Editing and saving Excel workbooks has become cumbersome and very slow

StanJulieElmquist-7495 5 Reputation points
2026-06-29T20:35:00.0833333+00:00

After making what I consider minor changes to an Excel workbook, I ask for it to be saved but it takes an extremely long amount of time (minutes) now compared to my earlier experiences using Windows 10. I spent money on new devices so that I would have the latest Surface tablet and desktop computer to run Windows 11. Now, it seems as if neither of these devices work as quickly as before when saving workbooks. I need help with this, please!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
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  1. Jeronimo Fuerte 41,025 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-06-29T22:28:45.8466667+00:00

    Hi! First, please test whether the issue is related to the file location. Save a copy of the workbook to a local folder such as Documents or Desktop, not inside OneDrive/SharePoint/network storage, then make a small change and save it again. If it saves normally there, the delay may be related to syncing, AutoSave, OneDrive, or the cloud location.

    If it happens even with a local copy, please try starting Excel in Safe Mode: press Windows + R, type:

    excel /safe

    Then open the workbook, make a small change, and save it. If saving is faster in Safe Mode, the most likely cause is an add-in.

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