Printing Problems

Fix Excel for the Web Cannot Print or Export to PDF

Steve K Sep 25, 2026 870 views

Question details

Users are unable to print or export workbooks to PDF from Excel for the Web and Excel for iPad.

How to Fix Excel for the Web Cannot Print or Export to PDF

Product: Excel for the Web, Excel for iPad
Device & OS: Web Browser, iPadOS
Scenario: Attempting to print a workbook or export it to a PDF file via the web browser or iPad application.
Observed behavior: The page turns gray, stays on the 'Working on it' screen, and eventually displays 'Something went wrong, and we cannot print your workbook.'

Before you start

Make sure your internet connection is stable, save any recent changes to your workbook, and verify your browser is updated to the latest version before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Excel Desktop Application

Opening the workbook in the desktop application bypasses the web service outage and allows you to print or export locally.

This printing and exporting issue is often related to a backend server problem (such as incident OO893104). The most reliable workaround is to use the desktop version of Excel, which relies on your local computer's print spooler rather than Microsoft's web services.

Open the file in the browser

Navigate to your OneDrive or SharePoint and open the affected workbook in Excel for the Web.

Switch to the desktop app

Click on 'Viewing' or 'Editing' in the top ribbon, then select 'Open in Desktop App' from the dropdown menu.

Print or export locally

Once the file opens in your Excel desktop application, go to 'File' > 'Print' or 'File' > 'Export' > 'Create PDF/XPS Document' to complete your task.

Desktop Capability: Using the desktop application completely bypasses any ongoing web service outages reported in the Microsoft 365 Service Health dashboard.

Solution 2

Try a Different Web Browser

Switching browsers can resolve printing failures caused by specific browser caching issues or temporary incompatibilities.

Solution 3

Check Microsoft 365 Service Health

Verify if the issue is a known outage being investigated by Microsoft.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel for the Web get stuck on 'Working on it' when printing?

This usually happens due to browser incompatibility, cache errors, or a backend server issue such as an active service incident reported by Microsoft on their Service Health dashboard.

Can I export an Excel file to PDF on my iPad without using the web version?

Yes. Instead of relying on the web printing service, you can use the native Excel app for iPad or a powerful alternative like WPS Office to directly convert and export your files to PDF locally.

Is the printing issue in Excel for the Web permanent?

No, these are usually temporary service disruptions that Microsoft investigates and resolves. Checking the Microsoft 365 Service Health dashboard can provide timeline updates on when normal functionality will be restored.

Document & File Issues