"Microsoft Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close" when starting Excel for Mac

  • Article
  • four minutes to read
  • Applies to:
    Excel for Mac

Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this weblog post.

Symptoms

When you endeavour to showtime Microsoft Excel for Mac, you lot receive the post-obit error message:

Microsoft Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sad for the inconvenience.

Cause

This error may occur if one of the following conditions is true:

  • The Excel preferences are corrupted.
  • Programs that are running in the groundwork are interfering with Excel for Mac.
  • Application files are corrupted.
  • A user account profile is corrupted.

Resolution

To resolve this upshot, try the following methods, in guild, until the consequence is resolved.

Method i

Step ane: Quit all programs

Y'all must quit all programs before y'all go along. To quit an application, select the application on the toolbar (superlative), and so select Quit. If you cannot quit an application or do non know how, agree down the Control and Option keys, and and so printing Esc on your keyboard. Select the application in the "Force Quit Application" window, and and so select Force Quit. Click Force Quit to quit the application.

Note

You cannot quit Finder.

When you are finished, click the red push button in the upper-left corner and go to step 2.

Footstep 2: Remove your Excel preferences

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac applications.

  2. On the Go carte, click Home.

  3. Open Library. Notation The Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this binder, hold down the Pick key while yous click the Go menu.

  4. Open Preferences.

  5. Drag com.microsoft.Excel.plist to the desktop. If you cannot locate the file, Excel is using the default preferences. Go to step 7.

  6. Open Excel, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem even so occurs, quit Excel, restore the file to its original location, and go to the next step. If the problem is resolved, drag com.microsoft.Excel.plist to the Trash.

  7. Quit all Office for Mac applications.

  8. On the Go menu, click Habitation.

  9. Open up Library.

    Note

    The Library binder is hidden in Mac Os Ten Lion. To display this folder, concur down the Choice key while y'all click the Go bill of fare.

  10. Open Preferences.

  11. Open Microsoft, and and so drag com.microsoft.Excel.prefs.plist to the desktop. If you cannot locate the file, Excel is using the default preferences. Go to Method ii.

  12. Open Excel, and cheque whether the problem nevertheless occurs. If the problem notwithstanding occurs, quit Excel, restore the file to its original location, and go to Method 2. If the trouble is resolved, drag com.microsoft.Excel,prefs.plist to the Trash.

Method 2

Use the "Repair Disk Permissions" selection

You can employ the Repair Disk Permissions choice to troubleshoot permissions issues in Mac Os 10 x.2 or later versions. To use the Repair Disk Permissions pick, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Utilities.
  2. Start the Disk Utility program.
  3. Click the main hd bulldoze for your estimator.
  4. Click the Beginning Aid tab.
  5. Click Repair Deejay Permissions.

Annotation

The Disk Utility program only repairs software that is installed past Apple. This utility also repairs folders, such as the Applications folder. However, this utility does not repair software that is in your home folder.

Open Excel and check if the event is resolved. If information technology is not, continue to Method 3.

Method iii

Create and use a new user business relationship

To create a new user account, use the post-obit procedure.

Annotation

You many have to reinstall Office if you log on with a new business relationship.

  1. Click the Apple icon, and then click System Preferences.

    Select the System Preferences option in the Apple icon.

  2. Click Accounts.

    Select the Accounts button in System Preferences.

  3. Click the plus sign ("+") in the lower-left corner to open up the new account window.

    Note

    If yous are not the Administrator of the computer, click Click the lock to make changes. Log on by using your Administrator user name and password, and and so click OK.

    Select the Plus sign at the lower-left corner to open a new account.

  4. Type the word Exam for the user proper name, and leave the password box bare. Click Create Business relationship. When you receive a warning, click OK.

    Type a name to create an account.

  5. Click to select Permit User to Administer this computer. (If this option is not bachelor, just go to the next step).

    Select the Allow User to Administer this computer option.

  6. Click the Apple icon, and and so click Log Out proper noun .

    Log out in the Apple icon.

  7. Log on with your Exam business relationship.

Open up Excel and cheque if the issue is resolved. If you tin save when you use a new user account, contact Apple support to troubleshoot your existing account. If you exercise not desire to continue your existing account, yous tin rename the "Exam" business relationship that you create in the following procedure, and continue to use that account. If information technology is not, go on to Method 4.

Method four

Remove and so reinstall Office

For information near how to remove and and then reinstall Office, come across the post-obit commodity:

Troubleshoot Office 2011 for Mac problems by completely uninstalling earlier you reinstall

Third-political party data disclaimer

The third-party products that this commodity discusses are manufactured past companies that are contained of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, nigh the operation or reliability of these products.

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