Office Apps Freezing

Fix Excel Freezing When Multiple Microsoft Edge Processes Appear

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing constant freezing in Excel, accompanied by the appearance of multiple Microsoft Edge processes in the task manager.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening or working on Excel workbooks while Microsoft Edge WebView2 processes are running in the background.
Observed behavior: Excel becomes unresponsive and freezes across all files, while multiple Microsoft Edge processes appear simultaneously.

Before you start

Verify whether the freezing occurs with a specific workbook or every file you open, and ensure your Windows operating system is fully updated.

Solution 1Recommended

Run Excel in Safe Mode and Disable COM Add-ins

Starting Excel in Safe Mode helps determine if a conflicting COM add-in is causing the application to freeze alongside the WebView2 processes.

Microsoft 365 apps use Microsoft Edge WebView2 for web-based features, so seeing Edge processes is normal. However, freezing often indicates a conflict with an add-in rather than the Edge processes themselves.

Open the Run Dialog

Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.

Launch Excel in Safe Mode

Type `excel /safe` and press Enter to launch Microsoft Excel in Safe Mode.

Access Add-ins Menu

If Excel runs smoothly without freezing, go to File > Options > Add-ins.

Disable COM Add-ins

Select 'COM Add-ins' from the Manage drop-down list at the bottom and click Go. Uncheck all add-ins and click OK, then restart Excel normally to see if the issue is resolved.

WebView2 Context: Closing the Edge processes manually in Task Manager usually will not resolve the freeze, as Excel requires them for web-linked features.

Solution 2

Repair Microsoft Office and WebView2 Components

If Excel freezes with every file and Safe Mode doesn't help, repairing the Office installation and the WebView2 runtime can fix corrupted program files.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft Edge run in the background when using Excel?

Excel and other Microsoft 365 applications use the Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime to display web-based content, run web add-ins, and power connected experiences securely.

Will uninstalling Microsoft Edge stop Excel from freezing?

Uninstalling Microsoft Edge is not recommended and is usually restricted on modern Windows systems. Excel relies on the WebView2 runtime, so removing it might break essential Office features.

What should I do if the freezing only happens in one specific workbook?

If only one file freezes, the issue is likely due to file corruption, excessively complex formulas, or too many conditional formatting rules rather than the background WebView2 processes. Try copying your data to a new blank workbook.

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