Get rid of "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" in Excel

Quick tip: learn how to access a corrupt xls. file in Excel

Usually when upgrading you expect nothing but improvements. So it can be really disappointing when after moving to Excel 2010 you have no chance to access your .xls file created in the application version 2003 and earlier. You understand what I'm talking about if you ever encountered "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" error in Excel 2010 and later. Still think you can't open it? Actually you can!
Excel message: The file is corrupt and cannot be opened in Excel 2010

How to open a corrupt xls. file in Excel 2010 - 365

Try the following steps to see how your precious .xls data appear in Excel 2010 and later:

  1. Open Excel.
  2. Click on File -> Options.
  3. Select Trust Center and press the Trust center settings button.
    Excel: Trust center settings
  4. Pick Protected view.
    Trust center - Protected view
  5. Uncheck all the options under Protected View and confirm by pressing OK.
  6. Restart Excel and try to open the broken Excel documents.

Note. For safety reasons, you should save your document with new Office format like .xlsx. You can do it this way: File > Options -> Trust Center -> Trust Center settings -> Protected View.
Check all the options again under Protected View, click OK and restart Excel.

This will set the security options back. Sure, you don't want to open any file unsafely.

That's it. Hope it will work for you and your documents :).

Thanks and see you!

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390 comments

  1. My Excel File Is Currept I Requst for you Repair file

  2. Thanks a man really it worked

  3. Thanks a lot...
    my excel is working now

  4. Its work for me when I uncheck all open in file block settings under trust center.

  5. Thanks man, I appreciate it.

  6. Worked for Excel 2016.
    Thanks

  7. No protected view in my excel option.
    How to solve?

  8. this worked! Thanks very much!

  9. thank you!!

  10. Thanks bro!! I was almost breaking this PC!

  11. Thanks a million!

  12. Thanks so much! I was having trouble with an Excel file after upgrading to Windows 10 (file had been opening fine before the upgrade) and this fixed it.

  13. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It worked for me!!!!

  14. You are a genius!! Been searching the answers for years and bingo you are good!

  15. I saved my files in my flash drive, unfortunately my flash drive has been corrupted. I am trying to open my recent excel files, but it says could not be found, check the spelling of the file name and verify that the file location is correct. Is there any possible way where I can save and open my recent documents. I tried to recover my files from my flash drive but 0 files detected

  16. I saved my files in my flash drive, unfortunately my flash drive has been corrupted. I am trying to open my recent excel files, but it says could not be found, check the spelling of the file name and verify that the file location is correct. Is there any possible way where I can save and open my recent documents.

  17. If you are getting error message "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" in Excel 2010 while trying to open any of your saved excel document then you can fix this issue by using MS Excel Repair tool. It is especially designed to resolve the error that occurs while using the excel file.

  18. Thnanx lot this solution

  19. you are the best i have a client at work who have issue and i was able to help them thanks

  20. This did the trick
    Thank you

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