Welcome to our blog on how to speed up Excel in Windows 10! Excel is a powerful tool for managing and analyzing data, but sometimes it can be frustratingly slow, especially when working with large datasets or complex formulas. In this blog, we will explore some tips and tricks to optimize your Excel performance on a Windows 10 computer. Whether you’re a professional analyst or a student working on a project, these tips can help you save time and boost your productivity in Excel. So let’s dive in!
Repair your Microsoft Office application
1. In your Windows search bar, type in Control Panel.
2. Open the app and navigate to Programs
3. Go to the section Programs and Features.
4. Search for Microsoft Office in the program list.
5. Right-click on it and select the Change option to display a pop-up
6. In the pop-up, you will see the options ‘Quick Repair’ and ‘Online Repair.’
7. Select the Quick Repair option
8. Click the Repair button to start the process.
9. After the repair is complete, reopen Excel and check to see whether the problem is fixed.
Open Excel in Safe Mode
When you run Excel in safe mode, it becomes much faster as all external plugins and add-ins will be removed. Here is what to do:
- Close all open Excel files on your computer.
- Press and hold down the Ctrl key when starting your Microsoft Excel program.
- Press the Windows + R key to open the Run Prompt window.
- Next to Open type excel /safe
- Press Enter.
Speed up Excel by disabling all Add-ins
Any outdated third-party add-ins could cause problems making your Excel program slow down. Here is what to do to disable them:
1. In an open Excel workbook, click on the File>options
2. In the given Excel options, select Add-ins.
3. In the right panel, next to Manage, click on the drop-down arrow and select Excel Add-ins.
4. Next, click the Go button to display all Excel add-ins installed on your computer.
5. Uncheck all the add-ins and click the OK
6. Close and reopen your Excel files to check whether it performs well.
You can also disable all items in ‘COM Add-ins,’ ‘Actions,’ and ‘XML Expansion Packs’ and restart Excel.
Remove Rules in your Excel
1. Open the problematic Excel file.
2. Click on the File tab > Save As and save the file under a different name. It will be your backup copy in case something happens with the original file.
3. Open the original file.
4. Click on the Home tab > Conditional Formatting in the Styles group.
5. Select the options Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Entire Sheet.
6. Go to the File menu > Save the changes.
7. Close the file and open it again to check whether the problem is solved.
Speed up Excel by Enabling Manual Calculations
1. In an open Excel workbook, click on the File tab > Options
2. Go to the Formulas
3. In the Calculation Options section, look for Workbook Calculation options.
4. Select Manual and uncheck the checkbox Recalculate Workbook before Saving.
5. Press the F9 key to manually calculate your spreadsheet.
6. Click the OK button to close the pop-up window.
7. Save your Excel file and reopen it to check if the slowness has been solved.
Upgrade your hardware
Hardware upgrades are often the most effective solution to improve Excel’s performance on Windows 10. Here are some of the most common hardware upgrades that can make a significant difference in Excel’s speed:
Add More RAM:
Excel can consume a lot of memory, especially when working with large datasets or complex formulas. Adding more RAM to your computer can help reduce the amount of time Excel spends swapping data to the hard drive and improve overall performance. Ideally, you should have at least 8 GB of RAM for basic Excel usage, and 16 GB or more if you work with large datasets frequently.
Use a Solid-State Drive (SSD):
Traditional hard drives (HDD) can be a bottleneck when it comes to Excel’s performance, as they have slower read and write speeds compared to SSDs. Upgrading to an SSD can help reduce the time it takes for Excel to open and save files, as well as improve the overall responsiveness of your computer. If you are on a tight budget, consider getting a smaller SSD (such as 256 GB) to install your operating system and programs, while using an external hard drive for storing files.
Upgrade to a Faster CPU:
Excel’s calculation speed heavily relies on your computer’s CPU. If you frequently work with large datasets or complex formulas, upgrading to a faster CPU can significantly improve Excel’s performance. However, CPU upgrades can be expensive and may require replacing other components, such as the motherboard or RAM. Make sure to do your research and consult with a professional before upgrading your CPU.
It’s worth noting that hardware upgrades can be costly, and may not always be necessary depending on your Excel usage. If you are not sure which hardware upgrade would be the most beneficial for you, consider monitoring your computer’s performance using the Windows Task Manager and identifying which component is the bottleneck. In some cases, optimizing Excel settings or managing your data more efficiently may be enough to improve its performance.
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