Fixing "Not Enough Memory to Run Microsoft Excel" Error

[nerdslife_team]

The “Not Enough Memory to Run Microsoft Excel” error can pop up when your system’s memory is running low, or if Excel’s settings and files are having some issues. This can be a real pain, stopping you from accessing those important spreadsheets. Let’s walk through some fixes to get you back on track.

Method 1: Empty Excel AppData folder

Clearing out the Excel AppData folder is a great first step. Sometimes, corrupted or too many temporary files can cause problems.

1. Open the Start menu, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel\, and press Enter. This takes you directly to the Excel AppData folder.
   
   
2. Press Ctrl + A to select everything in the folder, then Ctrl + C to copy. Paste these files somewhere safe as a backup – just in case.
3. Delete all files in the Excel AppData folder by right-clicking and choosing Delete.
   
   
4. Now, restart Excel to see if the error is gone.

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Method 2: Perform Office Quick Repair

Microsoft Office has a repair tool that can often take care of minor software hiccups.

1. Click the Start menu and open Settings.
   
   
2. In the Settings window, select Apps from the sidebar.
   
   
3. From the right panel, click on Installed apps.
   
   
4. Find Microsoft Office in the list (or use the search bar). Click the ellipsis (three dots) next to it, and then select Modify.
   
   
5. A User Account Control (UAC) window will pop up. If you’re an admin, click Yes. Otherwise, enter your admin details.
   
   
6. In the Microsoft Office window, choose Online Repair, and hit Repair to start the fix process.
   
   

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Method 3: Launch Excel in Safe Mode

Running Excel in Safe Mode disables add-ins and extensions, helping you figure out if they’re the issue.

1. Open the Start menu and type Excel. While holding Ctrl, click the Excel app. You’ll see a confirmation prompt.
   
   
2. Click Yes to proceed.
   
   
3. If Excel runs fine in Safe Mode, an add-in is likely the problem.
4. In Excel, open Options from the sidebar.
   
   
5. Go to the Add-ins section.
   
   
6. At the bottom, choose COM Add-ins from the Manage dropdown and click Go.
   
   
7. Uncheck add-ins one by one, clicking OK to disable them. Restart Excel each time to see if the error is resolved.

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Method 4: Update Office

Keeping Office up to date ensures you have the latest fixes.

1. Open the Start menu and launch the Excel app.
   
   
2. In Excel, go to the Account tab in the sidebar.
   
   
3. On the right, click Office Updates and choose Update Now to check for and install any updates.
   
   

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Method 5: Update Windows

Keeping Windows updated can tackle compatibility issues that might cause this error.

1. Open the Start menu and go to Settings.
   
   
2. In Settings, click Windows Update from the sidebar.
   
   
3. Click Check for updates. If updates are available, click Download & Install.
   
   

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Method 6: Launch Excel in a Clean Boot

A clean boot starts Windows with minimal programs and drivers, which helps pinpoint if background software is causing conflicts.

1. Open the Start menu, type System Configuration, and open it.
   
   
2. In the System Configuration window, go to the General tab and choose Selective startup. Uncheck Load startup items and make sure Load system services is checked.
   
   
3. Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
   
   
4. Click Apply and OK, then restart your computer.
   
   
5. After restarting, try opening Excel again.

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Method 7: Change Trust Center settings

Adjusting Trust Center settings can fix issues with protected views and blocked files.

1. Open Excel and select Options from the bottom of the sidebar.
   
   
2. In the Excel Options window, click on Trust Center in the left panel.
   
   
3. Click Trust Center Settings.
   
   
4. Go to the Protected View section and uncheck all options there.
   
   
5. Next, select File Block Settings and uncheck all boxes. Click OK to save.
   
   
6. Restart Excel and check if the problem is resolved.

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Method 8: Disable Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)

Disabling DDE can help with file opening problems in Excel.

1. Open Excel and select Options from the left sidebar.
   
   
2. Choose the Advanced tab.
   
   
3. Scroll to the General section and uncheck Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). Click OK to save the changes.
   
   

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Method 9: Disable Cortana

Cortana can use system resources, even if you aren’t using it. Disabling it might free up some needed memory.

1. Open the Start menu and click the Settings icon.
   
   
2. In Settings, select Apps from the sidebar.
   
   
3. Click Installed apps on the right.
   
   
4. Find Cortana in the list, click the ellipsis, and choose Advanced options.
   
   
5. Turn off the toggle for Runs at log-in.
   
   
6. Scroll down and click Terminate to stop Cortana.
   
   
7. Restart your computer and check if Excel works now.

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Method 10: Launch Excel as administrator

Running Excel with admin rights can sometimes fix permission issues.

1. Open the Start menu, type Excel, right-click the Excel app, and choose Run as administrator.
   
   
2. If prompted by UAC, click Yes or enter the admin password.
   
   

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Method 11: Change the default printer and update printer drivers

Printer issues can sometimes mess with Excel’s performance.

1. Open Settings from the Start menu.
   
   
2. Click on Bluetooth & devices in the left sidebar.
   
   
3. Select Printers & scanners on the right pane.
   
   
4. Find your default printer and select a different one from the list.
   
   
5. Click Set as default to change your default printer.
   
   
6. To update drivers, open Device Manager from the Start menu.
   
   
7. Expand the Printers section, right-click your printer, and choose Update driver.
   
   
8. Select Search automatically for drivers and let Windows install the latest drivers.