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.

Fix Cannot Paste the Data Error in Microsoft Excel

When copying and pasting the cell contents or attributes from one workbook to another, you can encounter the “Cannot paste the data” error. The error indicates that the values you are trying to paste do not match the cell format (Currency, Date, Text, etc.) used in the column. The error can occur if you are attempting to paste information into a merged cell. You can also get this error if the data you are trying to paste contains more columns than the destination worksheet can accept or if the copy area and paste area aren’t the same size.

Why you cannot Paste the Data in Microsoft Excel?

You can experience the “Excel cannot paste the data” error due to one of the following reasons:

• Locked cells
• Data size limitation
• Formatting issues
• The file size is too large
• Overloaded clipboard
• Data type mismatch
• Invalid range
• Lack of permissions
• Excel file is corrupted
• Compatibility issues
• While pasting the merged cells

Methods to Fix MS Excel Cannot Paste the Data Error

The “Microsoft Excel cannot paste the data” error usually appears when copying and pasting data within the spreadsheet. It primarily affects the copy-and-paste feature within the Excel file. However, the impact of this error may vary with the data you are working with. When this error occurs, first try restarting the Excel application. Ensure that you’ve saved all your important data before restarting the application to prevent data loss. If, after performing this basic step, you still face the issue, then try the following troubleshooting methods.

Method 1: Check and Unlock Cells in Excel

You can get the Excel cannot paste the data error if the cells you are trying to paste in the Excel file are locked. You can check and unlock the specific cells in the Excel file using the below steps:

• Go to the Home tab in your Excel file and click Format Cell Font popup launcher.

• In the Format Cells dialog box, click Protection.

• Under the Protection option, unselect the locked field and then click OK.

Method 2: Check and Fix the Cell Format

Sometimes, you can get the “Cannot paste the data” error in Excel if there is an issue with the formatting of the cells in the column (in which you are trying to paste the data). You can check whether the cell formats of the columns of the source file (from where you are copying data) match the destination file (in which you are pasting the cell data). If not, then change the cell format. Here’s how to do so:

• In the Excel file, click on the affected column heading (whose cells you need to modify).
• Navigate to the Home tab and click the General dropdown menu.

• Click on the desired cell format that matches the values you are trying to paste into the column.

Method 3: Check Copy and Paste Area Size

The “data cannot be pasted” issue can also occur if Excel detects the copy area of the range of cells is not of the same size and shape as that of the paste area. So, make sure the size of the range of cells for the paste area is same as the copied area. To ensure this, you can try the following:

• Use Upper-left Cell

 You can select the upper-left cell instead of the complete range to paste.

• Use Paste Special Option

• You can use the Paste Special option to paste the data. To use this option, go to Home > Paste Special.

• You can choose from the different options, such as paste all, formulas, operations, Transpose, skip blanks, etc. to take control over how the data is pasted.

Method 4: Check and Unmerge Cells

The merged cells in the workbook can create discrepancies when copying and pasting data. These can create mismatch between the source and destination cell areas, resulting in errors. Make sure you are not pasting the data copied from merged cells. You can check and unmerge the cells using the below steps:

• Open the Excel file (in which you are copying data) and go to the Home tab.
• Click Merge & Center > Unmerge Cells.

Method 5: Unselect the Excel DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) Option

Sometimes, you can get the Excel cannot paste the data error while copying and pasting data from Excel file to external data sources or applications. It usually appears if you have established DDE links between them. To resolve this, you can uncheck the “Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)” option. Follow the below steps to do so:

• Open your Excel file.
• Go to File > Options.

In Excel Options, click Advanced and unselect “Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). Click OK.

Here are some additional solutions you can try to fix the “Cannot paste the data” error in Excel

Check the Excel File Format

Sometimes, the copy and paste error can occur if you try to move data from an older version of Excel file (XLS) into a newer version file (XLSX) or vice versa. You can try to change or convert the file format to resolve the issue.

Clear Clipboard

Too many items on the clipboard can prevent you from copying and pasting the data. You can empty your clipboard  by deleting all clips. To do this, go to Home and click the Clipboard option.

Change the Column’s Cell Format

You can get the “Cannot paste the data” error when the information you need to paste does not match the cell format in the column. In such a case, you can change the column’s cell format. To do this, navigate to the Home option and then click on the General menu arrow. Then, change the cell format suitable to the type of information you are trying to paste in that column.

Add Columns

The copy-and-paste error in Excel can also occur if there are not enough columns to accept the data that you are trying to paste. You can insert more columns and then try copying and pasting data. To insert additional columns, click on the column heading, click Home, and then select Insert.

Remove Incompatible Add-ins

Sometimes, incompatible or faulty add-ins can also create conflicts with Excel’s clipboard operations, leading to the error. To check if add-ins are causing the issue, open the Excel file in safe mode. In safe mode, if you are able to paste the data, then check and uninstall the incompatible Excel Add-ins.

What to do if Nothing Works?

If the above methods do not work, then corruption in the Excel file could be the cause of the “Cannot paste the data” error. In such a case, you can use Excel’s built-in Open and Repair utility to repair the corrupted file. Here’s how to use this utility to repair the Excel file:

• Open your Excel application.
• Navigate to File and then click Open.
• Click the Browse option to select the affected Excel file.
• The Open dialog box opens up. Click on the corrupted file.
• From the Open dropdown, select the Open and Repair option.
• The Excel will prompt you to choose one of the below options:
• Repair
• Extract
• Cancel
• Select the Repair option to extract maximum data from the file. If the Repair option fails, choose the Extract option to recover the data, excluding formulas and values.

 The Open and Repair utility may not be able to repair your Excel file if it is severely corrupted. In such a situation, the best possible way out is to use a professional Excel repair software to repair the file. You can try Stellar Repair for Excel. It can repair highly damaged or corrupted Excel (.xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, or .xlsm) file and recover all the objects from the file by maintaining the original formatting. The tool supports 2007 and higher editions of MS Excel. You can download the demo version of the software to preview the repaired objects and verify its functionality.

Conclusion

The “Excel cannot paste the data” error in Excel can occur due to different factors. You can check and clear the clipboard, unmerge the cells, unlock the cells, and use various other methods mentioned above to troubleshoot the error. If you fail to copy and paste the data due to file corruption, then opt for an advanced Excel repair software, like Stellar Repair for Excel. It is a reliable tool that can help you repair highly damaged/corrupted Excel files. It enables you to recover all the objects from the corrupted Excel file, with complete integrity.

How to Fix Excel Formulas Not Working Properly | Step-by-Step Guide

Summary: Excel formulas sometimes fail to function correctly and even return an error. This article explains what you might be doing wrong that prevents Excel formulas from working properly and solutions to resolve the issue. If your formulas have disappeared from the Excel spreadsheet and you are having trouble recovering them, you can use an Excel repair tool to recover the formulas.

When working with Excel formulas, situations may arise when the formula doesn’t calculate or update automatically. Or, you may receive errors by clicking on a formula.

Problems Causing the ‘Excel Formulas not Working Properly’ Issue and Solutions

Let’s check out the possible reasons that cause Excel formulas to work properly and solutions to resolve the issue.

Problem 1 – Switching Automatic to Manual Calculation Mode

Automatic and manual are the two modes of calculation in Microsoft Excel.

By default, Excel is set to automatic calculation mode. Everything is recalculated automatically when any changes are made in a worksheet in this mode. You may switch from automatic to manual mode to disable the recalculation of formulas, particularly when working with a large Excel file with too many formulas.

Excel will not calculate automatically when set to manual calculation mode. And this may make you think that the Excel formula is not working properly.

Solution – Change Calculation Mode from Manual to Automatic

To do so, perform these steps:

• Click on the column with problematic formulas.
• Go to the Formulas tab, click the Calculation Options drop-down, and select Automatic.

Problem 2 – Missing or Mismatched Parentheses

It’s easy to miss or incorrectly place parentheses or include extra parentheses in a complex formula. If a parenthesis is missing or mismatched and you click Enter after entering a formula, Excel displays a message window suggesting to fix the issue (refer to the screenshot below).

Clicking ‘Yes’ might help fix the issue. But Excel might not fix the parentheses properly, as it tends to add the missing parentheses at the end of a formula which won’t always be the case.

Solution – Check for Visual Cues When Typing or Editing a Formula with Parentheses

When typing a formula or editing one, Excel provides visual cues to determine if there’s an issue with the parentheses inserted in a formula. Checking for these visual cues can help you fix missing/mismatched parentheses.

• Excel helps identify parenthesis pairs by highlighting them in different colors. For instance, the pair of parenthesis outside is black.
• Excel does not make the opening parentheses bold. So, if you’ve inserted the last closing parentheses in a formula, you can determine if your parentheses are mismatched.
• Excel helps identify parentheses pairs by highlighting and formatting them with the same color once you cross over them.

Problem 3 – Formatting Cells in an Excel Formula

When adding a number in an Excel formula, don’t add any decimal separator or special characters like $ or €. You may use a comma to separate a function’s argument in an Excel formula or use a currency sign like $ or € as part of cell references. Formatting the numbers may prevent the formula from functioning correctly.

Solution – Use Format Cells Option for Formatting

Use Format Cells instead of using a comma or currency signs for formatting a number in the formula. For instance, rather than entering a value of $10,000 in your formula, insert 10000, and click the ‘Ctrl+1’ keys together to open the Format Cells dialog box.

Problem 4 – Formatting Numbers as Text

Numbers are displayed as left-aligned in a sheet in a worksheet, and text formatted numbers are right-aligned in cells. Excel considers numbers formatted as text to be text strings. Thus, it leaves those numbers out of calculations. As a result, a formula won’t work as intended. For example, in the following screenshot, you can see that the SUM formula works correctly for normal numbers. But, when the SUM formula is applied to numbers formatted as text, the formula doesn’t return the correct value.

Sometimes, you may also see an apostrophe in the cells or green triangles in the top-left corner of all the cells when numbers in those cells are formatted as Text.

Solution – Do Not Format Numbers as Text

To fix the issue, do the following:

• Select the cells with numbers stored as text, right-click on them, and click Format Cells.
• From the Format Cells window, click on Number and then press OK.

Problem 5 – Double Quotes to Enclose Numbers

Avoid enclosing numbers in a formula in double-quotes, as the numbers are interpreted as a string value.

Meaning if you enter a formula like =IF(A1>B1, “1”), Excel will consider the output one as a string and not a number. So, you won’t be able to use 1’s in calculations.

Solution – Don’t Enclose Numbers in Double Quotes

Remove any double quotes around a number in your formula unless you want that number to be treated as text. For example, you can write the formula mentioned above as “1” =IF(A1>B1, 1).

Problem 6 – Extra Space at Beginning of the Formula

When entering a formula, you may end up adding an extra space before the equal (=) sign. You may also add an apostrophe (‘) in the formula at times. As a result, the calculation won’t be performed and may return an error. This usually happens when you use a formula copied from the web.

Solution – Remove Extra Space from the Formula

The fix to this issue is pretty simple. You need to look for extra space before the equal sign and remove it. Also, ensure there is an additional apostrophe added in the formula.

Other Things to Consider to Fix the ‘Excel Formulas not Working Properly’ Issue

• If your Excel formula is not showing the result as intended, see this blog .
• When you refer to other worksheets with spaces or any non-alphabetical character in their names, enclose the names in ‘single quotation marks’. For example, an external 5reference to cell A2 in a sheet named Data enclose the name in single quotes: ‘Data’!A1.
• You may see the formula instead of the result if you have accidentally clicked the ‘Show Formulas’ option. So, click on the problematic cell, click on the Formula tab, and then click Show Formulas.
• If you’re getting an error “Excel found a problem with one or more formula references in this worksheet”, find solutions to fix the error here .

Conclusion

This blog discussed some problems you might make causing an Excel formula to stop working properly. Read about these common problems and solutions to fix them. If a problem doesn’t apply in your case, move to the next one. If you cannot retrieve formulas in your Excel sheet, using an Excel file repair tool like Stellar Repair for Excel can help you restore all the formulas. It does so by repairing the Excel file (XLS/XLSX) and recovering all the components, including formulas.

Fixed “Cannot Insert Object” Error in Excel | Step-by-Step Guide

Summary: The error “cannot insert object” in MS Excel can prevent you from modifying objects in the worksheet. This blog will discuss the primary reasons behind this error and the possible solutions to fix it. You will also learn about a professional Excel repair software that can help fix the error if it has occurred due to corruption in Excel file.

Many users have reported encountering the “cannot insert object” error while adding/embedding objects into the Excel file. It usually occurs when using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) to add content (PDF, Microsoft documents) from external applications to worksheet. The error can also occur when using ActiveX control in Excel. Below, we’ll explain why you cannot insert object into Excel sheet and how to troubleshoot the issue.

Why the “Cannot Insert Object” Error Occurs?

• Macro Settings can prevent the insertion of objects into a workbook.
• The Excel file in which you are trying to add an element is corrupted.
• The object (you are inserting into the workbook) is damaged.
• Object size limitations.
• System’s insufficient memory might prevent new objects’ addition.
• Incompatible Excel file format.
• Add-ins controls are disabled.
• Incompatible or faulty Add-ins.
• Issue with Security Settings.

Methods to Fix the “Cannot Insert Object” Error in Excel

You may encounter the “Cannot insert object” error when trying to add an element stored on a network. It can occur due to issues with the file link, such as incorrect file location. In such a case, you can check the link by selecting the link to file option from the Insert tab.

Sometimes, the error can occur if the file in which you are trying to insert the object is locked and password-protected. In this case, you can unprotect the Excel file . If the issue still persists, then you can follow the below methods.

Method 1: Check and Change Restricted Security Settings

Excel provides security settings to protect your workbook. Sometimes, these settings can prevent inserting objects in the file. You can change the security settings to allow Excel to insert objects. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Locate the File and then click Options.
• In Excel Options, click Trust Center.

• Click Trust Center Settings.
• In the Trust Center Settings window, select Protected View from the left pane.

• Under Protected View, unselect 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.
• Once you’re done with this, click on Macro Settings in the Trust Center window.
• Under Macro Settings, make sure “Disable all macros without notification” is not selected. If it is selected, then unselect it. After that, click OK.

• Restart Excel to apply the changes.

Method 2: Uninstall Microsoft Office Updates

You can also encounter the “Cannot insert object” error in Excel after installing MS Office updates. It might be due to the issues with the installed updates. To fix this, you can uninstall the recently installed Office updates. To uninstall the Office updates, follow these steps:

• Go to the system’s Control Panel.
• Click Programs and then click Program and Features.
• Search for “View Installed Updates” and click on the desired Office updates.
• Right-click on it and then click Uninstall.
• Follow the uninstallation steps on the screen.
• Once the process is complete, restart the system.

Method 3: Check Memory Usage

The “Cannot insert object” issue can also occur if your system is low on memory. You can check and close unnecessary processes and applications running in the background to free up memory. To do so, follow these steps:

• Press CTRL + ALT + DEL on the keyboard and click Task Manager.
• Click on the Processes tab and search for any unnecessary processes.
• Right-click on the process and then select End Task.
• Restart Excel to see if the issue is fixed.

Method 4: Check Excel File Size

If your Excel file size exceeds the prescribed limit, it can also lead to the “Cannot insert Excel object” error. So, check the Excel file size. You can reduce the file size by removing unnecessary objects, such as formulas or images.

Method 5: Check and Change Excel ActiveX Settings

You can get the “Excel cannot insert object” error if your Excel file contains macros, controls, and other interactive buttons. It usually occurs if the ActiveX Controls option is disabled. You can check and change the ActiveX Settings to fix the issue. Here are the steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Navigate to File and then click Options.
• In Excel Options, click the Trust Center tab.
• In the Trust Center Settings, click ActiveX Settings.
• Under ActiveX Settings, make sure the “Enable all controls without restrictions and without prompting” option is selected.

• If the option is not selected, then select it and click OK.
• Restart the Excel and check if the error is fixed or not.

Method 6: Repair the Excel Workbook

The “Cannot insert object” error can occur if the object you are trying to insert is corrupted or the file in which you are inserting the object is damaged. If the issue has occurred due to a corrupted Excel file, then you can repair the file using the Open and Repair utility in MS Excel. To use this Microsoft-inbuilt utility, follow these steps:

• In the Excel application, go to the File tab and then click Open.
• Click Browse to choose the affected 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 Repair.

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

• Click Close.

If the Open and Repair utility fails to fix the issue, then try a professional Excel Repair software, like Stellar Repair for Excel. It is designed to repair severely corrupted Excel files. It can restore all the Excel file objects, such as tables, charts, formulas, etc. It helps fix all types of corruption related errors. The software is compatible with all versions of Excel.

Conclusion

You might encounter the “Cannot insert object” error when embedding or inserting objects in Excel. In this post, we have discussed the possible solutions to fix this error. We have also mentioned an Excel repair software that can help to easily repair the corrupted Excel file and recover all the data. You can download the Stellar Repair for Excel’s free demo version to preview the recoverable objects of the corrupted Excel file.

How to Fix the Unable to Record Macro Error in Excel?

Summary: You may encounter the “Unable to record macro” error in MS Excel when using Personal Macro Workbooks. In this post, we’ll discuss the possible causes behind this error and the ways to fix it. We’ll also mention a professional Excel repair tool that can help fix the error if it occurs due to corrupted workbook.

A personal macro workbook (Personal.xlsb file) is a hidden workbook in Excel that stores all macros in a single workbook. This allows you to automate processes while working in Excel. Sometimes, when recording macro codes in the personal macro workbook, you may get the message “Personal Macro Workbook in a startup folder must stay open for recording”. When you click on the OK button, it will show the “unable to record” error. This prevents you from recording the macros. Below, we’ll see the causes behind this error and discuss how to resolve this error.

Causes of Unable to Record Macro Error

You may be unable to record macros in Excel due to several reasons. Let’s take a look at the possible causes that can lead to this issue.

• The location of personal.xlsb file is changed.
• Personal.xlsb file is corrupted.
• Macros are disabled.

Methods to Fix the “Unable to Record Macro” Error in Excel

Here are some possible solutions that can help you resolve the unable to record macro error in Excel.

Method 1: Check the Path of XLStart Folder

You may be unable to record macros if the path of XLStart folder is incorrect. It is a folder where the Personal.xlsb file is stored by default. Follow these steps to find out the path of this folder:

• Open MS Excel. Go to File > Options.
• Click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.

• In the Trust Center Settings window, click on Trusted Locations.

• Verify the path of the XLSTART folder and modify it if there is an issue.
• Once you are done, click on OK.

Method 2: Change Macro Security

The “Unable to record macro” error can occur if macros are disabled in the Macro Security settings. You can try changing the macro settings using the below steps:

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

• Under Trust Center, click on Trust Center Settings.

• Select “Enable all macros” and then click OK.

Method 3: Check Add-ins for Disabled Items

If there are any items in add-ins that are disabled, they may prevent Excel from functioning properly. You can check and enable the items in MS Excel using the below steps:

• Click File > Options.

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

• The Disabled Items window is displayed.
• Click on the disabled item and then click Enable.
• Restart Excel for the changes to take place.

Method 4: Repair your Excel File

You may fail to record macros if there is corruption in the workbook. In such a case, you can use the “Open and Repair” utility in MS Excel to repair the corrupt workbook. 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, choose the corrupted workbook.

• From the Open dropdown list, click Open and Repair.

Excel will prompt you to repair the file or extract data from it. Click Repair to retrieve maximum data. If the Repair option fails, then click on the Extract Data option to recover the data without formulas and values.

If the Microsoft utility “Open and Repair” fails to repair the corrupted Excel workbook, then try a professional Excel repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It is an advanced tool that can easily repair severely corrupted Excel (XLSX and XLS) files. It can recover all the file items, including chart sheets, cell comments, tables, macros, formulas, etc. without impacting the properties and cell format of the Excel file.

Closure

You may receive the “unable to record” error in Excel while creating or storing macros in Personal Macro Workbooks. There are several reasons that can lead to this error. You can try the methods covered in this post to resolve the error. If the error appears due to corruption in workbook, then try to repair it using the Open and Repair utility. Alternatively, you can use Stellar Repair for Excel – a professional tool that can help you repair an Excel file with problematic macros. Also, it allows recovery of all the file components with complete integrity. The tool is compatible with Excel 2021, 2019, 2016, and older versions.

Simple ways to Open Corrupt Excel file Without any Backup

Summary: The blog describes simple ways to open corrupt Excel file without any backup. It explains some manual workarounds that you can try to open the file. Also, it mentions about an Excel file repair tool that can quickly fix the corrupt file and recover data from it.

Do you have an Excel file that does not open because of corruption issue? And every time you try to open it, an error message ‘the file is corrupt and cannot be opened’ pops-up?

Excel File Corruption Message

Also, you don’t have a healthy backup of the Excel file to restore the data? If so, you can try repairing the corrupt file by using a few simple yet effective manual workarounds mentioned below.

How to Open a Corrupt Excel File without Backup?

Following are some manual methods that can help you open a corrupt Excel file:

Method 1: Repair Corrupt Excel File

When attempting to open a corrupt file, Excel automatically starts ‘File Recovery’ mode to repair the file. But, if the recovery mode doesn’t start, try Microsoft Excel’s built-in ‘Open and Repair’ feature to manually repair the file.

To use this feature, perform the following steps:

Step 1: Open a Blank workbook in Excel, and then click File > Open.

Step 2: In the Open window, browse and select the corrupt file.

Step 3: Click the arrow that is beside the Open tab, and select Open and Repair.

Open and Repair Option

Step 4: Implement one of the following:

• Click the Repair button. (This is to recover as much data as possible.)
• Click the Extract Data button. (This is to recover values and formulas from the Excel file if the repair process fails to recover the entire data.)

Excel Built-in Repair Options

If using Open and Repair does not work , move to the next method.

Method 2: Disable the Protected View Feature

Some Excel users have reported that turning off the ‘protected view’ feature in Excel helped them open the corrupt file. You can also try to disable this feature and open the file. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open a blank Excel file, click on File > Options.

Step 2: In the Excel Options window, select Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.

Excel Trust Center Settings

Step 3: Click OK.

Now check if you can open the corrupt file. If not, try implementing the next method.

Method 3: Look For Automatically Recovered Excel File

If you have Excel’s AutoRecover feature enabled, you’ll have access to a copy of the Excel file corrupted or lost due to application crash, power outage, or accidental deletion.

The ‘AutoRecover’ feature saves Excel worksheets at a temporary location after a certain time interval. It saves the worksheets automatically and is turned on by default to reduce the chance of data loss.

Check if you can recover corrupted Excel file by following these steps:

Step 1: In Excel, open a Blank workbook.

Step 2: Go to File and click Options.

Figure 5 – Excel Options

Step 3: In the Excel Options dialog box, click Save, and then copy the ‘AutoRecover file location’.

Excel Options Window

Step 4: Open File Explorer window and paste the copied AutoRecover file location, and press Enter.

Step 5: A list of saved Excel files will be displayed. Choose the file you want to recover.

TIP: Use Excel’s AutoBackup feature to reduce chances of data loss, by saving a previous version of your spreadsheet automatically.

Use an Excel File Repair Software

If the above manual methods fail, repair the corrupt Excel file by using a third-party software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel**.** The software helps repair Excel (XLS and XLSX) files easily and effectively.

Read this: How to repair corrupt Excel file using Stellar Repair for Excel?

Some key features of Excel Repair software are as follows:

• Fixes all errors in the MS Excel file.
• Repairs multiple damaged Excel files in a go.
• Recovers chart, chart sheet, table, cell comment, image, formula, and sort & filter.
• Preserves properties and cell formatting of Excel worksheets.
• Previews recoverable Excel file data before saving.
• Recovers all data components from the corrupt files and saves them in a new blank Excel file.
• Compatible with Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, and lower versions.

Conclusion

You can try the workarounds discussed in the blog to open a corrupt Excel file without a backup. Disabling the protected view feature can help you open the file. If the issue persists then try repairing the corrupted Excel file using the Open and Repair utility. Although, it may not be able to fix a severely corrupted workbook. In such a case you can use Stellar Repair for Excel . It is an advanced tool that can help you repair a corrupted Excel file with 100% integrity.

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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