What to do when an Excel file opens blank

  • Excel files may open blank due to corruption, incompatibility, or software issues.
  • Don't despair, follow specific steps to try to recover the information.
  • It is advisable to make regular backups to avoid losses.
  • Review hardware acceleration and plugin settings for troubleshooting.

What to do when an Excel file opens blank

Spreadsheets in the Office office suite have many different applications. We have all used them for one thing or another and, although they don't usually fail, when they do it is a big problem. Because few things are as scary on a professional or academic level as losing an Excel table. In this tutorial, we are going to explain what to do when an Excel file opens blank.

First and foremost, do not panic, just because the file opens blank does not mean that the information has been lost. So don't start touching things like crazy and better follow the steps that we are going to give you.

Why does a blank Excel file open?

Why does a blank Excel file open?

Before looking at possible solutions, let's look at what may be happening when a file that we know contained content suddenly It opens and is completely blank.

Corrupt file

The file may have been corrupted by some type of error or failure during the saving process, or if Excel has not closed properly. For example, If while you were working with the spreadsheet the power went out and the computer turned off unexpectedly.

Incorrect file format

Another possible reason is that the file you are trying to open is not compatible with the version of Excel you are working with. It can happen if you try to open a file made with Excel 2007 and an .xlsx extension in an older version of this software. In this case, the result may be a blank aperture.

Compatibility issues

It happens if you try to open a file created with Excel in other spreadsheet software, and also the other way around. Although it is not common for there to be compatibility problems, in some cases yes. The file may open blank or the displayed format may not be the original.

Protection or access restrictions

If the Excel file has been password protected or has access restrictions set, you will not be able to access the content. In case I let you in, you will only see blank cells.

software problems

A problem with the program or your operating system can result in blank spreadsheets opening. There may be a conflict between some of the installed programs or there may be a lack of system resources and this prevents the file from being displayed correctly.

Solutions Tutorial for Excel Files Opening Blank

Solutions Tutorial for Excel Files Opening Blank

In Microsoft software almost everything has a solution, we can even recover unsaved files in Excel.

When what happens is that the file has been saved but opens blank, we have already seen that this problem can be caused by different reasons and, therefore, We have different alternative solutions.

Open another file

The simplest solution is often the most effective. Close the file that shows the error and open any other file. If this is also blank, it may be due to a bug in Excel. If the second spreadsheet opens normally, the file you It gives you problems if it is corrupt.

Check for hidden sheets

If you have opened the spreadsheet and found that everything is blank, the first thing you have to do is make sure that there are no hidden sheets in the document. You may have activated this functionality by mistake when saving the document and you haven't realized.

Follow these steps:

  • Click on the tab "View".
  • Choose "Show".
  • Choose "Book".
  • Choose "To accept".

If there is any hidden content, it should now be displayed. If you keep seeing the same thing, it's because The fault was not in the presence of hidden leaves.

Minimize and maximize the window

It seems like a very simple solution for a tutorial like this, but it is one of the most effective. Because minimizing and maximizing the screen again produces an update of the Excel page, which can cause data to be displayed that, for one reason or another, remained hidden

Disable hardware acceleration

Close Excel and reopen it in safe mode to rule out the problem being caused by add-ins or custom settings. To do this, press Ctrl while clicking on the program icon to open it. In the dialog box press “Yes” to continue.

After opening in safe mode it disables hardware acceleration. To do this you have to follow the route:

  • "Archive" > "Options " > "Advanced Options".
  • In the section "Show" uncheck the box that indicates “Disable graphics hardware acceleration.”
  • Click on "To accept" To save the changes.

Next, close Excel and restart in normal mode. Try opening the file to see if the problem has been solved.

Skip DDE

The problem arises if the “Ignore other applications that use dynamic data exchange (DDE)” checkbox has been activated. This ignores the DDE message that Windows Explorer sends to Excel, so Excel does not open the double-clicked workbook.

To solve it, follow these steps:

  • In Excel see to “File” > "Options" > "advanced".
  • Uncheck the “Ignore other applications that use dynamic data exchange (DDE)” check box, then click “OK.”

Disable plugins

Excel and COM add-in programs can cause some problems, so it's a good idea to try disabling them. To do this you have to follow these steps:

  • From the menu "Archive" go to "Options" and then select "Accessories".
  • On the list "Manage" that appears at the bottom of the screen, you must select “COM Plugins” and then click on "Go".
  • Now delete one of the plugins from the list and click on "To accept".
  • Then restart Excel and try to open the file again.
  • If it is still blank, repeat the previous steps again, but deleting a different plugin.

If the problem persists after disabling all COM plugins, We do the same steps but with Excel add-ins.

At the end of the whole process, if you manage to find the plugin that is causing problems, visit the manufacturer's website to see if they have an updated version of it. If there were not, Make sure that plugin is left disabled.

We hope this simple tutorial helps you when an Excel file opens blank. However, to avoid these types of problems, it is always a good idea to back up your files and save them in the cloud.


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