Top 11 Ways to Fix Microsoft Excel Not Saving Changes on Windows
Microsoft Excel offers real-time collaboration to Microsoft 365 subscribers. The software automatically saves your changes when you open a shared or received Excel file and make changes. If Excel does not save changes on exit, read the troubleshooting steps to fix the problem.
Microsoft Excel not saving changes can lead to errors and confusion. Before this creates more communication issues within your team, use the tips below to fix the problem by saving the changes to the shared Excel file.
1. Repair files from File Explorer
If you open a corrupt Excel file on your PC, it may not save recent changes. You need to open and repair an Excel file on your PC.
Step 1: Open the Microsoft Excel application on your computer.
2nd step: Select File in the upper right corner and select Open.
Step 3: Find an Excel file on your computer and expand the Open menu.
Step 4: Select Open and Repair and start making changes.
2. Disable read-only permission
If an Excel file is set to read-only, you cannot make changes to it. You need to disable read-only permission of file properties. Here’s how.
Step 1: Press Windows key + E hotkey to launch File Explorer app on your Windows 11 computer.
2nd step: Find an Excel file and right-click on it. Open Properties.
Step 3: Uncheck the Read-only box and click Apply. Press OK.
Open the same Excel file and start making changes without a hitch.
3. Ask for editing permission
Are you trying to make changes in a shared Excel file? If the administrator has shared a file with read-only permission, you cannot make changes to it. You need to ask the person to share the file with edit permission.
4. Start Excel in Safe Mode
If one of the add-ons interferes with Excel functions on Windows, it may not save changes to the file. You need to start Excel in safe mode and try again.
Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run menu.
2nd step: Type excel/sure in the box and click OK.
5. Disable add-ons
If Excel works fine in Safe Mode, it confirms the problem with one of the installed add-ons. You can disable irrelevant Excel add-ons and try again.
Step 1: Open an Excel file on your PC. Choose the folder.
2nd step: Open Options.
Step 3: Select Add-ons and tap Go next to the Manage menu.
Step 4: Disable the check mark next to Add-ins and tap OK.
You can restart Excel and start making changes without any problem.
6. Repair office
If Excel does not save changes, you can repair Microsoft Office and try again.
Step 1: Click the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
2nd step: Select Apps from the left sidebar and select Installed Apps from the right pane.
Step 3: Scroll down to Microsoft 365 and click on the three horizontal dots menu next to it. Select Edit from the context menu.
Step 4: Click the radio button next to Quick Repair and select the Repair button.
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the repair process. Run the online repair tool from the same menu if the problem persists.
7. Check OneDrive storage
Microsoft Excel uses the company’s OneDrive storage to save and share files. If your OneDrive storage is full, Excel may not save changes to your PC. You need to verify your OneDrive storage on the web.
Step 1: Visit OneDrive online and sign in with your Microsoft account details.
2nd step: Check the storage space in the sidebar.
You can delete unnecessary files to free up space on your PC.
8. Save the file with a new name
If your Excel file name contains invalid characters, it may not save changes. You can click the file name at the top to rename it.
9. Move the file location and try again
If you’ve moved the file location to OneDrive or PC, Excel won’t save the latest changes to the file. You must reopen the file from the same location and try saving it again.
10. Manually save an offline copy
Does Excel still have problems saving changes? It’s time to manually save a copy on your PC. Here’s how.
Step 1: Open a troubling Excel file and tap the File menu in the upper left corner.
2nd step: Select “Save a copy”.
Step 3: Save the Excel file to a relevant folder.
11. Update Desktop
An outdated Microsoft Excel application on Windows can cause issues such as saving changes on exit. Here’s how you can update Office and fix the problem.
Step 1: Open an Excel file and click the File menu in the upper left corner of Microsoft Excel.
2nd step: Select Account. Expand Update options.
Step 3: Select Update now and install the latest version of Office applications.
Enough of this sheet
Excel not saving changes on Windows can interrupt your workflow and disrupt team communication. Follow the above steps, fix Excel not saving changes issue and keep it updated for all team members. If you are facing the same problem on Excel for Mac, check out our dedicated article to fix the problem.