Fix Excel for Mac Crashing When Copying and Pasting a Chart
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where Excel for Mac crashes immediately upon attempting to copy and paste a chart.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- Mac (Intel Mac running macOS 11.6)
- Scenario
- Copying and pasting a chart within a spreadsheet after updating to Office version 16.55 (Insider or Beta Channel build).
- Observed behavior
- Excel abruptly crashes and closes without warning as soon as the chart is pasted.
Ensure that all your important documents are saved and completely quit all Microsoft Office applications running on your Mac before proceeding with these troubleshooting steps.
Clear the Excel Container Folder
Removing the Microsoft Excel container folder resets temporary application configurations and cache, which often resolves unexpected crashing issues on Mac.
Corrupted preference files and cache data stored within the system Library can cause conflicts during specific clipboard actions, such as pasting complex chart data.
Right-click the Excel icon in your Mac dock and select 'Quit'. Ensure Word and PowerPoint are also closed.
Open Finder. Click 'Go' in the top menu bar, hold down the 'Option' key on your keyboard to reveal the 'Library' option, and click it.
Navigate to the 'Containers' folder. Find the folder named 'com.microsoft.Excel' (or simply 'Microsoft Excel' on newer macOS versions) and drag it to the Trash.
Relaunch Excel to allow it to generate a fresh container folder. Open your workbook and test copying and pasting the chart again.
Boot Mac in Safe Mode and Disable Add-ins
Safe Mode clears system caches and helps determine if third-party background software or Excel add-ins are interfering with your clipboard operations.
Check for Office Insider Build Updates
Since the crash happens on an Insider or Beta Channel build (version 16.55), Microsoft may have already released a patch to fix this specific bug.
Use WPS Office for Mac for Stable Chart Management
If Excel for Mac continues to experience stability issues and crashes due to experimental Beta Channel updates, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible spreadsheet solution that runs smoothly on Mac, allowing you to copy, paste, and analyze charts without unexpected interruptions.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer specifically optimized for macOS.
- 2. Install and Launch: Open the downloaded package, drag the WPS Office icon to your Applications folder, and launch the program.
- 3. Open Your Workbook: Open your existing .xlsx file directly in WPS Spreadsheets to seamlessly continue editing and copying your charts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel for Mac crash only when pasting charts?
Pasting charts involves moving complex graphical data and linked ranges through the macOS clipboard. In certain Beta Channel builds (like 16.55), bugs in how the clipboard processes this complex data can cause the application's memory management to fail, resulting in an immediate crash.
Will I lose my spreadsheets if I delete the com.microsoft.Excel folder?
No. The com.microsoft.Excel container folder only stores temporary cache files and user interface preferences. Your actual Excel workbook files (.xlsx) saved on your Mac or in OneDrive will not be affected.
How do I report this bug to Microsoft?
Since you are on an Insider or Beta Channel build, you can report the bug by opening Excel, clicking 'Help' in the top menu, and selecting 'Feedback' > 'I Don't Like Something'. You can also post the issue with your crash logs in the official Microsoft Office Insider forum.
