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4 Ways to Fix Excel Toolbar Not Working in Windows

Quick Tips
  • If the Excel toolbar fails to work as expected or appears grayed out, try restarting Microsoft Excel first.
  • Renaming the Excel toolbar file or disabling add-ins can also help fix this issue.
  • Try running the Office repair tool if the Excel toolbar remains unresponsive.

Fix 1: Reset Toolbar Customizations

On Microsoft Excel, you can customize the toolbar to quickly access your frequently used commands. However, a startup issue with these custom preferences could make the Excel toolbar unresponsive on your computer. You can reset the toolbar customization in Excel to see if that gets the toolbar working.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Excel and click the File menu at the top.

Microsoft Excel File Menu

Step 2: Select Options from the sidebar.

Microsoft Excel Options Menu

Step 3: In the Quick Access Toolbar tab, click Reset next to Customizations and select Reset all customizations.

Step 4: Hit Yes to confirm.

Reset Microsoft Excel Toolbar

Fix 2: Rename the Excel Toolbar File

If resetting the Excel toolbar proves ineffective, the Excel file containing your toolbar settings is likely corrupt. In that case, you must rename the Excel toolbar file on your computer. This will force Excel to create a new toolbar file, effectively fixing any issues.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type the following command in the text box and press Enter.

%AppData%\Microsoft\Excel

Step 2: In the File Explorer window, you should see a file named Excel15.xlb or Excel.xlb, depending on your Office version. Right-click on it and click the rename icon.

Step 3: Rename the file to OldExcel15.xlb or OldExcel.xlb.

Rename Microsoft Excel Toolbar File

Restart your computer and use the toolbar again.

Fix 3: Start Excel in Safe Mode

Sometimes, a malfunctioning Excel add-in can cause the program to run into issues and behave strangely. You can verify this by opening Excel in safe mode, allowing it to run without add-ins.

To open Excel in safe mode, press the Windows key + R to access the Run dialog. Type excel -safe in the Open field and press Enter. If the toolbar works as expected in safe mode, disable all the add-ins and enable them individually to find the one causing the issue.

Step 1: In Excel, click the File menu at the top left corner and select Options.

Step 2: In the Add-ins tab, select COM Add-ins in the Manage drop-down menu and click the Go button next to it.

Microsoft Excel Options

Step 3: Clear all the checkboxes to disable your add-ins and click OK.

Disable Microsoft Excel Add ins

Restart Excel after disabling add-ins and re-enable them one by one. Try using Excel after enabling each add-in to determine which one is causing the issue. After identifying the problematic add-in, consider removing it to prevent further issues.

Fix 4: Run the Office Repair Tool

Microsoft offers a useful repair tool for fixing issues with Office apps. This tool can automatically scan and fix issues with Microsoft Excel that may have caused the toolbar to stop working. Here’s how to run it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R shortcut to open the Run dialog box. Type appwiz.cpl in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: In the Programs and Features window, locate and select the Microsoft Office product on the list. Then, click the Change button at the top.

Repair Microsoft Office Suite

Step 3: Select the Online Repair option and click Repair.

Repair Microsoft Office Apps

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Last updated on 22 April, 2024

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