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How to Fix Excel Crashing When Opening or Creating Chart Templates
Question details
Excel crashes completely when the user attempts to create, apply, or open a custom chart template.
- Product
- Excel for Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- Windows 11
- Scenario
- Selecting the Chart Templates option to apply or create a custom chart design.
- Observed behavior
- The Excel application abruptly crashes or closes when the Chart Templates menu is accessed.
Make sure to save any other open Excel workbooks and close all active Excel windows to prevent data loss during the troubleshooting process.
Remove or Rename Corrupted Chart Templates
A corrupted custom chart template file is the most common cause of this crash. Deleting or moving the affected file will resolve the issue.
When Excel tries to load a corrupted .crtx file in the templates menu, the application fails to process it and shuts down. Removing the problematic template forces Excel to bypass the corrupted data.
Ensure Excel is completely closed. Check your Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to verify no Excel processes are running in the background.
Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates\Charts and press Enter to open the folder where custom chart templates are stored.
Locate the chart template files (.crtx). Move them to your Desktop temporarily or delete them if you know which specific template is causing the issue.
Open Excel again, insert a new chart, and try accessing the Chart Templates option to confirm the crash has been resolved.
Start Excel in Safe Mode to Disable Add-ins
Third-party add-ins might interfere with chart rendering. Starting Excel in Safe Mode helps identify if an add-in is the culprit.
Run the Microsoft Office Repair Tool
If Excel crashes with all templates and Safe Mode doesn't help, the Office installation files may be damaged and require repairing.
Create and Manage Charts Seamlessly with WPS Office
If Excel continues to crash or you want a more stable environment for your spreadsheets, try WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, free alternative that allows you to manage data, generate charts, and save custom templates without unexpected errors.
- 1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your Windows PC.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing .xlsx workbook.
- 3. Create Your Charts: Navigate to the Insert tab, click Chart, and easily customize or apply your chart templates without crashing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Excel chart templates stored on Windows 11?
By default, custom chart templates (.crtx files) are stored in a hidden AppData directory. You can find them by navigating to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Charts.
Will repairing Microsoft Office delete my spreadsheets or custom templates?
No, running a Quick Repair or Online Repair from the Windows Settings only fixes the application's core files. Your personal spreadsheets, chart templates, and documents remain untouched.
Why does Excel only crash when I select one specific chart template?
This usually indicates that the specific template file became corrupted during the saving process, or it contains severely outdated formatting elements from much older versions of Excel that Microsoft 365 can no longer process.
How do I create a new chart template safely?
To create a new template, format a chart exactly how you want it to look, right-click on the chart area, and choose 'Save as Template'. Save the resulting .crtx file in the default Charts template folder.
