In recent times many Microsoft Excel users are complaining about a particular error message stating Microsoft Excel cannot access the file. This error message tends to appear whenever Excel has encountered difficulties accessing a specific file.
The error message states:
Microsoft Excel cannot access the file, There are several possible reasons
- The file name or path does not exist
- The file is being used by another program
- The workbook you are trying to save has the same name as another
Microsoft Excel cannot access the file
If you receive Microsoft Excel cannot access the file error message you can use the following suggestions to resolve the issue.
- Close all other open programs
- Give the workbook a different name
- Disable Excel add-ins
- Use the Share feature in Excel
- Update Office
- Repair Office.
1] Close all other open programs
The first thing you should do here is to close all programs that are using the Excel file you are attempting to open. Please ensure the .xls file is not opened in other workbooks, add-ins, or apps.
After coming to that conclusion, simply attempt to open the file again in Excel to see if the problem no longer exists.
If you’re not able to close programs the traditional way to free up the Excel file for usage, then consider using Task Manager to get things done.
Read: How to tell which Process is locking or using a File?
2] Give the workbook a different name
To fix this problem, we suggest giving the workbook a new name if the current cannot be used.
With that said, if changing the name doesn’t work then please read Sorry, Excel cannot open two workbooks with the same name at the same time.
3] Disable Excel add-ins
If the above fails to take fruit, then we believe another method to take advantage of is the disabling of Microsoft Excel add-ins. This is another easy task that takes no effort to accomplish, so as usual, let us explain how to get this done effectively.
This method works not only for Excel but all Office programs that support the installation of add-ins.
READ: How to remove dashes in Excel
4] Use the Share feature in Excel
Some users who come face-to-face with Microsoft Excel cannot access the file sub-error due to them attempting to share an Excel file with Microsoft Teams or other apps. There is an easy way to get around this problem for sure, so let us explain.
- Open the Excel application.
- From there, you must then launch into the relevant Workbook.
- Once that is done, please look to the top-right area for the Share button.
- Click on it, then select Copy Link.
- Finally, open Teams and share the link directly with other members.
Doing it this way should solve your problem, and as such, the error message may not return.
5] Update Office
The first method we recommend is the updating of Office software. Having an outdated version of the application can cause many problems, and one is the inability to access files.
READ: How to change Lowercase to Uppercase in Excel
6] Repair Office
Another method that is known to work effectively is repairing the Office software. Repairing the Excel application is a simple task that doesn’t take much of your time.
READ: How to compare two columns in Excel using VLOOKUP
How do I give access to an Excel file?
To give access to a file in Excel, go ahead and click on the Share button, then set permissions. Allow editing is automatically checked in this instance, so go ahead and enter the names or email addresses of those you wish to share with. Add a message if you wish, then click on the Send button or select the Copy link.
Why Microsoft Excel Cannot access the file?
There are several possible reasons why Excel cannot access the file you want to work with. Maybe the file name or path does not exist. It could also be that the file is being used by another application. Additionally, the Workbook you are attempting to save could have a similar name to another Workbook currently opened.
