Fix Office PWA Not Showing Correct Last Edited Date for Excel Files
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where the last edited date and time of an Excel file do not update in the Office PWA or web browser after making modifications.
- Product
- Microsoft Office PWA, OneDrive
- Device & OS
- Chromebook, Android
- Scenario
- Viewing and editing Excel files through the Office Progressive Web App (PWA) linked to OneDrive storage.
- Observed behavior
- The Office PWA and browser version fail to display the updated last edited timestamp, whereas the OneDrive PWA and Office mobile apps show the correct date.
Ensure your device has a stable internet connection, and verify that your recent Excel edits were successfully saved by checking the file directly via the OneDrive web portal.
Verify File Integrity Across Devices
Confirm whether the issue is a local PWA display glitch or a true synchronization failure by testing the file on an alternative device.
Because progressive web apps rely on browser caches, they can sometimes fail to pull the latest metadata from cloud servers. Checking the file on a mobile app ensures your data is safe and isolates the issue strictly to the Office PWA.
Launch the OneDrive or Microsoft Office app on your Android or iOS device.
Navigate to the folder containing your modified document and check the 'Last Modified' timestamp.
If the mobile app shows the correct recent time while your Chromebook or PC PWA shows an older date, your edits are safely saved in the cloud and the issue is an Office PWA display bug.
Report the PWA Bug via Windows Feedback Hub
Submit a bug report to Microsoft to notify their engineering team about the PWA metadata synchronization issue.
Clear Office PWA and Browser Cache
Force the web application to fetch fresh data from the server by clearing cached site data.
Switch to WPS Office for Reliable File Synchronization
If persistent bugs in the Microsoft Office PWA are disrupting your document management and metadata tracking, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly reliable desktop application that avoids browser-based glitches while maintaining perfect compatibility with your files.
- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free desktop client for your operating system.
- 2. Install and sign in: Run the installer, open the application, and sign in to access free cloud storage features.
- 3. Open your Excel files: Drag and drop your existing .xlsx spreadsheets into WPS Office to enjoy reliable performance and accurate timestamps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the OneDrive app show the correct date while the Office PWA does not?
The OneDrive app queries the core cloud storage directory directly for file metadata. The Office PWA, however, relies on browser caching mechanisms and web-based sync APIs which currently have a known bug causing them to display outdated timestamps.
Are my Excel edits lost if the Office PWA shows an old date?
No, your edits are likely perfectly safe. As long as you can see the updated timestamp on the OneDrive mobile app or the OneDrive web interface, your file data has successfully saved to the cloud.
Can I force the Office PWA to update the last edited time?
You can try signing out of your Microsoft account within the PWA, clearing your browser's cache and cookies, and signing back in. This forces the app to pull a fresh directory list from the server.
Does this issue happen on all operating systems?
Users frequently report this behavior specifically on Chromebooks (ChromeOS) and certain browser configurations where the Progressive Web App handles offline caching differently than a native desktop program.
