Office Apps Crashing

How to Fix Excel Crashing When Refreshing Live Stock Data

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where Microsoft Excel consistently crashes while refreshing and saving files containing live stock data.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to refresh live stock data types and save the workbook after switching Microsoft 365 accounts.
Observed behavior: Excel crashes completely during the data refresh and save process, and the issue persists despite Office repairs, removing add-ins, testing in Safe Mode, and trying a different computer.

Before you start

Before proceeding with troubleshooting, verify your current Microsoft 365 account subscription status to ensure you have proper access to premium data types, and temporarily back up your affected workbook.

Solution 1Recommended

Test Live Stock Data in a New Blank Workbook

Determine if the crashing issue is specific to a corrupted file or an account permission error by replicating the data setup in a brand new workbook.

Create a New File

Open Excel and select 'Blank workbook' from the home screen to create a fresh file.

Add Stock Data

Input a few company ticker symbols into a column, highlight the cells, and navigate to the 'Data' tab to apply the 'Stocks' data type.

Refresh the Data

Click the 'Refresh All' button located on the Data ribbon to pull the latest stock information from the servers.

Save the Workbook

Go to File > Save As and save the document to your local drive. If Excel does not crash, the original file is likely corrupted or incompatible with the recent account switch.

Data Privacy Caution: If the new workbook works but the old one crashes, Microsoft Support may need to inspect it. Only share files containing sensitive information through official, private support channels.

Solution 2

Revert to an Earlier Office Version

Since similar crashes involving ODBC queries have been linked to recent Office updates, rolling back to an earlier software version can restore stability.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel crash only when I refresh external data?

Refreshing data forces Excel to communicate with external servers (such as live stock data providers or ODBC connections) and instantly recalculate the workbook. Memory leaks or specific bugs in recent Office updates can cause the application to crash during this resource-intensive process.

Can switching my Microsoft 365 account cause Excel to crash?

Yes, switching accounts can occasionally cause authentication conflicts or permission issues with connected services like Microsoft's stock data provider. This can lead to application instability or crashes when Excel attempts to verify your license while retrieving live data.

How do I safely share a crashing workbook with support teams?

Never share workbooks containing sensitive or proprietary data on public forums or unverified platforms. Always use Microsoft's official private support channels and consider anonymizing or removing personal data before sending the file for technical inspection.

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