Excel Performance Problems

Fix Excel Taking a Long Time to Open OneDrive Files on iPad

Elise Williams Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience an unusual delay when attempting to open or close Excel spreadsheets stored in OneDrive from their iPad devices.

Fix Excel Taking a Long Time to Open OneDrive Files on iPad

Product: Microsoft Excel, OneDrive
Device & OS: iPadOS
Scenario: Accessing, opening, and saving cloud-stored Excel spreadsheets using the Excel app on an iPad.
Observed behavior: Excel files stored in OneDrive take anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes to load or close on the iPad, despite opening instantly on a Windows computer under normal network conditions.

Before you start

Verify that your iPad is connected to a strong, stable Wi-Fi network and ensure that both your Microsoft Excel and OneDrive apps are updated to their latest versions in the App Store.

Solution 1Recommended

Reset or Reinstall the OneDrive App

Clearing the OneDrive cache or reinstalling the app resolves underlying synchronization hangups that slow down file access.

Sometimes the communication between the Excel app and the OneDrive app on iPadOS becomes corrupted or bogged down by cached data. Resetting your OneDrive app forces it to establish a fresh connection with Microsoft's cloud servers, which typically clears up long loading times.

Clear App Settings

Open the 'Settings' app on your iPad, scroll down the left sidebar to find 'OneDrive', and tap it. Toggle on the 'Clear Account Settings' option.

Restart OneDrive

Force close the OneDrive app by swiping up from the bottom of your screen and swiping the app away. Reopen OneDrive and sign back into your account.

Reinstall if Necessary

If the issue persists, press and hold the OneDrive app icon on your home screen, select 'Remove App', and delete it. Visit the App Store to download and install it again.

Sync Completion: Allow a few minutes for OneDrive to fully synchronize your file list before trying to open your spreadsheets in Excel again.

Solution 2

Test File Size and Network Variables

Isolating the issue to specific files or network conditions helps identify if the problem is device-wide or file-specific.

Solution 3

Submit Diagnostic Feedback to Microsoft

If the delay exclusively impacts Microsoft 365 files on the iPad, reporting it directly to the developers helps them patch the bug in future updates.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Open Cloud Spreadsheets Instantly with WPS Office on iPad

If Microsoft Excel continues to struggle with long load times for OneDrive files on your iPad, WPS Office provides a highly optimized, lightweight alternative. Enjoy seamless cloud integration and fast file loading without the heavy resource demands.

1. Install the App: Download WPS Office for free from the iPad App Store.
2. Link Your OneDrive: Open WPS Office, tap on the 'Cloud' or 'Open' tab, select OneDrive, and log in securely.
3. Access Files Quickly: Tap on your spreadsheets to open, edit, and save them instantly without the frustrating wait times.

Fully compatible with all Microsoft Excel formats (.xlsx, .xls, .csv)Lightweight app architecture ensures rapid opening and saving of files on iPadOSDirect, fast integration with OneDrive, Google Drive, and DropboxFamiliar user interface makes switching from Microsoft Office completely seamless

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my Excel files open instantly on Windows but take minutes on my iPad?

Windows computers typically use the OneDrive desktop sync client, meaning the files are often already downloaded to your local hard drive and open instantly. On an iPad, Excel must fetch the file directly from the cloud server over your active internet connection every time, which can cause noticeable delays if the connection to Microsoft's servers is struggling.

Does file size affect how fast Excel opens on an iPad?

Yes. Large Excel files containing thousands of rows, complex macros, or heavy conditional formatting require more memory and processing power to render. An iPad has different memory management constraints compared to a PC, which can significantly extend download and rendering times.

How can I make OneDrive files open faster on my iPad?

To improve load times, you can make the files available offline. Open the OneDrive app on your iPad, locate your Excel file, tap the three dots (More options) next to it, and select 'Make Available Offline'. This forces the iPad to store a local copy, bypassing the need to download it every time you open Excel.

Excel & Data Problems