Excel Performance Problems

Fix Excel Crashing When Copying, Pasting, or Refreshing Power Query

Phi Hung Vo Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

Excel freezes or crashes during routine editing, Power Query refreshes, and column resizing, even with small workbooks and modern hardware.

How to Fix Excel Crashing When Copying, Pasting, or Refreshing Power Query

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Performing basic spreadsheet tasks such as copying, pasting, resizing columns, or refreshing Power Query.
Observed behavior: The Excel application completely freezes or crashes unexpectedly during these routine operations.

Before you start

Save any open workbooks and ensure you have closed all non-essential applications to free up system memory before starting the troubleshooting process.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Sanitized Test File and Contact Microsoft Support

Since Power Query crashes often involve deep environmental or workbook-specific issues, securely sharing a sanitized file with Microsoft Support is the most effective approach.

Complex crashes during Power Query refreshes or column resizing cannot always be diagnosed locally. Creating a sanitized copy ensures your confidential company data remains safe while allowing support teams to reproduce the crash in your specific workbook setup.

Duplicate the workbook

Create a complete copy of your affected Excel workbook so you do not alter or risk losing the original data.

Sanitize the data

Open the copied workbook and remove all sensitive or confidential company information, replacing it with generic dummy data. Ensure that the original Power Query connections and formatting remain completely intact.

Submit a support request

Ask your Microsoft 365 administrator or IT department to navigate to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, go to Support, and select 'New service request' to securely upload the sanitized file for diagnostics.

Create a Sanitized Test File and Contact Microsoft Support

Data Privacy: Never share confidential company data or proprietary workbooks on public troubleshooting forums or community boards.

Solution 2

Check for Add-in Conflicts Using Safe Mode

Identify if third-party COM add-ins are interfering with Excel's clipboard or rendering engine, causing the application to crash.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Stable, Crash-Free Spreadsheet Experience

If Microsoft Excel continues to freeze or crash on your device, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative that handles complex spreadsheets effortlessly without taxing your system.

1. Download and install: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your computer.
2. Open your workbook directly: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your existing .xlsx or .xls files directly without needing any format conversion.
3. Edit with stability: Enjoy a smooth and stable experience while copying, pasting, resizing columns, and managing large datasets.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel freeze only when I refresh Power Query?

Power Query can consume significant system CPU and memory resources. If your graphics drivers are outdated, the Office installation is corrupted, or the hardware cannot handle the processing demand, the heavy background load may trigger an application freeze or crash.

How do I sanitize an Excel file before sharing it with support?

Make a copy of your workbook, delete all confidential or proprietary company data, and replace it with generic dummy data. Ensure you keep the original formulas, layout, and Power Query connections exactly as they are so support teams can still reproduce the issue.

Can third-party add-ins cause Excel to crash when copying and pasting?

Yes, outdated or conflicting COM add-ins often interfere with Excel's clipboard functions or background rendering. Opening Excel in Safe Mode (which disables add-ins temporarily) helps determine if an add-in is the root cause of the freezing.

Excel & Data Problems