File Corruption & Recovery

How to Fix SharePoint Excel Files That Crash or Become Corrupted

Camila Milosovich Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience crashes, recovery errors, or lost comments when co-authoring Excel workbooks stored in SharePoint.

How to Fix SharePoint Excel Files That Crash or Become Corrupted

Product: Microsoft Excel and SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Co-authoring and simultaneously editing Excel workbooks with multiple users online.
Observed behavior: Excel workbooks crash, display persistent recovery errors, or lose user comments during simultaneous access.

Before you start

Before proceeding with troubleshooting, ask all users to close the document and save a local copy of the affected Excel file to prevent further data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Isolate the Issue and Test in Excel for the Web

Determine if the crash is caused by the Excel desktop application or is specific to the file by testing it in the online web version.

Co-authoring issues are frequently tied to the synchronization process in the local desktop application. Using the web version can help bypass local cache conflicts.

Open SharePoint

Navigate to your SharePoint document library in a web browser and locate the affected Excel workbook.

Open in Web Browser

Click on the file name to open it directly in Excel for the web, ensuring it does not automatically launch the desktop application.

Test with Fewer Users

Coordinate with your team to have fewer people access the file simultaneously to see if the recovery errors persist.

Check Other Files

Open a different Excel file in the same SharePoint library to determine if the corruption is limited to one specific workbook.

Isolate the Issue and Test in Excel for the Web

Reduce Simultaneous Access: Limiting the number of users editing the document at the exact same time can often prevent sync conflicts and co-authoring crashes.

Solution 2

Gather Recovery Logs and Contact Microsoft 365 Support

If the issue persists, your IT administrator needs to escalate the issue to Microsoft Support using sanitized recovery logs.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Stable Spreadsheet Collaboration with WPS Office

If Microsoft Excel continues to crash or corrupt files during heavy co-authoring, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative with its own robust cloud collaboration tools.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite.
2. Open Your Excel Files: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing .xlsx files without worrying about formatting loss.
3. Collaborate via WPS Cloud: Upload your spreadsheet to WPS Cloud to enjoy stable, simultaneous co-authoring with your team.

Free and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office.Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel formats (.xlsx, .xls, .csv).Stable cloud collaboration and real-time file sharing via WPS Cloud.Familiar user interface for seamless and quick migration.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Excel files in SharePoint get corrupted during co-authoring?

Corruption or crashes usually occur when too many users make conflicting edits simultaneously, causing severe synchronization errors between the local Excel application cache and the SharePoint server.

How can I prevent lost comments when co-authoring in Excel?

Try using Excel for the web for simultaneous editing, as it handles real-time syncing and comments better than the desktop app. Additionally, ensure everyone collaborating is using the latest updated version of Microsoft 365.

Where do I find Microsoft 365 Help and Support?

The Help and Support section is located within the Microsoft 365 admin center. Only users with designated administrative privileges can access this area to open official support tickets with Microsoft.

Document & File Issues