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Fix Excel Files Taking 10 Minutes to Open After an Office Update
Question details
Users are experiencing extremely slow opening times for complex Excel workbooks containing external links and pivot tables immediately following a Microsoft Office update.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Opening existing workbooks with complex external data connections or pivot caches after updating Microsoft Office software.
- Observed behavior
- Excel files that previously opened in seconds now take up to 10 minutes to fully load and become responsive.
Ensure your computer is connected to a fast and stable network, as slow opening times can be severely exacerbated if Excel struggles to fetch data from broken or slow external links during the startup process.
Disable Automatic Updates for External Links
Preventing Excel from automatically refreshing external links upon opening can bypass the bottleneck and significantly reduce load times.
When an update alters how Excel processes background data connections, attempting to refresh all external links at startup can cause massive delays. Disabling this feature allows you to open the file instantly and refresh data manually when needed.
Launch Microsoft Excel without opening the problematic workbook. Go to the 'File' tab and click on 'Options' at the bottom left.
In the Excel Options dialog box, select 'Advanced' from the left-hand menu.
Scroll down to the 'General' section and uncheck the box that says 'Ask to update automatic links'. Click 'OK' to save your changes, then try opening your workbook again.
Roll Back to a Previous Office Build
If the performance issue is caused by a regression bug in the latest update, rolling back to a previous stable build is an effective temporary workaround.
Check for a Newer Patch
Since other users have likely reported this regression, Microsoft may have already released a hotfix to resolve the slow opening times.
Switch to WPS Office for Fast, Reliable Spreadsheet Performance
If buggy Microsoft Office updates are slowing down your workflow with unbearable load times, consider WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, free alternative that is designed to be lightweight, ensuring complex files open instantly without bloated background update processes.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the lightweight installer, which sets up the entire office suite in just a few minutes.
- 3. Open Your Spreadsheets: Right-click your slow-loading .xlsx file, choose 'Open with', and select WPS Spreadsheets to experience immediate load times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do external links make my Excel file open so slowly after an update?
When you open a file, Excel attempts to connect to the source workbooks to refresh data in real-time. An Office update can sometimes introduce bugs that disrupt this process or alter how pivot-caches are handled, causing the software to hang for minutes while trying to resolve the connections.
Will I lose my spreadsheet data if I revert Microsoft Office to a previous version?
No. Reverting Microsoft Office to an earlier build only downgrades the application files themselves. Your personal files, Excel workbooks, and saved data remain completely safe and untouched.
How can I stop pivot tables from slowing down my workbook opening times?
You can prevent pivot tables from refreshing upon startup. Right-click your pivot table, select 'PivotTable Options', navigate to the 'Data' tab, and uncheck the 'Refresh data when opening the file' option.
