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. Muchas gracias !!!! Pensaba reinstalar todo office!!!jajajajaja

  2. Just Sign out from the account. The file shall open hopefully. Thanks.

  3. Other way, Excel Option >> Trust Center >> Macro Setting >> checked item Enable all macros( not refomented; potentially dangerous code can run)

  4. hai

    i have issue with Excel office 2013 stander it show in desktop all files as a pdf but it is Excel

  5. Worked. Perfect

  6. worked perfectly , thanks :)

  7. Thanks a lot. Work perfectly.

  8. Thank you. it worked.

  9. thank you so much! its worked:)

  10. It worked, I had issue with amazon files. Thank you.

  11. Thank You.

  12. Unfortunately, this solution is not working for me, I had already all these boxes unchecked and I still receive the message that my files are corrupted and this happens so often, that I always need to create several copies every time when I save an Excel file. I'm using Windows 10 and Office 365 the most recent version.

  13. That you so much!!!! it worked :)

  14. This just worked for me too! Thanks so much!

  15. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!! You're a lifesaver...

  16. Thanks very much sir..
    you just save my long distance job, by remote access...

  17. MS EXCEL 2019 IS NOT OPEN. IT SHOWS OPEN IN SAFE MODE IN WINDOWS10

  18. THANKS A TON!!
    THIS REALLY HELPED AND SORTED OUT THE STUPID ISSUE!
    THANKS A LOT AGAIN!!!

  19. worked

  20. Thanks alot! I use excel alot and have a lot of docs which are needed to be downloaded every day. I was quite worried about this when it showed up but now thankfully the problem is resolved.
    Cheers Buddy!

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