Fix Excel 2019 Slow, Frozen, or Not Responding Issues
Question details
Users are experiencing severe performance issues in Microsoft Excel 2019, including unresponsiveness and freezing, while other applications work normally.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel 2019
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Working on standard spreadsheets or opening blank workbooks in Microsoft Excel 2019.
- Observed behavior
- Excel runs very slowly, freezes, or stops responding entirely. This is often linked to conflicting add-ins, high system resource consumption, or Microsoft Teams cache issues.
Save your progress in other active applications, as troubleshooting these performance issues will require closing programs and possibly restarting your computer.
Disable and Isolate Conflicting Excel Add-ins
Identifying and disabling problematic third-party add-ins is the most effective way to stop Excel from freezing unexpectedly.
Add-ins are designed to enhance Excel's functionality, but outdated or conflicting add-ins can severely impact performance, causing the application to freeze even when working in blank workbooks.
Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog, type 'excel /safe', and press Enter. This launches Excel without loading any add-ins.
Click on 'File' in the top left corner, select 'Options' at the bottom, and then click on 'Add-ins' from the left-hand sidebar.
At the bottom of the window next to 'Manage:', select 'COM Add-ins' from the dropdown menu and click 'Go'. Uncheck all the boxes in the list and click 'OK'.
Close and restart Excel normally. If the freezing stops, return to the COM Add-ins menu and enable them one by one—restarting Excel each time—until you identify the add-in causing the issue.
Free Up System Resources and Clear Teams Cache
Alleviate system strain by managing resource-heavy applications like Microsoft Teams that interfere with Excel's performance.
Switch to a Lightweight and Stable Excel Alternative
If Microsoft Excel 2019 continues to consume too many system resources, freeze, or crash during important tasks, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly stable environment that handles large datasets effortlessly without slowing down your computer.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and follow the simple installation prompts.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and easily open or drag-and-drop your existing Excel files to continue your work without missing a beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Excel 2019 freezing even when I open a blank workbook?
Freezing on a blank workbook is typically caused by conflicting third-party COM add-ins attempting to load on startup, a corrupted default template file, or an issue with your system trying to connect to a default network printer.
How does Microsoft Teams affect my Excel performance?
Both Microsoft Teams and Excel can be highly resource-intensive. If Teams has a corrupted cache or experiences a memory leak bug, it can consume the majority of your system's available RAM and CPU, leaving Excel without the necessary resources to run smoothly.
Will repairing the Office installation fix the freezing issue?
Yes, if the issue is caused by missing or corrupted system files. You can run a repair by navigating to the Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features, selecting Microsoft Office 2019, clicking 'Change', and choosing either 'Quick Repair' or 'Online Repair'.
