How to Fix Corrupted Excel Worksheets on macOS Big Sur
Question details
The user is experiencing visual corruption in Excel worksheets, such as mirrored rows and doubled separators, after upgrading to macOS Big Sur.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS Big Sur
- Scenario
- Opening and viewing spreadsheets in Excel version 15.36 after a recent macOS system upgrade.
- Observed behavior
- Excel displays corrupted visual elements like mirrored rows. Attempting to update the software sometimes fails or leaves the application stuck on the incompatible 15.36 version.
Ensure you have your Microsoft account login credentials handy, as you may need to sign back in if a clean reinstallation of Office is required.
Update Microsoft AutoUpdate and Install macOS Updates
Use this solution to ensure both your macOS and Office applications are running the latest, fully compatible versions.
Older versions of Excel, such as 15.36, are known to be incompatible with macOS Big Sur, leading to rendering issues. Updating the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool usually resolves version conflicts and allows the software patch to apply correctly.
Navigate to the official Microsoft Mac download page and download the newest version of the Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) package.
Open Excel, click on 'Help' in the top menu bar, and select 'Check for Updates'. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the newest version of Office.
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner, go to 'System Preferences' > 'Software Update', and install any pending updates for macOS Big Sur.
Remove Duplicate Office Installations and Reinstall
Use this solution if your Mac indicates the update was successful, but launching Excel still shows the outdated version 15.36.
Try WPS Office for a Stable Mac Experience
If Microsoft Excel continues to display corrupted worksheets or encounters update errors on macOS Big Sur, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a seamless, lightweight, and highly compatible spreadsheet experience on Mac.
- 1. Download WPS Office for Mac: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the download button for the macOS version.
- 2. Install the Software: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Excel (.xlsx) files. They will display perfectly with all original formatting preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Excel look corrupted after upgrading to macOS Big Sur?
Older versions of Microsoft Excel (like version 15.36) are not fully optimized for the new rendering engine in macOS Big Sur. This incompatibility causes visual glitches like mirrored rows and doubled separators.
Will I lose my spreadsheets if I uninstall Microsoft Office?
No. Uninstalling Microsoft Office only removes the application files. Your personal Excel workbooks saved on your local hard drive or in iCloud remain completely safe and untouched.
Why is my Excel version stuck on 15.36 even after a successful update?
You likely have duplicate installations of Office on your Mac. The update tool may have successfully updated one copy, but your dock shortcut might still be pointing to the older, duplicate application folder.
How do I manually force an update if Microsoft AutoUpdate fails?
You can manually download the newest Microsoft AutoUpdate package directly from Microsoft's official Mac support website. Installing the standalone tool will often bypass internal update failures.
