Solutions to open Excel Read Only Documents
![](/images/site-logo.png)
Solutions to open Excel Read Only Documents
‘Excel cannot open read-only documents’ is an error message that usually appears when you try to open an Excel (XLS or XLSX) file downloaded from the Internet, email, or the network server. It may also appear when you try to open an encrypted or password-protected Excel document. In such a case, MS Excel prevents the user from making any changes to the document.
Reasons behind the “Excel cannot access ‘xxx.xls.’ The Document may be read-only or encrypted” Error
There could be several reasons that may cause the error. Some of them are as follows:
- Corrupt or damaged Excel workbook
- Incompatible or unsupported add-in
- Antivirus or malware software conflict
- Read-Only Excel file
- The file is encrypted
- File or drive read/write permissions issues
- Protected Excel workbook
- Damaged or missing MS Office (MS Excel) program files
Solutions to Open and Edit Read-Only Excel Documents
Below are a few solutions that can help you fix the ‘Excel cannot access ‘xxx.xls.’ The Document may be read-only or encrypted’ error and allow you to open and edit Excel documents.
- Remove Read-only Attribute from Excel File Properties
The ‘Excel cannot open read-only documents’ error message may appear when the Excel file property is set to read-only. To check if this is the case, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the particular Excel (xls/xlsx) document and select ‘Properties’.
- Uncheck the ‘Read-only’ attribute and then click the ‘OK’ button.
Now try to open the Excel document and check if the problem is fixed.
- Adjust Antivirus Settings
A few antivirus programs block Excel files and other Office documents by opening those in ‘read-only’ mode. In such cases, try adjusting the antivirus settings to open the Excel files normally. This will allow you to edit, modify, and save the Excel workbook without encountering the “Excel cannot access ‘xxx.xls.’ The Document may be a read-only or encrypted” error message.
- Disable Protected-View
The error may appear when you try to open an Excel file received as email attachments or downloaded from unsafe source. The file may potentially contain viruses, worms, or other types of malware that could damage the system or the server.
To safeguard the system, MS Excel opens such files in Protected View. It may also open an Excel workbook in Protected Mode when it detects a problem with the file. This security feature allows you to read or view Excel files and reduces the risks to the computer system or PC.
However, you can click File > Info and then click ‘Edit Anyway‘ to access and edit file content. You may also disable the Protected View setting via File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings…> Protected View. However, we do not recommend this.
- Renew/Activate Microsoft Office
If MS Office is in a deactivated state or its subscription has expired, the Office documents, including the Excel, could be in ‘read-only reduced functionality mode.’
In such a scenario, activate Microsoft Office or renew the Office subscription. Then open the Excel workbook and check if the problem of ‘Excel cannot open read-only documents’ is resolved.
- Check if OneDrive Storage is Full
If Excel files are saved on OneDrive with low or no storage space, you may encounter such issues with your files.
To know the amount of free space on OneDrive, follow these steps:
- On your PC, open Settings and navigate to OneDrive.
- Click ‘Sync Settings > File Storage‘ to see available space.
You may also visit onedrive.live.com, sign in to the account, and then check the available space. If there’s no space available or the drive is full, empty the storage space and see if the problem is resolved.
- Check and Update MS Office and Windows
Microsoft releases updates to fix known errors. Thus, it is critical to update both Windows and MS Office to the latest release and avoid issues, such as ‘Excel cannot access ‘xxx.xls.’ The Document may be read-only or encrypted.’
- Repair MS Office (MS Excel)
The error ‘Excel cannot open read-only documents’ may appear due to a problem with your MS Office (MS Excel) program. You can repair the MS Office program to resolve such errors. The steps are as follows:
- Open Control Panel and click Uninstall a Program link under Programs.
- Choose Microsoft Office from the list and click the Change button.
- Select Quick Repair and then click Repair to fix problems with MS Office and MS Excel. It will also restore any missing or damaged program files.
After the Repair, open the Excel workbook and check if the error is resolved.
- Check Permissions
The error message may also appear if you access an Excel workbook from a network or shared drive due to lack of write permission. Make sure you have read and write permissions assigned for the particular network drive. Alternatively, you can copy the file from the network drive and save it in your local folder to access and edit it without encountering this error message.
- Repair MS Excel File
If none of the solutions worked, the Excel workbook could be damaged or corrupt. To repair such damaged Excel workbook or spreadsheet, you can use the inbuilt ‘Open and Repair…’ option in MS Excel or install an Excel repair software , such as Stellar Repair for Excel. The software comes in handy when the Open and Repair option fails to fix the Excel workbook problems. It repairs the corrupt or damaged Excel workbook, extracts all components and content from the file with 100% integrity, and saves them in a new Excel workbook.
Conclusion
Sometimes, the ‘Excel cannot open read-only documents’ error can be resolved by a simple restart. But if it doesn’t work, you can follow the solutions discussed in this article to resolve the ‘Excel cannot open read-only documents’ issue. However, if the issue is caused due to a damaged or corrupt Excel workbook, these methods may not work. In such a case, you can use Excel’s inbuilt repair utility, i.e., Open and Repair, or install Stellar Repair for Excel software recommended by MVPs and industry experts to fix all kinds of problems with MS Excel workbooks.
Also read:
- How to Reset a Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate Phone That Is Locked | Dr.fone
- The way to recover deleted contacts on Meizu without backup.
- Undeleted lost videos from Infinix Smart 8 Pro
- How to Factory Reset Oppo A56s 5G If I Forgot Security Code or Password? | Dr.fone
- Use Device Manager to identify some outdated your hardware drivers on Windows 11
- Why can’t I play MP4 files on my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?
- Use Device Manager to identify missing drivers with Windows Device Manager on Windows 11/10/7
- How To Transfer Data From Apple iPhone 13 mini To Others ios devices? | Dr.fone
- Three methods to recover lost data on Poco
- How to Upgrade Apple iPhone 13 mini to the Latest iOS Version? | Dr.fone
- Full Guide to Hard Reset Your Poco X6 | Dr.fone
- How to Factory Reset Samsung Galaxy A25 5G If I Forgot Security Code or Password? | Dr.fone
- Some MP4 won't play on my Xiaomi Redmi A2+
- Simple ways to get lost files back from C22
- Things You Dont Know About Nokia C12 Reset Code | Dr.fone
- How do I reset my ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra Phone without technical knowledge? | Dr.fone
- Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone 12 failed to recognize my iPhone. How to fix it? | Stellar
- How to Easily Hard reset my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 | Dr.fone
- How to Factory Reset Huawei P60 in 5 Easy Ways | Dr.fone
- How To Repair Apple iPhone SE (2022) iOS System? | Dr.fone
- Recover Apple iPhone 12 Pro Data From iOS iTunes Backup | Dr.fone
- Full Guide to Hard Reset Your Infinix Zero 5G 2023 Turbo | Dr.fone
- Undelete lost messages from Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G
- How to Reset a OnePlus Ace 3 Phone That Is Locked | Dr.fone
- 2 Ways to Transfer Text Messages from Honor X50 GT to iPhone 15/14/13/12/11/X/8/ | Dr.fone
- How to Change/Add Location Filters on Snapchat For your Apple iPhone 6 Plus | Dr.fone
- Full Guide to Unlock Apple iPhone 12 Pro with iTunes | Dr.fone
- In 2024, How to Use Pokémon Emerald Master Ball Cheat On Motorola G24 Power | Dr.fone
- Can I recover permanently deleted photos from Oppo Find X7
- How To Bypass OnePlus Nord N30 5G FRP In 3 Different Ways
- In 2024, Solutions to Spy on Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G with and without jailbreak | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Fake the Location to Get Around the MLB Blackouts on Motorola Moto G73 5G | Dr.fone
- The Best iSpoofer Alternative to Try On Motorola Moto E13 | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Bypassing Google Account With vnROM Bypass For Samsung Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition
- Updated In 2024, Powerpoint Slideshow Icon, Slide Sorter View Icon, Slideshow Icon Powerpoint, Slide Show View Icon
- Everything You Need to Know about Lock Screen Settings on your OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G
- How to Bypass Google FRP Lock on Motorola Moto G24 Devices
- 9 Best Free Android Monitoring Apps to Monitor Phone Remotely For your Vivo Y100i Power 5G | Dr.fone
- In 2024, For People Wanting to Mock GPS on Xiaomi 13T Pro Devices | Dr.fone
- Top 7 Skype Hacker to Hack Any Skype Account On your Oppo A1x 5G | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Three Ways to Sim Unlock Vivo T2 Pro 5G
- In 2024, How to Bypass FRP from Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G?
- How to fix videos not playing with my Poco M6 Pro 4G?
- About Vivo S17 Pro FRP Bypass
- In 2024, How to Unlock Motorola G24 Power Bootloader Easily
- Updated In 2024, Loop, Repeat, Rewind The Best Free Video Software
- 8 Solutions to Fix Find My Friends Location Not Available On Nokia C02 | Dr.fone
- How to Bypass Google FRP Lock from Nokia C12 Devices
- Title: Solutions to open Excel Read Only Documents
- Author: Ian
- Created at : 2024-05-20 10:20:29
- Updated at : 2024-05-21 18:20:57
- Link: https://techidaily.com/solutions-to-open-excel-read-only-documents-by-stellar-guide/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.