How to Fix an Excel File that Won't Open with a Double Click [Safely and Easily]

Are you dealing with the issue of "Excel files not opening on double-click"? Don't worry. This article will provide practical solutions to this common problem, ensuring you can access your important data smoothly.

From utilizing powerful file repair tools to employing other troubleshooting techniques, we provide step-by-step guidance to help you resolve issues opening Excel files due to corruption or similar problems. Browse through our guides to find the perfect solution for you and regain control of your Excel files today. Let's get started!

Solution 1: Fix Excel Not Opening Due to Corrupted Files with Repair Tools

The Fixo Document Repair Tool is a powerful solution specifically designed to address common issues with corrupted Excel documents. This efficient Office document repair tool reliably fixes damaged Office files, ensuring seamless access to your crucial data.

Whether your Excel file is inaccessible due to system errors, viruses, or accidental crashes, EasUS Fixo Document Repair offers an all-rounded solution to restore your files to their original state and fix the "Excel cannot open the file" issue.

With its user-friendly interface and advanced repair capabilities, this tool is indispensable when you need to overcome Excel opening issues due to file corruption. Here are the detailed steps to help you fix a corrupted Excel file:

Step 1: Download and run Fixo on your computer or laptop. Select "File Repair" to fix corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and more. Click "Add File" to select the damaged document.

Step 2: Click “Repair All” to fix multiple files at once. If you only want to repair one, hover over the file and click “Repair.” You can also preview the document by clicking the eye icon.

Select the file to repair

Click “Save” to save the selected documents. Choose “Save All” to save all repaired files. Select “View Repaired Files” to locate the folder with the repaired files.

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Solution 2: Set Excel as the Default Application to Fix Double-clicking Issues with Opening Excel Files If Excel files fail to open when you double-click them, it might be because Excel is not set as the default application on your system. Follow these steps to set Excel as the default app for handling .xlsx and .xls files: 1. Locate an Excel file that you can't open by double-clicking. 2. Right-click the file, then select "Open with." 3. In the window that appears, choose "Microsoft Excel." If it's not listed, click "More apps" or "Browse" to find it. 4. Make sure the checkbox "Always use this app to open .xlsx files" (or the relevant file type) is checked. 5. Click "OK" or "Apply." This will set Excel as the default application for opening Excel files. Now, when you double-click Excel files, they should open correctly.

Making sure Microsoft Excel is the default program to open Excel files can be very helpful if you're unable to open them by clicking on their icons. Do this by:

Step 1. Open the “Windows Settings” from the Start menu.

Step 2. Select the "Applications" option.

Select the Apps option

Step 3: In the Settings window, click on the Apps & features tab.

Step 4. Click on "Choose default apps by file type."

Finally, specify Excel as the file type for the extension that you require.

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Fix 3: Use the Microsoft Office Repair Tool to Solve the Issue of Unopenable Excel Sheets

If Microsoft Excel is running slow, you can consider repairing the Microsoft Office suite to fix the issue. To begin the repair process, follow these steps:

Step 1: Click the "Start" icon.

Step 2: Type “Control Panel” in the search box.

Step 3: From the search results, choose Control Panel.

Step 4. Select Microsoft 365 from the options.

Step 5: Click the "Change" button.

Click the “Change” button

Step 6: Select “Online Repair,” and then choose “Repair” again.

Select Online Repair, and then click the Repair button.

Solution 4: Restart Excel in Safe Mode to Fix the Problem of Unable to Open an Excel 2007 File by Double-clicking It

Starting Excel in Safe Mode opens the program in a new environment without certain startup programs. To access Excel in Safe Mode, try one of the following methods:

Option 1:

Step 1. Hold down the "Ctrl" key while starting Excel.

Option Two:

Step 1. Press "Windows + R" to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Type the following command in the Run box, and then press Enter.

Fix 5: Reset the Windows Registry to Excel's default settings

If you're unable to open an Excel file by double-clicking it, resetting the Windows registry to its default settings for the application is a troubleshooting tactic that often works. Re-register the application with the "/regserver" switch to recreate its registry entries and refresh file associations.

To reset the Excel Windows Registry, follow these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows key + R, then type regedit in the Run dialog box.

Step 2. Go to the path specified in the Registry Editor.

Step 3: Double-click the Default entry in the right pane.

Step 4. Append "%1" to the end of the current value, and click "OK" to save your changes.

Fixes #6: Forces re-association of file types

When you encounter issues with double-clicking an Excel file not opening it or not being associated with the correct application, you need to fix the file association in Windows.

In this case, it helps to force Excel to rebuild its file association information. To do that, follow these simple steps:

Step 1. Launch the Run application from the Start menu.

<b>Step 2:</b> In the Run dialog box, type the full path of the Excel file followed by /regserver.  

Step 3. To get the full path of your Excel file, right-click on it while holding down the "Shift" key.

Step 4. Click "OK" to run the command.

Follow these steps to resolve the "file won't open with a double-click" error.

Fix 7: Disable hardware graphics acceleration to resolve the issue of Excel files not opening on double-click

Hardware graphics acceleration in Excel is designed to improve the performance of animations and graphical elements in spreadsheets. However, its impact on performance might not always be noticeable, and in some cases, it can slow down Excel overall, causing the program to get stuck at 0% when opening files.

Here's how to disable it in Excel:

Step 1: Click File > Options > Advanced.

Step 2: In the Display section, check the box for Disable hardware graphics acceleration.

Step 3: Click OK to apply the changes.

If the above solutions don't work, contact Microsoft Support for further assistance.

1. "双击Excel文件无法打开 - 系统错误" 2. "Excel文件损坏，双击无响应" 3. "Microsoft Office不支持当前的UTF-8编码Excel文件" 4. "电脑上没有安装Excel，导致无法通过双击打开" 5. "病毒或恶意软件阻止Excel文件正常启动" 6. "Windows注册表项错误，影响Excel文件的双击打开功能" 7. "双击Excel文件时出现'选择程序来打开此文件'的提示" 8. "Office更新后，Excel无法双击打开旧版本的文件" 9. "Excel文件关联被其他应用程序篡改，导致无法通过双击打开" 10. "系统缺少必要的DLL文件，影响Excel的运行和打开" 11. "防火墙或安全软件阻止了Excel的运行" 12. "Excel应用程序本身出现问题，导致无法打开文件" 13. "文件编码问题，UTF-8格式不兼容当前Excel版本" 14. "电脑性能问题，如内存不足，导致Excel无法正常启动" 15. "操作系统更新后，与Excel的兼容性问题"

Want to know more about the error that says “Excel file won't open after double-clicking”? Read on to gain more insights.

1. Why can't I open an Excel document by double-clicking it?

Let's explore why an Excel file might not open when you double-click it:

This issue can be caused by any of the following factors: -
• Incorrect DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) settings in Excel might cause this issue.
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• Incorrect file association settings can prevent Excel files from opening.
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• A specific add-in installed in Excel might also lead to this problem.
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• Misconfigured registry settings could be another potential cause.

How do I get Excel to open with a double click?

To open Excel, double-click it.

• Repair damaged files with the Fixo Document Repair tool to resolve issues with Excel not opening on double-click.
• Set Excel as the default application.
• Utilize the Microsoft Office Repair feature.
• Restart Excel in Safe Mode.
• Reset the Windows Registry to Excel's default settings.
• Force a re-association of file extensions with Excel.
• Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration.

How do I fix Microsoft Excel?

Fixing Microsoft Excel:

1. Click the Windows Start icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen. 2. Navigate to Settings. This will open the "Settings" window. 3. Click Apps. This opens the "Apps & features" window, which displays a list of installed programs. 4. Find and select Microsoft Office (if you installed it standalone) or Microsoft Excel. 5. Click Modify. 6. Select Quick Repair or Online Repair to initiate the repair process.

Bottom line

In conclusion, resolving issues with opening Excel files is crucial for maintaining productivity and avoiding project delays. The solutions mentioned above offer practical approaches to dealing with the problem of Excel files not opening upon double-clicking, with Fixo Document Repair being the most effective among them.

A restart of the application, or even the entire computer, might be necessary to observe the changes and confirm their effectiveness. From fixing issues with Microsoft Excel to adjusting settings and file associations, we've explored various ways to address common problems.