4 Fixes for “Excel Couldn’t Start Last Time” Error on Windows

Quick Tips

• Try opening Excel in safe mode to determine if one of your add-ins is causing the issue.
• Empty Excel’s startup folder to address issues caused by outdated or corrupted startup configuration settings.
• Running the Office repair tool is also an effective way to resolve such issues with Excel.

Fix 1: Open Excel in Safe Mode

Opening Microsoft Excel in safe mode can help you troubleshoot all kinds of errors and issues. Hence, try that first. When the “Excel couldn’t start last time” error message appears, click Yes to open Excel in safe mode.

If you have already dismissed the error message, press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog. Type excel -safe in the box and press Enter to open Excel in safe mode.

If you don’t experience problems, one of your add-ins is likely preventing Excel from opening in normal mode. In that case, you will need to disable all of your add-ins and re-enable them one at a time.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Excel on your computer and click the File menu in the top-left corner.

Step 2: Click Options at the bottom-left corner.

Step 3: Switch to the Add-ins tab and select COM Add-ins in the Manage drop-down menu. Then, click the Go button next to it.

Step 4: Clear all the checkboxes and click OK.

After disabling add-ins, restart Excel, and re-enable your add-ins one at a time. Try using Excel after enabling each add-in. Once you find the troublesome add-in, consider removing it.

Fix 2: Empty the Excel Application Startup Folder

When you open Microsoft Excel on your PC, it loads various account-specific configuration settings, templates, and other essential data. If this data has become corrupted or inaccessible, you may encounter errors like “Excel couldn’t start last time” on your PC.

To fix this, you need to empty the files in the Excel startup folder. Doing so will force Excel to recreate the missing files, effectively resolving any problems.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: In the File Explorer window, press the Ctrl + A keyboard shortcut to select all the files and click the trash icon at the top.

Fix 3: Reset Excel Options

One of your Excel preferences may be causing the program to misbehave and trigger errors. Instead of going through each Excel setting individually, it’s easier to reset them using the Registry Editor.

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

Step 2: Paste the following path in the address bar at the top and press Enter.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel

Step 3: Right-click the Options key and select Delete. Select Yes to confirm.

Restart your PC after this and try using Excel again.

Fix 4: Run the Office Repair Tool

If nothing works or if you experience similar issues with other Office apps, you can consider running Microsoft’s Office repair tool. It will scan all your Office apps, including Excel, for any issues and fix them.

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

Step 2: Locate and select the Microsoft Office suite. Then, click the Change option at the top.

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