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. Thank you so much! That worked. That had been a major hassle for a long time.

  2. Thank you for solution it work perfectly!

  3. Had the same error and solution was similar but not the same.
    At step 4 I instead had to go to Trusted Locations and check "Allow trusted locations on my network." I then had to click "Add new location" and add the location of the supposedly corrupt file to the trusted locations list.

    Posting my solution here in case it helps anyone else.

  4. This is temporary solution for some excels, but even in many excel this trick is not working getting same error

  5. Mate you saved me hours of work, I thanks you soooooo much...

  6. Thanks so much!

  7. That works perfectly!

  8. Thank U so much
    That was so helpful

  9. I love you
    u r d bst

  10. Thanks a lot for the solution.

  11. It was awesome. Thanks

  12. excellent solution !!! thanks !!!

  13. It works. Thanks for the help
    /W

  14. thank you

  15. This method works but it can be dangerous for document. if you another way to solve this issue then please suggest me. I searched on internet but not got good idea.

    Thanks!

  16. Thank you!

  17. Thank U so much
    That was so helpful

  18. excle file corrupted

  19. Thank you.its good

  20. Thanks Team, really helped!!

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