Fix Excel 365 for Mac Freezing and Slow Workbook Performance
Question details
The user needs to troubleshoot severe performance problems in Excel 365 for Mac.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel 365 for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Entering data, copying, selecting cells, or saving workbooks in Excel.
- Observed behavior
- Excel runs slowly, freezes, or displays a spinning beach ball during routine workbook tasks.
Save any open work if Excel responds, and note whether the slowdown affects one workbook or all workbooks. Check whether Excel has updates available through Help > Check for Updates or the Mac App Store, depending on how it was installed.
Isolate the Excel slowdown with Safe Mode and a new user account
Use these tests to identify whether the problem is tied to a workbook, third-party software, or your macOS user profile.
In Excel, select File > New Workbook and try entering data, copying cells, and saving. Compare the results with the affected workbook.
On an Apple silicon Mac, shut down, hold the power button until startup options appear, select your startup disk, then hold Shift and click Continue in Safe Mode. On an Intel Mac, restart and immediately hold Shift until the login window appears.
Open Excel and repeat the actions that caused freezing. Restart the Mac normally afterward; if Safe Mode helps, investigate third-party startup items and utilities.
Open System Settings > Users & Groups, add a user, and sign in to that account. Open Excel and test a new workbook to see whether the issue is specific to your original profile.
Reset Excel's local container data
Try this if Excel remains slow and the issue may be related to local settings or cached data.
Reinstall Excel 365 for Mac
Reinstall Excel if testing and resetting local data do not resolve the problem; this resolved the original user's performance issue.
Try WPS Office as an alternative for Mac spreadsheets
WPS Office is a free, lightweight Office alternative with a familiar interface. Open compatible Excel files in WPS Spreadsheet to continue working with minimal disruption; it does not repair Microsoft Excel itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell whether one workbook is causing Excel to freeze?
Choose File > New Workbook in Excel and test the same actions. If the new workbook works normally, inspect the affected file's formulas, external links, and macros.
What does testing Excel in Safe Mode reveal?
If Excel works better in Safe Mode, a third-party startup item or utility may be contributing to the problem. Restart normally and investigate those items.
Is it safe to delete the Excel container?
The container may hold settings and recovery data as well as cached files. Quit Office apps and move the com.microsoft.excel folder from ~/Library/Containers to a separate location instead of immediately deleting it.
Will reinstalling Excel remove my workbooks?
Moving the Excel application from Finder > Applications to the Trash is separate from deleting your workbook files. Check where your files are saved before removing the app, and reinstall Excel from your Microsoft account or the Mac App Store.
Can WPS Spreadsheet open my Excel workbook?
WPS Spreadsheet can open common Excel formats such as XLSX and XLS. Check complex formulas, formatting, and macros after opening a file because compatibility can vary.
