How to Fix Excel Cannot Open XLSX File Issue?
Most users find the common problem that Excel cannot open XLSX file “file.xlsx” while opening the file in Excel. Usually, when an excel sheet is received by e-mail, and after opening it, the user cannot access it normally due to this error.
MS Excel is the program most often used by users – whether companies or individuals – to manage daily work reports, financial data and other tasks. This error indicates that the file is incompatible with Excel 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019, or the file data is corrupted or damaged. In this article, we present all possible solutions to fix this error easily. Now, if you are also facing this error and seeking for a method, then here in this article we are going to discuss techniques that will fix or resolve cannot open XLSX file. So keep reading the blog to know the solutions.
User Query– Hi, one of my colleagues send me an Excel file (.xlsx) via mail but when I try to open that I see the error message Excel file not opening. I really don’t know what the issue is, I tried to open the file various time but nothing happens. The file is con corrupted because the file is opening in the sender’s computer. Know If anyone knows the way to open the XLSX file, then please suggested it to me.
Reason Behind for the “Excel Cannot Open XLSX File” Problem
The causes of the Excel issues are discussed below:
- Compatibility Problem:– This is the most common problem, Excel file may be incompatible or not accessible to any version of Excel.
- Damaged or Corrupt Files: If you cannot access files in MS Excel and other versions of operating systems, the problem could be corruption.
- Download Problems:– Incomplete download and errors while downloading excel file can cause damage and eventually you cannot access the file.
- Improper Closing of the Application: – Improper closing of the Excel application can cause errors in the Excel file and make it inaccessible.
- Storage Device Failure: If the Excel file is not immediately accessible, you must use a storage device. The storage device may have a bad sector.
- Power Failure: A sudden power failure can cause Excel to close unexpectedly and make files inaccessible.
Manual Techniques to Fix Unbale to Open XLSX File
This method provides many solutions that can be used to resolve the issue. These are discussed below:
Method 1: By Change the Worksheet Extension
This problem occurs because the file was sent with an unsupported extension. Therefore, make sure that Microsoft Excel on your computer/laptop supports the .xlsx extension. To detect support for the .xlsx file extension, follow these steps:
- Open MS Excel and go to File menu Options
- Then select Export and select Change File Type
- Analyze if the .xlsx extension is visible. Otherwise, use .xlsx as the file extension. For this change, go to My Computer and see Tools Options.
- It can save you from all the mistakes you might encounter when changing the file extension
Method 2: Use the Open and Repair Option in MS Excel
The following features of MS Excel are used to repair damaged files:
- Open your Excel and go to the “File” menu
- Select Open Tab and press Browse
- Select the file you want to open, then select the Open and Repair icon
Method 3: Open File in Safe Mode and Disable Extensions
If the Excel file does not open, run it in safe mode and see if it opens successfully. This method also looks for problems in Microsoft Excel.
- Type Windows key+R, type excel.exe /safe and press OK. Loading Excel files without plug-ins and templates allows the user to see if the program is working as expected or has failed
- If the Excel file opens correctly, look for add-ins that are causing problems with the file. Disable add-ons and press OK
- Restart the Excel worksheet and check if the issue is resolved.
Alternative Way to Solve Excel Cannot Open XLSX File Error
These manual steps are for repairing corrupt excel files. But all these manual procedures are time consuming and not sufficient to fix all corrupted excel file problems. Also, some steps require advanced knowledge to perform. Here you need Excel Recovery Software that supports corrupted Excel data files saved with .xls or .xlsx extension and recovers all possible data from them.
Therefore, you can adopt a simple and professional way to help you recover all possible Excel sheet data. This tool saves the original data very accurately. The GUI of this tool is also very easy to use and is compatible with all available windows. You can also restore from one or more files at a time. This tool does not change the fields or formatting of the file during the entire process. Moreover, the software also capable to preserve the data of your Excel file.
Working Steps of this Software
- Launch Excel Repair Tool on Windows platform
- Select radio options: Add File/Add Folder/Browse Drive to upload corrupted Excel file
- Select the desired file then. click on Open Button
- To restore an Excel document, click the Repair button
- Preview the repaired Excel multi-sheet workbook Click to save the repaired Excel spreadsheet to your region
Conclusion
This article describes the error “Excel cannot open XLSX file ‘file.xlsx'”. Here I come up with many alternative manual troubleshooting steps ideas that can easily fix the issue. However, if the user does not want to use these manual steps, a simple solution is also provided here. Use whatever method is convenient for you to easily resolve the issue. For quick, easy and reliable recovery, you should use the Excel Repair Tool.
