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How to Fix Excel for Mac Creating Tilde (~$) Temporary Files on Network Shares
Question details
Excel for Mac creates undeletable ~$ temporary lock files when saving to a Windows Server network share.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS Ventura
- Scenario
- Saving and editing an Excel workbook stored on a Windows Server network share using a Mac.
- Observed behavior
- Excel generates ~$ temporary lock files that trigger file-locking errors, cause slow save times, and result in files that cannot be edited or deleted directly from the Mac.
Ensure your Mac has a stable connection to the network server, and temporarily save a backup copy of your Excel workbook to your local Mac drive to prevent data loss while troubleshooting.
Update macOS and Microsoft Excel
Installing the latest software updates can resolve known SMB network file-locking bugs in macOS Ventura and Microsoft 365.
Apple and Microsoft have released patches specifically designed to address network sharing conflicts and file-locking errors between macOS Ventura and Windows Servers. Ensuring both systems are up to date is the most effective way to eliminate the ~$ temporary file issue.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, select 'System Settings', navigate to 'General', and click 'Software Update'. Install the latest available version of macOS (Ventura 13.2.1 or later is recommended).
Open Microsoft Excel on your Mac. Click 'Help' in the top menu bar and select 'Check for Updates'. Ensure you are updated to Microsoft 365 version 16.71 or newer.
Restart your Mac to apply the system updates. Reconnect to the Windows Server network share and attempt to open, edit, and save your Excel file to see if the lock file issue is resolved.
Work from a Local Drive and Copy to the Server
If network file-locking issues persist, use your Mac's local storage to edit the file, bypassing the server's locking mechanism.
Try WPS Office for a Seamless Mac Spreadsheet Experience
If network file-locking conflicts with Microsoft Excel continue to disrupt your workflow on macOS, WPS Office provides a reliable and lightweight alternative. It offers powerful spreadsheet capabilities and excellent system stability without the hefty subscription costs.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package designed for macOS.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Open the downloaded .dmg file and simply drag the WPS Office application icon into your Mac's Applications folder.
- 3. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Excel workbooks to continue editing seamlessly without network interruptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel create a ~$ file on my Mac's network share?
The ~$ file is a temporary 'owner file' or lock file created by Excel to indicate that the workbook is currently open and being actively edited. This system is designed to prevent other users on the same network from overwriting your changes by locking the main file.
Can I manually delete the ~$ temporary files on my network server?
Normally, these lock files are automatically deleted by Excel when you save and close the workbook. If a network error or app crash leaves the file stranded, you can manually delete it via Finder. However, if macOS gives a permission error, a server administrator may need to remove the lock from the Windows Server side.
Does macOS Ventura have known issues with SMB network shares?
Yes, early versions of macOS Ventura experienced several documented bugs related to SMB network sharing and file locking, which heavily impacted applications like Microsoft Excel. Updating to Ventura version 13.2.1 or newer often patches these specific SMB conflicts.
How do I stop Excel from creating backup or temporary files altogether?
You cannot completely disable the creation of ~$ lock files, as they are a core component of Microsoft Excel's file protection and co-authoring architecture. To bypass this mechanism, you must either edit the files on a local drive or use a cloud-based storage solution rather than a traditional SMB network share.
