Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
A family of Microsoft spreadsheet software with tools for analyzing, charting, and communicating data.
can't open file on excel
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Christen Ruiz
0
Reputation points
trying to open doc in excel but it asks me for my password and then says i'm not connected to the internet but I am. Why is it doing this all of a sudden?
Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
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Michael Faniega 0 Reputation points2026-05-01T00:40:50.71+00:00 Because the execution and secured network from my platform.
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3 answers
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Jeronimo Fuerte 38,760 Reputation points Independent Advisor2026-04-30T23:49:17.4266667+00:00 Hi! Sorry to hear that you are having issues with this. Could you please confirm if this happens with only one specific Excel file, or with all Excel files? Also, are you able to open Excel by itself without opening any file? Do you experience the same sign-in issue with other Microsoft apps, or only with Excel?
As a test, please temporarily disable any VPN or proxy settings, and also temporarily disable any third-party antivirus or firewall software, then try again. It would also be helpful to test using a different network, such as a mobile hotspot, just to rule out a network-related issue.
Please let me know if any of these steps make a difference.
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Christen Ruiz 0 Reputation points
2026-05-01T00:07:50.2733333+00:00 I already had excel open when this started happening with 2 files open. If I try to open any new excel file or any Word file I get this message. I don’t want to close excel or shut down my computer because I’m afraid I won’t be able to re-open the files I already have open and I need those files.
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Jeronimo Fuerte 38,760 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-01T00:13:32.7866667+00:00 Thanks for the reply. Could you please share a screenshot of the error message that you see, and how does the software looks on the other files? Cover all personal data available, please
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Jeronimo Fuerte 38,760 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-01T00:50:18.8366667+00:00 You must have the option by clicking on this icon when you edit your response:
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Jeronimo Fuerte 38,760 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-01T01:15:15.6466667+00:00 Please do not close Excel yet if you are worried about the files that are already open. First, try to save local backup copies of the files you currently have open by using File > Save As > Browse and saving them to a local folder such as Desktop or Documents, with a slightly different file name.
After your open files are safely saved, please test whether you can sign in from a browser at Office.com or account.microsoft.com using the same Microsoft account. If the browser sign-in works, the next step would be to refresh the Office sign-in session: close all Office apps, reopen Excel, then go to File > Account and sign out/sign back in if the option is available. If the message continues, go to Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy and make sure no unexpected proxy is enabled, then check Date & time and confirm that “Set time automatically” is on. If possible, also test from a mobile hotspot. This will help confirm whether Office is being blocked only on the current network or whether the issue is with the local Office/Windows sign-in cache.
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Jeronimo Fuerte 38,760 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-01T17:27:15.5866667+00:00 Unfortunately, that's not possible. I can only help you through this chat
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Christen Ruiz 0 Reputation points
2026-05-01T19:07:38.77+00:00 That is unfortunate.
I’m not home right now but I can chat later.
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Jeronimo Fuerte 38,760 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-01T22:40:17.1566667+00:00 Sure, just let me know, preferably attempt the suggestions, and let me know the results.
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Q&A Assist2026-04-30T23:09:40.9466667+00:00 AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn moreThe message about not being connected to the internet appears when Excel cannot reach Microsoft’s online services, even if the device itself is online. This can happen if:
- The network or internet connection is actually down or unstable.
- Microsoft’s online services are temporarily unavailable.
- Excel is trying to reach online content (such as templates or help) and fails.
In this situation:
- Verify that other internet-dependent apps (browser, email, etc.) work on the same device.
- If they do, the issue is likely with Excel’s connection to Microsoft’s services, not the whole internet. Wait a while and try again in case the service is temporarily offline.
- If the file is password-protected, ensure the correct password is entered; if the workbook is also using online content (templates, help, or external connections), Excel may still show an internet-related message when it cannot reach those services.
- If needed, work offline with local content only by pressing F1 in Excel to open Help, then in the Help window’s Connection Status menu (bottom-right), choose Show content only from this computer. When online access is restored, switch back to Show content from Office.com.
References: