Fix Excel Blank Workbook Hanging on Office.com
Question details
Users are unable to start a new blank Excel workbook on Office.com due to an endless loading screen and the downloading of an empty file.
- Product
- Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to create a new spreadsheet project online using a Microsoft 365 Education account via the Office.com portal.
- Observed behavior
- Selecting 'New blank workbook' opens a launch page that loads indefinitely and occasionally downloads a zero-byte Book.xlsx file instead of opening the web editor.
Verify that your internet connection is stable and that your Microsoft 365 account is fully activated and correctly logged in on the web portal.
Create the Excel Workbook Through OneDrive
Bypass the Office.com launch page glitch by creating your new workbook directly inside your OneDrive directory.
This is the most effective workaround when the main Office.com portal fails to generate a new Excel file. Initializing the file directly from your cloud storage bypasses the problematic launch sequence.
Navigate to Office.com, sign in, and click the App Launcher (waffle icon) in the top left corner. Select 'OneDrive' from the list of applications.
Once inside your OneDrive folders, click the 'New' button located at the top of the screen.
Choose 'Excel workbook' from the dropdown menu. A new blank spreadsheet will be created and opened in a new tab.
Use InPrivate Mode or a Different Web Browser
Clear out potential cache conflicts or browser extensions that might be causing the Office.com page to hang.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Office.com download a zero-byte Book.xlsx file?
This usually happens when the web application encounters a server-side error generating the file template or is interrupted by browser cache issues. It results in an empty placeholder file being downloaded instead of opening the online editor.
Does this issue only affect Microsoft 365 Education accounts?
While frequently reported by Microsoft 365 Education users, this loading hang can affect any Microsoft 365 account due to temporary server glitches, regional outages, or local browser conflicts on Office.com.
How do I clear my browser cache to fix Office.com hanging?
In most modern browsers like Chrome or Edge, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Clear Browsing Data menu. Select 'Cached images and files', click 'Clear data', and then restart your browser before trying to access Office.com again.
