Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstalliTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
If you’ve inherited an Excel workbook and need to figure out what’s wrong without making it worse, start by saving an untouched original and working on a copy. Then match the problem to the right Excel feature: recover a file that will not open, inspect an unfamiliar workbook, compare versions, trace suspect formulas, or investigate performance. These tools can show structure, changes, and warnings; they cannot verify whether the workbook’s business assumptions are sound.
1. If the workbook will not open, try File Recovery and Open and Repair
When Excel detects a problem opening a workbook, let its File Recovery process run. If the file still will not open normally, Microsoft’s recovery workflow is to use Open and Repair. Work on a duplicate where possible, so recovery attempts do not put your only copy at risk.
- In Excel, choose File > Open.
- Select the workbook. Open the dropdown beside the Open button and choose Open and Repair.
- Choose Repair first. It attempts to recover as much workbook data as possible.
- If Repair does not recover the needed content, repeat the process and choose Extract Data to try to recover values and formulas.
If a disk or network issue is preventing access, Microsoft advises moving the file to a local disk before trying recovery. If the workbook remains unusable, consider a last saved version, a backup, or another available recovery file. See Microsoft’s corrupted workbook recovery guidance.
2. If it opens but you do not know what is inside, run Workbook Analysis
Workbook Analysis, part of Spreadsheet Inquire, creates an inventory that can surface formulas, cells, ranges, workbook details, warnings, and data connections. Microsoft’s example report includes hidden sheets, linked workbooks, external connections, array formulas, and formulas with errors. Treat these as inspection leads, not as a verdict that the workbook is correct or safe.
Enable Inquire if it is available
- Choose File > Options > Add-ins.
- In the Manage box, select COM Add-ins, then choose Go.
- Select Inquire, then choose OK. If Inquire is missing, your Excel edition may not include it, or an administrator may have disabled it.
- Open the Inquire tab and choose Workbook Analysis.
Workbook Analysis cannot process a sheet whose used range exceeds 100 million cells, according to Microsoft’s Spreadsheet Inquire overview. The feature’s availability is also limited: Microsoft says Inquire is available only in Excel for Windows in Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and equivalent editions. Excel for the web does not provide these workbook audit and compare features. Check Microsoft’s Inquire availability information before relying on it.
3. If you have an earlier version, use Spreadsheet Compare to find changes
When you have a meaningful baseline, Spreadsheet Compare can help isolate what changed during a handoff or after unexplained edits. Microsoft describes its Compare Files command as showing differences “cell by cell” between two workbooks. It can identify differences in values, formulas, named ranges, formats, and VBA code.
Rank #2
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Open both workbook versions in Excel.
- On the Inquire tab, choose Compare Files.
- Select the two open workbooks in the comparison dialog, then start the comparison.
- Review the differences in context before deciding whether any change is an error.
Compare Files requires both workbooks to be open, and the result is only as useful as the baseline you choose. A difference identifies a change; it does not say whether the change was intended. Microsoft’s comparison instructions explain the feature.
Recommended Free Tools
4. If a result looks wrong, audit the formula before editing it
Formula Auditing tools help you locate how a result was produced. They can reveal dependencies and walk through nested calculations, but they cannot tell you whether the assumptions or inputs are appropriate for the business problem.
Trace inputs and downstream effects
Select a formula cell and use Formulas > Trace Precedents to see cells feeding into it. Use Trace Dependents to see which formulas depend on the selected cell. Arrows help map relationships; inspect the referenced cells rather than assuming the path is correct. Microsoft also documents tracing circular references and dependencies in its formula relationship guidance.
Step through nested calculations
Choose Formulas > Evaluate Formula to evaluate parts of a formula in sequence. This can help pinpoint which operation or reference produces an unexpected value, especially in a long nested formula.
Check warnings without treating them as proof
Formulas > Error Checking can help locate formula errors, while Excel’s inconsistent-formula warnings can flag a formula that differs from nearby formulas. A difference may be intentional—for example, a special row may use different logic—so check the intended calculation before copying a neighboring formula or dismissing the warning. The checks are not exhaustive, and Excel errors can have different causes. See Microsoft’s formula error-checking guide and inconsistent formula guidance.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Keep key results in view
Use Formulas > Watch Window to monitor selected cells while you inspect other parts of the workbook. It is useful when an important total or output is far from the inputs or formulas you are examining.
Best Value
- The Microsoft Office 365 Bible: The Most Updated and Complete Guide to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, OneDrive, Teams, Access, and Publisher from Beginners to Advanced
- ABIS BOOK
5. If it is slow or unusually large, investigate formatting and calculation load
A workbook that is unexpectedly slow, large, or unstable may have excessive formatting or a heavy calculation load. Microsoft provides a Clean Excess Cell Formatting option in some Excel versions. Before removing formatting or changing calculation-related settings, save a separate copy and compare the workbook’s behavior afterward; cleanup can alter appearance or results if applied carelessly.
Microsoft’s workbook memory and performance guidance lists further options if cleanup does not resolve the issue, including using 64-bit Excel, splitting a workbook, or contacting support. Those are later options, not a reason to assume the computer itself is the problem.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
