, go to the File tab and then click Open.
• Click Browse to select the Excel file in which you are getting this exception error.
• 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.

The Open and Repair tool works in significant scenarios. If Open and Repair tool fails to resolve the issue, try an Excel repair tool recommended by experts and MVPs to repair the corrupted Excel file. Stellar Repair for Excel is one of the recommended Excel repair tools for fixing issues caused by corrupt Excel files. It provides more features than the Open and Repair utility. It can even repair severely corrupted Excel files. The tool supports all the versions of Microsoft Excel, including 2019. Download the software’s demo version to scan the corrupted file and see the preview of all the recoverable components of the file.

Conclusion

There are numerous reasons, like invalid method, incorrect range, data type mismatch, etc., that could lead to the common exception error 0X800A03EC in Excel. Try the troubleshooting methods mentioned above to fix the issue. You can also encounter the error due to corruption in the Excel file. In such a case, you can try the professional software – Stellar Repair for Excel – to repair the severely corrupted Excel file. The Excel repair software can fix all the corruption-related issues in Excel files (XLS/XLSX).

File Format and Extension of [filename] don’t Match in Excel File

Summary: The “File format and extension of [filename] don’t match. The file could be corrupted or unsafe” error message indicates that the Excel file you’re trying to open is unsupported, unsafe, or corrupted. Read this article to learn more about this error and how to fix this error. It also mentions an advanced Excel recovery tool to repair the corrupted Excel file and retrieve all its data in a few clicks.

You can encounter the “File format and extension of [filename] don’t match. The file could be corrupted or unsafe” error when the Excel application detects any issue with the file. This happens when you try to open an old version file format in a newer version or if the file is received from an unsafe destination. This can prevent you from opening the Excel file.

As indicated from the error message, this error occurs due to the following reasons:

• The file has incorrect file extension.
• The file is corrupted.
• The file you are trying to open is protected.

Now, let’s see how to resolve this Excel error.

Methods to Fix the “File format and extension of [filename] don’t match” Error

Try the following methods to troubleshoot the “File format and extension don’t match” error in Excel.

Method 1: Rename the Excel File

You can face the “File format and extension don’t match” issue if the file has incorrect extension. It can occur if the file extension has been altered or you’ve mistakenly saved the file with incorrect extension. To fix this, you can try renaming the Excel file with the correct file extension.  

Method 2: Check the Default Excel File Format

Different versions of Microsoft Excel use different default file formats. For example, .xls is the default file format of older versions (2003 and lower) of Excel, whereas .xlsx format is used by the newer versions (2007 and later). Opening the Excel file with an incompatible extension can cause the “File format and extension don’t match” issue. You can check the Excel version you are using and ensure it’s compatible with the Excel file you are trying to open.

Method 3: Change the Protected View Settings

You may receive the “File format and extension of excel don’t match” error if the Excel file is protected. You can check and try disabling the Protected View settings .  

Caution: Changing the Protected View settings can put your system at risk. If the Excel file is being downloaded from the internet, it may contain viruses that can infect your system. So be careful before disabling the Protected View settings.

Steps to Change Protected View Settings in Excel:

• In the Excel’s File menu, click on Options.
• Select Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.

• Under Trust Center, select Protected View and disable the below three options:
• Enable Protected View for files originating from the internet.
• Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations.
• Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments.

• Click OK. Then, try to open the Excel file.

Method 4: Check and Provide the Excel File Permissions

Sometimes, you can get the error if you don’t have sufficient permissions to open the Excel file. This usually happens when you try to open the Excel file received from other sources. You can check and provide the desired permissions to fix the error. Here are the steps:

• Locate the affected Excel file, right-click on it, and select Properties.

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

• In the Security window, under ‘Group or users name’, select the user names. Check the file permissions and make sure Full Control is enabled. If not, then click on the Add option.

• Click on the Advanced option in the Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups window**.**

• Click the Find Now option. A list of all users and groups appears in the search field.

Click here

• Select “Everyone” from the list and then click OK.

• In the object names field, you will see ‘Everyone’. Click on OK.

• In the Permissions window, select “Everyone” and enable all options (Full Control, Modify, Read & Execute, Read, and Write) under Permissions for Everyone.

• Click Apply and then OK.

Method 4: Repair your Excel File

As the error message indicates, corruption is one of the causes of the “File format and extension of [filename] don’t match” error. If your file is corrupted, you can repair it using Microsoft’s built-in Open and Repair tool. Here are the steps to run the Open and Repair tool to repair corrupted Excel file:

• In Excel, click on File.
• Click Open and then click on Browse to select the corrupted Excel file.
• In the Open dialog box, click the Excel workbook (in which you are facing the error).
• Click the arrow next to the Open button and select Open and Repair.
• Then, click Repair to recover as much data as possible.
• The Excel prompts a message after the repair process is complete. Click Close.

The Open and Repair utility may fail to give the intended results. In such a case, you can repair the corrupted/damaged Excel file using a specialized Excel repair tool . Stellar Repair for Excel is one such tool that can repair severely corrupted Excel files. With the help of this tool, you can quickly recover all the objects from the Excel file. The tool has a simple user interface that even a non-technical can use to repair the Excel files. The tool can also repair multiple Excel files at once. You can check the tool’s functionality by downloading its demo version.

Closure

You can encounter the “File format and extension of [filename] don’t match” error due to different reasons. To resolve the issue, you can check the file extension, permissions, protected settings, etc. If you suspect the error has occurred due to corruption in the Excel file, you can try repairing the Excel file using the Open and Repair tool. If nothing works for you, then try Stellar Repair for Excel . It can repair highly damaged Excel files and recover all the data while preserving the file properties and cell formatting. The tool can help you fix all the common corruption-related errors quickly.

Excel AutoRecover not working, what is next?

Consider a Scenario

A professional with Windows 10 computer had MS Office 2016 installed on it. For an official purpose, he worked on an Excel workbook and saved it as an XLSX file. After working for hours on it, which was saved with a file name, a power outage occurred in his building for quite some time. After the power was back, he reopened Excel to find a list of recovered files in ‘Document Recovery’ section on the screen’s left side. However, the file that he had worked on recently was the ‘Original version,’ i.e. the last version saved by him and not the auto-saved Excel file. This meant the Excel document did not have any new data that was entered since the last time he saved it. Consequently, he lost hours of work. According to him, this happened despite the fact that the ‘AutoRecover’ feature was enabled. (Still, this needs to be checked and ensured.)

The ‘AutoRecover’ feature might not work in any of these cases:

• AutoRecover Feature is disabled - With this feature disabled, the Excel files are not auto-saved if the document is closed without saving, or the document closes unexpectedly due to an untoward incidence. To check, see if ‘Save AutoRecover information every * minutes’ and ‘Keep the last auto-saved version if I close without saving’ checkboxes are checked or unchecked. If either one is unchecked or both are unchecked, it signifies that the AutoRecover feature is disabled. Else, the AutoRecover is enabled.
• Corruption in the Excel XLSX file – If ‘AutoRecover’ is enabled, most probably the cause is ‘damaged Excel XLSX file.’

Before discussing solutions to resolve the ‘Excel AutoRecover not working’ issue, let’s have an overview of the ‘AutoRecover’ and ‘AutoSave’ features.

A Brief Overview of Excel AutoRecover and AutoSave Feature

AutoRecover is an inbuilt feature in MS Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2003, and 2007 that allows saving all of the ‘open Excel files’ at a fixed-interval in a user-specified location or AutoRecover file location. Besides, AutoSave is an add-in that exists in Excel 2002 and earlier versions to save all open Excel files in case of a crash, power outage, or accidental closure of Excel files without saving. Users can recover these files if Excel closes suddenly, for instance, at the time of power outage or failure. The auto-recovered Excel files are saved at a default location.

Methods to Fix ‘Excel AutoRecover Not Working’ Issue

Manual Methods

Method 1 - Enable the ‘AutoRecover’ Feature if Disabled

Make sure that you have the ‘AutoRecover’ feature enabled in your Excel application. If not, follow these steps to enable it:

• Open Excel with MS Excel 2016/2019
• Click on File and then on Options tab
• In ‘Excel Options’, click on Save tab
• Check ‘Save AutoRecover information every * minutes’ and ‘Keep the last auto saved version if I close without saving’ box
• Set the time in ‘Save AutoRecover information every * minutes’
• Click on the OK button

Note: With this method, it is not possible to recover data from the current Excel file. From next time onwards, the AutoRecover feature starts working following which Excel shall start auto-saving Excel files as per the time set in ‘Save AutoRecover information every * minute’.

Method 2 - Repair Corrupt Excel File

If corruption in Excel XLSX file has resulted in ‘Excel AutoRecover not working’ issue, you will need to repair Excel file . Use ‘Open and Repair’ inbuilt utility to fix and repair the damaged (corrupt) Excel file and extract its data. To use the inbuilt utility, execute the following steps:

• Go to location “C:\Users\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles” to find Excel TMP files and save it as XLSX file

Note: In Windows 8, the location is the same as mentioned above that is for Windows 10. In Windows 7, the location is “C:\Users\name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\”

• Open a blank Excel sheet; click File >> Open
• Go to the location and folder containing the damaged Excel file
• In the Open dialog box, choose the damaged Excel file and click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open and Repair
• In the window that appears, click Repair to recover as much data as possible

Now, open the Excel (XLSX) file to check if the Excel file is repaired and its data is recovered.

Use a Professional Excel File Repair Tool

Using a third-party Excel file repair tool can help you repair damaged Excel XLSX file and recover all the data. Stellar Repair for Excel  is one tool you can rely on to repair severely corrupt Excel files (XLSX or XLS).

Here are a few other reasons why you should choose Stellar Repair for Excel software:

• Repairs Excel file while keeping the worksheet properties and cell formatting same as before.
• Recovers all of the Excel file components like tables, forms, reports, charts, chart sheets, cell comments, formulas, images, etc.
• Can batch repair multiple Excel files simultaneously
• Supports Excel 2019 and earlier versions

Conclusion

To help resolve the problem of ‘AutoRecover not working’, different methods have been discussed, depending on the cause of the problem. These solutions can be implemented to check the possibility of getting back maximum data added in last saved version of the Excel file. However, to fix corruption in the excel file, using a specialized tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel software recommended by MS Excel Experts and MVPs can help. The software can repair severely damaged Excel file easily and efficiently.

How to Repair Multiple Excel Files by Using Stellar

With Stellar Repair for Excel, it is quite easy and simple to repair multiple MS Excel (XLS and XLSX) files that are damaged. This is because the software has a self-explanatory interface and hence is a Do-it-yourself software. Nonetheless, when using this software to repair multiple Excel files, you would have to add all of the files into the software by following a few pre-defined steps. Follow the steps mentioned below:

• Launch Stellar Repair for Excel software.
• Under Home menu, click Select file

• Click Browse and select corrupt Excel files. Select the checkbox to repair multiple files.

• Click Repair
• The software provides the preview facility. You can check the it on left pane.

• Save the repired filr ether Default location or Select New Folder radio button.

Stellar Repair for Excel Stellar Repair for Excel is the best choice for repairing corrupt or damaged Excel (.XLS/.XLSX) files. This Excel recovery software restores everything from corrupt file to a new blank Excel file.

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‘Unable to Save Excel Workbook’ Issue [Fix 2024]

Summary: You may unable to save your Excel Workbooks due to several reasons. Many users have reported this issue on the Tech Forums. This blog will discuss a few instances when users cannot save their Excel files. It lists the causes behind the issue and their possible solutions. It also mentions the Stellar Repair for Excel to fix the saving error if it is due to corruption in the Excel file.

It is easy to work with Microsoft Excel but sometimes, the application may create issues thereby hampering the smooth functioning of the workbook. One such issue is “unable to Save Excel Workbook”.

Let’s take a look at the issue of Unable to Save Excel Workbook

Instance 1:

In an organization, users connected to one of the servers (Windows 2008 R2) using Citrix – a Terminal Server configured with Windows 2008 R2 –and accessed their data through a File Server, also configured with Windows 2008R2. Since the connectivity to Shared Drive was established through a Terminal server, any conflict amongst the server configuration may create conflict in shared file.

This issue was discussed at length at one of the Tech Forums , where the users were unable to access their workbooks stored on the shared drive. The File menu did not work. As a result, the users were forced to save the workbook by creating quick access shortcuts or locally on the desktop. In many cases, the saving option was ruled out completely.

Instance 2:

A similar problem was reported, wherein the users received an error when saving an Excel workbook after inserting a chart in an existing workbook (previously saved) or copying values from an existing workbook. A system is configured with Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 10 configuration. The issue arises when the user is unable to save the changes after editing in a saved spreadsheet. The following message displays on the screen:

Figure: Unable to Save Excel WorkBook Issue

Further, if the user clicks ‘Continue’, the following error message is received:

“Excel encountered errors during save. However, Excel was able to minimally save your file to <**filename.xlsx**>”.

Note: This issue impacts build Version 1707 (Build 8326.2086) and later, and also only occurs with files that are stored locally, such as on the desktop. This problem does not occur if you manually enter values or insert a chart in a newly created workbook.

Plausible reasons for the ‘Unable to save Excel workbook’ Issue

1. The issue was detected in Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 32-bit, Service Pack 14.0.6029.1000.
2. Excel version on the user system may or may not match with Excel version on File server.
3. The issue of ‘Unable to Save Excel Workbook’ impacts only the Build Version 1707 (Build 8326.2086) and later.
4. In case of Issue 2, the problem surfaces when the user adds files, tables or charts in the locally saved excel files, such as on the desktop.

Methods to fix the ‘Unable to Save Excel Workbook’ Issue

There may be an issue with the Build version or the Registry Values settings may not be appropriate, which does not allow the Excel workbooks to save.

But, before starting to resolve the issue, verify the following:

1. The location where the file is to be saved may not have enough space to save the Excel file: Check the available space and save again. You may also use the option of ‘Save As’ to save the file at a new location.
2. Excel file may be a shared one where edits are not allowed by a specific user: There are restrictions attached to documents and other files shared over the network. Check for these restrictions.
3. Antivirus may interrupt in during file saving: Antivirus in the system may not allow saving of the files. Request the system administrator to uninstall the antivirus and reinstall after saving.
4. The file is not saved within 218 characters: If the file is not saved due to the naming issue, then check the character length and try again.
5. Differences in Windows versions of the local system and those on network drive may cause excel not saved issues. Check that all the systems have the same configuration and are updated to the recently available versions.
6. Excel spreadsheet is corrupt: If none of the above factors have not caused hindrance in saving the file, then there may be a probability of corruption in the Excel spreadsheet .

Once verified, look for a healthy and restorable backup. If backup is missing, resolve the issue of “Unable to open Excel File” with manual settings on local system or through a reliable Excel repair software.

Method 1: Modify Registry Entries

If multiple users are unable to access their workbooks stored on the shared drive and facing unable to save Excel file problem (see Instance 1 above), then follow the below steps:

1. Go to ‘Registry Entry’. To do this, type ‘regedit’ in the Start Search box, and press ENTER

Figure: Edit Registry

2. You are prompted for the administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue
3. Locate the following registry subkey, and right-click it: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC

Figure: CSC Location

4. Point the cursor to New, and click Key

Figure: Create new key

5. Type ‘File Parameters’ in the available box

Figure: File parameters

6. Right-click Parameters, point the cursor to New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value

Figure: File parameter (DWORD – 32 bit) value

7. Type ‘FormatDatabase’, and press ‘ENTER’. Right-click ‘FormatDatabase’, and click ‘Modify’

Figure: Modify format database

8. In the Value data box, type ‘1’, and click ‘OK’

Figure: Value data

9. Exit ‘Registry Editor’
10. Restart the system and verify if the files can be saved now

Method 2: Try Google Uploads

If the user is unable to save the changes after editing in a locally saved spreadsheet (see Instance 2 above), then follow these steps:

1. Upload the unsaved Excel file to Google Docs. Ensure that the file gets converted to Google Sheets format.
2. Check if all the formulae are active and working.
3. Make changes to the Google Sheet and verify that all the changes are working fine.
4. Use the Google Sheets export feature to download the file in Excel format.

Method 3: Resolve manually with Open and Repair

If the Excel file is found to have corruption, try out the Excel Open and Repair utility:

1. Open a blank Excel File. Go to File and Click Open.
2. Go to Computers and click Browse.
3. Access the Location and Folder and click the arrow icon beside Open followed by Open and Repair.

Figure: Illustrates Steps to use ‘Open and Repair’ method

The Open and Repair utility is not competitive enough and may not fix corruption in severely corrupted files. Hence, if you are unable to save Excel workbook after applying the manual methods, then you can search for a useful software-based repair utility.

Method 4: Excel File Repair Software

Specifically meant to resolve Excel file corruption. Stellar Repair for Excel helps you to repair every single object including charts, tables, their formatting, shared formulae and rules and more.

1. Install and Open the software and select the corrupt Excel File. You can also click the Find option if the file location is not known.
2. Click Scan and allow the software to scan and repair the corrupt Excel file.
3. Once repaired, the software displays the fixed file components to verify its content.
4. Click Save to save the file data in a blank new file as ‘Recovered_abc.xls’, where abc.xls is the name of the original file.

See the working of the software which has been declared as a tool that provides 100% integrity and precision.

The Excel repair software takes care to save the repaired data in a new file to minimize the chances of further corruption.

Conclusion

‘Unable to save Excel file’ is a generic problem that may appear due to various reasons. In this blog post, we presented some of the actual instances reported by users on community forums.

Windows updates, the Build versions, the Service Packs of the local systems and those on the network drive must be either similar or in sync with each other. Any deviation may cause issues in accessing or saving the Microsoft files, as reported in Instance 1 is caused where user is unable to save Microsoft Excel file on the Network Drive. In case, the user is unable to save the file on network drive then the problem lies with the Registry value.

Another case is when the users receive an error while saving an Excel workbook after they insert a chart in an existing workbook or copying values from an existing workbook. This issue is known to affect build Version 1707 (Build 8326.2086) and later, and only occurs with locally stored files.

When a user is unable to save a specific Excel file, then the problem can be resolved using the manual methods or the software based utility. The mode of repair depends upon the level of corruption in Excel file.

Hence, it is suggested to analyze the nature of the problem and decide an appropriate resolution method.