Fix Excel for Mac Crashing When Running VBA Functions on M1
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where Excel for Mac crashes unexpectedly when executing VBA routines or entering text into worksheets.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS 11.1 on Apple Silicon (M1)
- Scenario
- Editing existing workbooks and triggering user-defined VBA functions on an early native ARM-64 build of Excel.
- Observed behavior
- Excel freezes and generates an Apple crash report showing an EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV) or Segmentation fault 11 error.
Ensure your Microsoft 365 subscription was purchased directly rather than through the Mac App Store, as Apple Store builds cannot access the Beta Channel required for some architecture-specific bug fixes.
Install the Latest Updates via Beta Channel
Updating to a newer, unreleased build can resolve early ARM-64 architecture bugs that cause segmentation faults in VBA.
Early native Apple Silicon builds of Excel 16.44 had known stability issues with Visual Basic for Applications. Joining the Office Insider Beta Channel allows you to download patches that the Excel development team has specifically released for M1 compatibility.
Launch Microsoft Excel, go to the top menu bar, click on 'Help', and select 'Check for Updates'.
In the AutoUpdate window, click on 'Advanced', open the 'Update Channel' dropdown menu, and select 'Beta Channel'.
Accept the terms for untested software, allow AutoUpdate to search for the latest build, and click 'Update' to install it.
Run Excel Using Apple Rosetta 2
Running the application in a non-native configuration forces it to use the Intel translation layer, bypassing ARM-specific crashes.
Isolate the Issue by Disabling Macros
Temporarily disabling VBA macros helps determine whether the crash is caused by specific code executing in the background or general application instability.
Try WPS Office for Mac as a Reliable Alternative
If Microsoft Excel continues to crash on your M1 Mac due to architecture bugs, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly stable, lightweight, and native Apple Silicon spreadsheet experience without the expensive subscription fees.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the Mac version.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and directly open your existing Excel workbooks without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EXC_BAD_ACCESS mean in Excel for Mac?
EXC_BAD_ACCESS (or Segmentation Fault) is a memory access error. It occurs when Excel attempts to read or write to a block of memory that it doesn't have permission to access, often due to software bugs in early Apple Silicon (ARM-64) builds interacting with VBA code.
Why does Excel crash on my M1 Mac but not on my Intel Mac?
Early versions of Excel 16.44 native to the ARM architecture (M1 chips) contained bugs specifically related to running Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) scripts. Intel Macs run a different architecture build that did not share these specific memory allocation issues.
Will I lose my data when Excel crashes with a Segmentation Fault?
If you have AutoSave enabled and are saving to OneDrive or SharePoint, your most recent edits are likely safe. However, for local files, any changes made since your last manual save before the crash will typically be lost. It is highly recommended to manually save frequently when experiencing instability.
How can I report a persistent crash to Microsoft?
When the Apple crash reporter appears, copy the error details. Then, open Excel, click on the 'Help' menu, select 'Feedback', choose 'I don't like something' or 'Report a Problem', and paste your crash log along with your macOS and Excel build details.
