Excel Running Slow on Windows 11/10 [100% Work Plans]

Is your Microsoft Excel running slow? There are several causes. You can solve it easily with seven different methods. The best solution is repairing Excel files with EaseUS Fixo Document Repair. This entire guide will help you find the best solutions!

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Updated by Dany on Dec 19, 2023

Microsoft Excel is a sophisticated spreadsheet program used in business, finance, education, and other fields. Its flexibility, user-friendliness, and comprehensive features make it essential for data analysis, computations, and organization. Despite its benefits, Windows 10 and 11 Excel users may have performance difficulties that reduce productivity.

In this article, we aim to address this concern by offering seven simple and effective solutions to tackle slow-running Excel on Windows 10/11, allowing users to optimize their experience and make the most of this essential software. How to fix Excel running slow? Check the following table to find out:

Workable Solutions Step-by-step Troubleshooting
Fix 1. Repair Corrupt Excel Files with EaseUS Fixo A corrupt Excel file is an aggravating and all-too-common cause of data loss for users. A...Full steps
Fix 2. Remove Unnecessary Add-ins in Excel While pressing and holding Ctrl, open Excel. In addition, you can enter excel.exe/safe...Full steps
Fix 3. Fix Excel Running Slow by Updating Excel Go to Excel and choose the "Account" tab. Then, click "Product Information" and choose...Full steps
Fix 4. Reduce Excel File Size to Fix Excel Running Slow To convert formulas to values in Excel, open the file and select the entire worksheet or the...Full steps
More Solutions Launch Microsoft Excel, then go to the File menu and choose Options. Click the "Advanced...Full steps

Why Excel Running Slow on Windows 10/11

Excel's performance slowdown on Windows 10/11 can be attributed to various factors that may impact its smooth functioning. Here are five authentic reasons behind the sluggish behavior:

⚠️Large Data and Complex Formulas Excel's performance can suffer when dealing with massive datasets and complex formulas. Extensive calculations and data processing can strain the system's resources, leading to slower response times and delays updating the spreadsheet.
💻Outdated Excel Version Using an outdated version of Excel might not be optimized to work efficiently with the latest Windows 10/11 updates and hardware. As a result, compatibility issues can arise, affecting the software's overall performance.
🗂️Add-ins and Macros Third-party add-ins and enable macros in Excel can be a double-edged sword. While they enhance Excel's functionality, poorly written, outdated add-ins can cause memory leaks or conflicts, resulting in sluggishness and crashes.
📱Hardware Limitations Excel's performance heavily relies on the computer's hardware specifications. An older or less powerful processor, limited RAM, or slower storage devices can bottleneck Excel's processing power and lead to slower performance.
⛑️Background Processes and Resource Utilization Other background processes running on the computer, such as antivirus scans or software updates, can consume resources, reducing the available capacity for Excel. Moreover, heavy multitasking can strain the system, affecting Excel's responsiveness.

Fix 1. Repair Corrupt Excel Files with EaseUS Fixo

A corrupt Excel file is an aggravating and all-too-common cause of data loss for users. A reliable document repair tool can be a savior in such circumstances.

EaseUS Fixo Document Repair is introduced here, a sophisticated piece of software designed to deal with Excel file corruption with ease and efficiency. Whether you encounter errors while accessing an Excel spreadsheet, encounter unanticipated failures, or discover that your data is inaccessible, EaseUS Fixo's potent and dependable restoration features will aid you. You can download this functional Excel repair tool now:

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EaseUS Fixo Document Repair distinguishes itself as a top-tier solution for Excel file repair. This expertly crafted software offers a comprehensive approach to file restoration, accommodating a variety of user-encountered scenarios. EaseUS Fixo manages everything with refinement, from minor file corruptions caused by system errors to severe damage from malware or unanticipated power failures. Its robust algorithms and thorough scanning capabilities meticulously analyze corrupted files, ensuring a high data repair success rate. In addition, the software has a user-friendly interface, making it accessible to non-technical individuals.

Key Features of EaseUS Fixo Document Repair:

  • Fixes a wide range of Excel file corruption issues, such as Excel cannot open the file.
  • User-friendly design for easy navigation and quick recovery.
  • Deeply scans and analyzes corrupted Excel files, and it can also repair PDF files and other documents.
  • Repairs multiple corrupt Excel files simultaneously, saving time and effort.

You can follow the tutorial below to repair the corrupted Excel files and fix Excel running slow.

Step 1. Download and launch Fixo on your PC or laptop. Choose "File Repair" to repair corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and others. Click "Add Files" to select corrupted documents.

add files to repair documents with Fixo

Step 2. To repair multiple files at once, click the "Repair All" button. If you want to repair a single document, move your pointer to the target file and choose "Repair". You can also preview the documents by clicking the eye icon.

select documents to repair

Step 3. Click "Save" to save a selected document. Select "Save All" to save all the repaired files. Choose "View Repaired" to locate the repaired folder.

save repaired documents in Fixo

EaseUS Fixo can fix almost every file corruption issue, and you can recommend this tool to your friends!

 

Fix 2. Remove Unnecessary Add-ins in Excel

In many cases, Excel malfunctions due to add-ins because Microsoft Office frequently cannot function correctly if the add-ons are corrupted. The problem can be resolved using the following procedures.

Step 1. While pressing and holding Ctrl, open Excel. In addition, you can enter excel.exe/safe in Command Prompt.

Step 2. Select "File" and search for the Options option.

Step 3. You can readily locate "Add-ins" there. Select "Com Add-ins" and then click the "Go" button.

Step 4. Don't forget to deactivate all Add-ins. Next, click "OK." Once you are finished, resume Excel.

Remove Unnecessary Add-ins in Excel

Fix 3. Fix Excel Running Slow by Updating Excel

If Excel isn't operating correctly, it's conceivable that you haven't updated Excel or Windows. To upgrade your Excel to the latest version, follow the procedures below.

Step 1. Go to Excel and choose the "Account" tab.

Step 2. Then, click "Product Information" and choose "Updates Option".

Step 3. Now click the "Update Now" button. Your modifications will be available in a matter of seconds. Restart Excel to see whether the problem has been corrected.

update Excel

Fix 4. Reduce Excel File Size to Fix Excel Running Slow

To reduce the size of the Excel file, superfluous formulas will be converted to values. The procedures required to learn the conversion method are:

Step 1. To convert formulas to values in Excel, open the file and select the entire worksheet or the desired number of columns.

Step 2. Select the "F5" key to bring up the pop-up dialog pane. Click "Special".

click the Special option

Step 3. This will open a new dialogue box, as shown below; then select "Formulas" using the radio button and click "OK".

select Formulas and click OK

Step 4. Now, all formula-containing cells have been highlighted. Next, select the "Paste" button on the "Home" pane.

Step 5. Select "Values" from the selection menu after clicking "Paste." Click "Paste Values" then.

Once you're done, the file size will be reduced. And if this method helped, share it with your friends and family, or even at the office, to help them!

 

Fix 5. Resolve Excel Running Slow by Disabling Hardware Graphics Acceleration

You may try turning off hardware acceleration to eliminate the "Excel is slow to respond" problem. Here's how you can do it:

Step 1. Launch Microsoft Excel, then go to the File menu and choose Options.

Step 2. Click the "Advanced" button that appears in the pop-up box.

Step 3. After that, under the Display heading, pick the option to turn off the hardware graphics acceleration by scrolling down. To save the changes, click the OK button.

disable hardware graphics acceleration

Fix 6. Upgrade RAM on PC to Make Excel Run Faster

Upgrading your PC's RAM is an effective way to boost Excel's performance and overall system responsiveness. Determine your PC's compatibility and available slots for RAM upgrades. Refer to your computer's documentation or the manufacturer's website for specifications. Identify the type and speed of your existing RAM to ensure compatibility with the new modules.

Depending on your budget and requirements, consider upgrading to a higher capacity, such as 8GB, 16GB, or more. Once you've selected the appropriate RAM modules, purchase them from a reputable vendor or an authorized dealer.

upgrade RAM

Fix 7. Repair Microsoft 365 to Fix Excel Running Slow

Repairing Microsoft Office might sometimes be the best option for getting Excel to behave normally again. Here are the measures you must take to make this happen:

Step 1. Type and search for Apps and Features.

Step 2. Select Microsoft Office 365 from the apps list. Click "Repair" under the Reset pane after selecting the program.

Repair Microsoft 365

Following these procedures, Excel should begin functioning normally again, and Microsoft Office will be repaired.

You may be interested in the following passage as well:

Microsoft Office Repair tool

Microsoft Office Repair Tool: How to Repair Office 2016, 2013, 2010

Have you experienced a sudden glitch in your system where the screen froze while working on Excel, Word, or other Microsoft programs? Read more >>

Conclusion

Dealing with a sluggish Excel performance on Windows 10/11 can be frustrating, but practical solutions exist to overcome these issues. By identifying potential reasons for slow performance, such as large data sets, outdated software, add-ins, hardware limitations, and background processes, users can take proactive steps to optimize their Excel experience.

Additionally, the powerful repair features of EaseUS Fixo Document Repair offer a reliable solution to recover valuable data from corrupt Excel files effortlessly. With its intuitive interface, advanced scanning algorithms, and high data recovery rate, EaseUS Fixo is an expert tool for resolving Excel file corruption and ensuring seamless data analysis and productivity.

 Free Download

Trustpilot Rating 4.7

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Excel Running Slow FAQs

You can learn more information about Excel running slow problem in this part:

1. Why does my Excel run slow on Windows 11?

The presence of concealed Named Ranges in an Excel sheet may be detected if you see a noticeable slowdown while traversing between cells (going from one cell to the next) or when selecting the next cell after highlighting a group of cells.

2. How to repair corrupted Excel files on Windows 10?

Select File > Open. Select the location and folder where the corrupted workbook is stored. Select the corrupted worksheet in the Open dialog box. Select Open and Repair by clicking the arrow next to the Open button.

3. How to clean Microsoft Excel caches?

Start by selecting Excel from the File tab. Scroll to the bottom of the save dialogue box. Under Cache Settings, select "Delete cached files". You must agree to delete cached files.

4. What causes Microsoft Excel to keep freezing?

Among the most typical are: If your spreadsheet has too many rows or columns, it won't open or will only load partially. Size of Spreadsheet Files Exceeding Excel's Capacity - Excel and the computer will freeze up if you enter too much data at once.

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About the Author

author Dany

Dany

Dany is an editor of EaseUS who lives and works in Chengdu, China. She focuses on writing articles about data recovery on Mac devices and PCs. She is devoted to improving her writing skills and enriching her professional knowledge. Dany also enjoys reading detective novels in her spare time.

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