Excel Performance Problems

Fix Excel Taking 40 Minutes to Calculate After Windows 11 Upgrade

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing severe performance degradation in Excel, with workbook calculation times jumping from under one minute to over 40 minutes following an upgrade to Windows 11.

How to Fix Excel Taking Too Long to Calculate After a Windows 11 Upgrade

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows 11
Scenario: Calculating heavy workbooks or executing macros after performing recent OS and Microsoft Office updates.
Observed behavior: Excel calculations stall and process at drastically reduced speeds, taking up to 40 minutes to finish. Standard system repair utilities like System File Checker (SFC) and DISM fail to resolve the slowdown.

Before you start

Before proceeding with an Office update rollback, save a backup copy of your current workbook and ensure you have administrative privileges on your Windows 11 computer to access the Command Prompt.

Solution 1Recommended

Roll Back Microsoft 365 to a Stable Previous Version

Since specific recent Microsoft 365 versions (such as 17928.20114) have known macro and calculation performance bugs, reverting to an earlier build is the most effective workaround.

This extreme lag is often tied to a buggy Microsoft 365 update rather than the Windows 11 operating system itself. Rolling back to a previous build circumvents the bug until Microsoft releases a permanent performance patch.

Disable Automatic Office Updates

Open Excel, navigate to **File**, and select **Account**. Click on **Update Options** and choose **Disable Updates** to prevent Office from automatically reinstalling the problematic version.

Open Elevated Command Prompt

Click the Windows Start button, type **cmd** in the search bar, right-click **Command Prompt**, and select **Run as administrator**.

Navigate to the Office ClickToRun Directory

In the Command Prompt window, type `cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun` and press **Enter**.

Execute the Rollback Command

Type `officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.17830.20166` (or another stable version number corresponding to your update channel) and press **Enter** to initiate the downgrade process.

Roll Back Microsoft 365 to a Stable Previous Version

Update Channel Verification: Make sure the target rollback version matches your specific Microsoft 365 update channel. You can verify stable version numbers on the official Microsoft 365 Apps update history documentation.

Solution 2

Submit a Service Request in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

If rolling back the update does not restore your calculation speeds, escalate the issue directly to Microsoft Support for advanced diagnostics.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Fast and Reliable Calculations with WPS Office

If Microsoft Excel updates continue to disrupt your workflow with excessive calculation times, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly responsive spreadsheet application that handles complex formulas and macros efficiently without draining system resources.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for the Windows installer.
2. Install the Software: Run the downloaded installation file and follow the on-screen prompts to set up the software on your Windows 11 device.
3. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing .xlsx workbooks to enjoy fast, interruption-free calculations instantly.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel formats (.xlsx, .xls, .csv) and legacy macros.Lightweight architecture ensures fast installation and snappy calculation speeds on Windows 11.Familiar user interface allows you to migrate your work seamlessly without relearning new menus.Completely free to use for standard spreadsheet creation and data analysis.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel take so long to calculate after a Windows 11 update?

The extreme slowdown is typically caused by a coincident Microsoft 365 Office update (such as version 17928.20114) that introduces calculation or macro execution bugs, rather than the Windows 11 operating system upgrade itself.

How do I check my current Microsoft Excel version?

Open Excel, click on **File** in the top ribbon, select **Account** (or **Help** in older versions), and look under the **About Excel** section to see your exact build number and update channel.

Is it safe to disable Microsoft Office updates?

Disabling updates is safe as a temporary troubleshooting measure to prevent a buggy version from reinstalling. However, you should periodically check and re-enable them once Microsoft releases a permanent fix to ensure you receive vital security patches.

Can I stop Excel from automatically calculating formulas to save time?

Yes. You can switch to manual calculation by navigating to the **Formulas** tab, clicking on **Calculation Options**, and selecting **Manual**. This allows you to edit the workbook without freezing, pressing **F9** only when you are ready to recalculate everything.

Excel & Data Problems