How to fix Excel eating up CPU resources on Windows 10

It's usually not easy to pinpoint the main reason why Excel is causing the CPU to run at too high a level. It could be because a lot of data is in the Excel file in use or the formulas are corrupt. From there, the system will hang and also cause accidental damage to the Excel file, and here are some fixes.

Update Microsoft Office

The first thing to do is check for updates to your Microsoft Office suite, because it may contain patches that help fix the problem you are experiencing. And one thing to note is that every update for Office is done through Windows Update , check for automatic updates by:

1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings window.
2. Go to Update & Security > Windows Update .
3. Click on Advanced Options and see if Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows option is enabled? If not enabled, turn this feature on so the system can automatically update for you.
4. Finally, go back to the Windows Update interface and click Check for Update to check for updates.

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Delete local Excel files

Next try deleting Excel's local system files to make the program work like new again. But before you do this, copy all the data in the spreadsheet and save them elsewhere to avoid losing important data.

After making the backup, access the path containing the local Excel files C:\Users\name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel.

Then delete all the data in this folder and reboot.

Use Excel in Safe Mode and disable add-ins

Many users use the add-in to add new features to Excel to help them improve their workflow. But installing too many add-ins can also cause conflicts during the operation, leading to Excel crashes or drains CPU.

To solve the problem, first you need to start Excel in Safe Mode (safe mode does not use external features) and then conduct the test and then turn off the add-in. Hold down the Ctrl key and double-click the Excel icon to start it in Safe Mode.

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Turn off all add-ins to improve Excel performance

Try to use Excel and check if the performance is stable? If it is ok, proceed to disable the add-ins by going to File > Options > Add-ins .

Notice the last Manage menu, pop out and select Excel Add-ins , and then click Go.

A new window will appear with a list of all add-ons, please disable all add-ins. Restart Excel for normal use.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 07 August 2020