When you open Excel in safe mode, it allows you to troubleshoot the file. It is helpful when an Excel file is crashing while opening it, hangs when you try to calculate, or when you try to save it. Safe Mode allows you to open a file with restrictions and you can troubleshoot it.
Steps to Open Excel in Safe Mode
- First, press and hold the Ctrl key.
- Now, while holding the Ctrl Key, double-click on the Excel file that you want to open in safe mode.
- From here, you’ll get a message from Excel, if you want to open it in safe mode or not.
- In the end, you will have Excel opened in Safe Mode, just like below.
When you open Excel in the safe mode, as I said, it restricts a lot of options that you have in Excel in the normal mode.
Open Excel in the Safe Mode using Command Mode
- First, open the Windows search bar and type “run”, and click on the run to open the “Run” application.
- You can also use a keyboard shortcut, Window + R to open “Run”.
- Now, in the “Open” input bar, enter “excel /safe”.
- The moment you click OK, it will open Excel in safe mode.
Create a Specific Excel Icon to Open it in the Safe Mode
You can also have a specified icon to open Excel in safe mode whenever you want.
- First, go to the Excel application from your start menu, right-click, and open the file location.
- Now, in the file location, you will find an Icon for the Excel application.
- Copy this icon and paste it on your Desktop.
- Now, right-click on the icon and click on properties.
- From here, in the properties, go to the Shortcut Tab, and click on the “Target” Input Bar.
- Now, without changing any value go to the end of the value and enter “safe”.
- And, from the general tab, you can also change the name for your reference.
- In the end, click OK.
Now you have an icon on your desktop which you can use to open Excel in safe mode whenever you want.
