How to Fix Excel Run Time Error 1004

Summary: Run-time errors are windows-specific issues that occur while the program is running. This blog will teach you how to fix Excel run-time error 1004. In addition, you’ll learn about an Excel repair tool that can help fix the error 1004 if it occurs due to corruption in Excel files.

VBA (Microsoft Visual Basic for Application) is an internal programming language in Microsoft Excel. Sometimes, when users try to run VBA or generate a Macro in Excel, the Run-time error 1004 may occur. This error may occur due to the presence of more legend entries in the chart, file conflict, incorrect Macro name, and corrupt Excel files. In this blog, we have discussed the reasons and shared some solutions to resolve run-time error 1004.

Why This Error Occurs?

The run time error 1004 usually occurs when you run a VBA macro with the Legend Entries method to modify the legend entries in the MS Excel chart. It happens when the chart contains more legend entries than the available space, macro name conflicts, corrupt Excel files, or data-types mismatch in the VBA code.

Ways to Fix Excel Run-Time Error 1004?

Try the below workarounds to fix Excel run-time error 1004:

Create a Macro to Reduce Chart Legend Font Size

Sometimes, Excel throws the run-time error when you try to run VBA macro to change the legend entries in a Microsoft Excel chart. This error usually occurs when Microsoft Excel truncates the legend entries because of the more legend entries and less space availability. To fix this, try to create a macro that shrinks/minimize the font size of the Excel chart legend text before the VBA macro, and then restore the font size of the chart legend. Here is the macro code:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

VBCopy
Sub ResizeLegendEntries()

With Worksheets("Sheet1").ChartObjects(1).Activate
      ' Store the current font size
      fntSZ = ActiveChart.Legend.Font.Size

'Temporarily change the font size.
      ActiveChart.Legend.Font.Size = 2

'Place your LegendEntries macro code here to make
         'the changes that you want to the chart legend.

' Restore the font size.
      ActiveChart.Legend.Font.Size = fntSZ
   End With

End Sub
Note: Make sure you have an Excel chart to run the code on the worksheet.

Uninstall Microsoft Work

You may encounter a run-time error 1004 in Excel version 2009 or older versions due to conflicts between Microsoft works and Microsoft Excel. This error usually occurs if your system has both Microsoft Office and Microsoft Works. Uninstalling one of them will fix the issue. Try the below steps to uninstall Microsoft Work:

• First, open the Task Manager using the shortcut CTRL + ALT + DEL altogether
• The Task Manager window is displayed.

• Click the Process tab, right-click on each program you want to close, and then click End Task.
• Stop all the running programs.
• Open the Run window and type appwiz.cpl to open the Programs and Feature window.

• Search for Microsoft Works and click Uninstall.

Try Deleting GWXL97.Xla File

The Add-ins files with .xla extension in MS-EXCEL is used to provide additional functionality to Excel spreadsheets. Sometimes, deleting the GWXL97.XLA file fixes the run-time error. Here are the steps to delete this file:

• Make sure you have an Admins rights, open the Windows Explorer
• Follow the Path C:\Programs Files\MSOffice\Office\XLSTART.
• Find and right-click on the GWXL97.XLA file
• Click Delete.

Change Trust Center Settings

Sometimes, run-time errors might arise because of incorrect security settings. The Trust Center settings help you find the Privacy and security settings for Microsoft Excel. Follow the below steps to change the Trust center settings:

• Open Microsoft Excel.
• Go to File > Options.
• The Excel options window is displayed.
• Choose Trust Center, and click Trust Center Settings.
• Tap on the Macro Settings tab, and select Trust access to the VBA project object model.

• Click OK.

Run Open and Repair Tool

The Runtime error also arises when MS Excel detects a corrupted worksheet. It automatically begins the File recovery mode and starts repairing it. However, if the Recovery mode fails to start, use the Open and Repair tool with the below steps:

• Click File > Open.
• Click the location and folder with a corrupted workbook.
• In the Open dialog box, choose the corrupted workbook.
• Click the arrow next to the Open tab, and go to the Open and Repair tab.
• Click Repair.

You can also opt for Stellar Repair for Excel if the Microsoft Excel’s built-in tool cannot fix the error.

Use Stellar Repair for Excel

Stellar Repair for Excel is a professional software for repairing damage. xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, and .xlsm files and recovering all its objects. Here are the steps to fix the error using this tool:

• First, download, install, and run Stellar Repair for Excel.
• Click the Browse tab on the interface window to choose the corrupted Excel file you need to repair.
• Click Scan. You will see the scan progress in the scanning window.
• Click OK.
• The tool can let you preview all the recoverable Excel file components including tables, pivot tables, charts, formulas, etc.
• Click Save to save the repaired file.
• A Save File dialog box will appear with the below two options:
• Default location
• New location
• Choose a suitable option.
• Click the Save option to repair the Excel file that you have chosen.
• Once the repair is complete, it will display a message “File repaired successfully.”
• Click OK.

Conclusion

Now you know the Excel run-time error 1004, its cause, and solutions. Follow the workarounds discussed in the blog to rectify the error quickly. However, Stellar Repair for Excel makes your task of removing run-time errors easy. It’s a powerful software to fix all the issues with Excel files. Also, it helps in extracting data from the damaged file and saves it to a new Excel workbook.

How to fix “damage to the file was so extensive that repairs were not possible” Excel error?

Summary: Unable to resolve “damage to the file was so extensive that repair was not possible” error in Excel? Read this post to discover more details about the error, possible causes, and how to rectify the error. To save time & efforts, you can also try an Excel file repair software to resolve the “damage to the file…” error in a few clicks.

When opening a workbook in Microsoft Excel 2003 or later, you may encounter an error message,

“Damage to the file was so extensive that repairs were not possible. Excel attempted to recover your formulas and values, but some data may have been lost or corrupted.”

The error message may also occur while exporting an Excel file. Let’s find out what causes this error and what we can do to fix it.

Reasons Behind “Damage to the File Was So Extensive That Repairs Were Not Possible” Error

Your Excel file may be corrupt, oversized, virus-afflicted, etc., which can trigger this error and make the repair impossible. Below are some common reasons.

• Large or oversized excel files hindering export
• Data restore errors
• Field length of a cell is more than 256 characters
• Software conflicts, viruses, network failure
• Unable to open files in upgraded versions
• Errors on output exceeding 64000 rows
• Limited system resources (such as RAM, internal memory)

In a nutshell, the error generally happens if Excel discovers unreadable content, which may also interrupt file saving in Excel.

How to Resolve “Damage to the File Was So Extensive That Repairs Were Not Possible” Error?

Here are a few methods you can follow to fix or resolve the Excel repair error.  

Method 1: Perform Basic Troubleshooting

When opening a corrupt workbook, Microsoft Excel automatically initiates the file recovery mode to repair the corrupt file. However, if it fails to perform automatic recovery, then follow these basic troubleshooting steps:

• This error mainly happens when you try to open the Excel file in an upgraded version.  Try to open the file in an older version of Excel. You might be able to open it.
• Try saving the file with a different file name.
• Use a different file extension to save the file.
• You can save the Excel file as HTML and then open it. However, an HTML file might not save conditional formatting.
• Close other opened applications on the system which may be causing the error.
• Select less data for export at once.
• Delete worksheets if copied from another document; for instance, delete any file or screenshots you have imported.
• Open the file on another system.

If the error persists, then use the manual method to repair a workbook using the below steps:

• Go to the “File” tab.

• Select Open and select the damaged spreadsheet from the Recent Workbooks section on the right, if listed. However, if you cannot find the file in the Recent Workbooks section, click on “Browse” and choose the corrupted workbook.

• Click the drop-down arrow on the Open tab and select Open and Repair.

Method 2: Check if exporting a Heavy File is Causing Resource Limitations in Excel

Sometimes, when you try to export an Excel sheet carrying a huge database, you may face memory errors in older Excel versions like Excel 2003. Here, you’ll have to decrease the amount of data as Excel 2003 does not permit exporting extensive data beyond a limit. However, modern versions such as Excel 2007, 2010 & 2016 allow exporting a large amount of data and utilize more RAM than the older versions.

Following are some other workarounds:

• Use a lesser number of query presentation fields to re-generate the query. Then, again re-enter those fields.
• Decrease the multi-line string field data text up to 8000 characters.

Method 3: Copy Macros and Data to Another Workbook (Empty) in an Advanced Excel version

If the issue is occurring due to version incompatibility, i.e., if the file opens easily in the older version but shows errors in the new version. You can:

Use the older version to open the file or copy the data or macros in an empty workbook of the new version of Excel.  

Copying the Macros in the Workstation

In Microsoft Excel, you can use the Visual Basic Editor to open the workbook with macro on another workbook by copying the macro. Both VBA tools and Macros appear in the Developer section of the excel file. This option is disabled by default. So first, you need to enable it.

Follow the instructions to enable it:

• Open Excel and go to File > Options.

• Click “**Customize Ribbon.**”

• Look at the right side of the pane and ensure the Developer tab is checked.

• Click OK.

Once you have enabled the Developer tab, follow the steps to copy the macro from one workbook to another:

• First, open both the workbooks- the workbook containing the macro and the workbook in which you need to copy the macros.
• Locate the Developer tab.

• Select Visual Basic to display the “Visual Basic Editor.”

• Go to the View menu in the Visual Basic Editor.

• Select Project Explorer.

• In the Project Explorer window, drag the module you need to copy to the destination workbook. For example:

Module 1 has been copied from Book2.xlsm to Book1.xlsm

Method 4- Restore the backup file

The workbook backup helps to open the corrupted or mistakenly deleted file. Sometimes, the issue can be fixed using the Recover Unsaved Workbook option in Excel. Here’s the list of steps to recover the files in Microsoft Excel:

• Go to the File tab on Excel.

• Click Open.

• Search on the top-left of the screen to click Recent Workbooks as below:

• Next, scroll down to the bottom.
• Click the “Recover unsaved workbooks” button.

• Scroll and find the lost file.
• Now double-click on the file to open.

Conclusion

“Damage to the file was so extensive that repairs were not possible” error can be fixed with the above troubleshooting methods or by using a third-party Excel repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Excel . Although There are no standard resolutions to fix the excel error as they may vary with different scenarios. In some cases, the manual methods might be time-consuming or fail to fix the error or recover the excel file. Hence, using an excel file repair tool may be the best option! It extracts data from the corrupted file and saves it to a new Excel workbook, which you can open and edit.

Recover Excel Files from Virus-Infected Pen Drives for Free

Summary: Imagine you lost your important Excel file on which you had been working since the morning and in the next moment you realized that the file was not saved and you just lost hours of work. Wondering how to deal with this situation? Read this blog to know how Stellar free data recovery software can help you.

From making annual reports to business growth representation figures, excel is a commonly used program for organizing data, creating pivot tables, charts etc. People from all walks of life, know the importance of Excel and the part it plays. Although it is a common file, there is a probability that you may accidentally delete excel files while working or are unable to access it due to unexpected errors. In addition, one of the major issues users face is to recover excel files from a virus infected pen drive.

Pen drives have made it possible to store and carry our important files such as excel, word document, photos, videos, etc. with us day in and day out. They just fit perfectly in our pockets and are compatible with almost every device; hence, they are widely used for transferring data from one system to another. But what if your pen drive is infected by a virus and due to it you end up losing your excel files, how will you recover your excel files for free?

A user reported that his pen drive got virus-infected and to remove the virus from it, he ran an antivirus program which removed the virus but also deleted excel files stored on it.

When your pen drive is infected by a virus, the first thing you ought to do is stop using it, even not for removing virus as an antivirus utility may remove your files as well. Further, if you have a backup, then you can recover your excel files from it, else you can use these free data recovery methods to recover your excel files.

1. Free File Recovery Software Approach

Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Free Edition is an easy to use tool to recover files from a virus-infected pen drive. The software is equipped with powerful utilities to recover lost and deleted files for free. Further, it supports a wide range of file systems and is efficient in recovering files such as Excel, emails, word files, photos, audio and video files.

Using Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Free Edition, you can recover your files from all storage devices for free. Here’s how the software works:

• From the website, download Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Free Edition. Connect your pen drive to your system and launch the software
• On ‘Select What to Recover’ screen, select file types from the given option that you wish to recover. For instance, if you want to recover photos, then under Multimedia Files, select ‘Photos’ and click on ‘Next’

• From ‘Select Location’ screen, select the connected pen drive and click ‘Scan’

• The scanning process starts and once the process is complete, software lists all the recoverable files

• Select the files from the list and click on ‘Recover’ to save the files

2. Restore Excel File from the Previous Version

If excel files are deleted from your pen drive or from your system; then you can recover them from the previous version. This feature works when Windows Backup option is enabled, else, it will not work.

Follow these steps to recover excel files:

• Connect your pen drive to your system, go to This PC and navigate to the folder of excel files
• Select the folder, right-click on it and select ‘Restore previous versions’
• From the available version of excel files, select the required one and click on ‘Restore’

3. Use Command Line to Recover Excel Files

The Command prompt should be your first choice to recover excel files from the virus-infected pen drive. Here’s how command prompt recovers your files:

• Connect your virus-infected pen drive to your system and then in the search box type ‘CMD’ and hit ‘Enter’
• In the command window, type in attrib –h-r-s /s/ drive letter:\*.*”, for example, “attrib -h -r -s /s /d G:\*.*” and hit ‘Enter’

• Windows starts repairing the virus-infected pen drive and once the process is complete, you can access your pen drive and recover excel files.

Even after following the above-mentioned steps you’re unable to recover your excel files, then try a Home approach i.e. a data recovery tool.

To Sum Up

It is always a good idea to create a backup of important files since no one can anticipate what might go wrong. The scenario presented in the blog paints a clear picture of how you can recover your Microsoft excel files for free from a virus-infected pen drive. For quick and better results, you can always go with Stellar Windows Data Recovery – Free Edition.

Excel Stuck at Opening File 0% - Resolve Performance Issues

Summary: If an Excel workbook is stuck at opening file 0%, it usually indicates a problem with the Excel file and its objects. This may happen due to Excel file corruption and a few other reasons. In this post, we have discussed these reasons along with the methods to fix and prevent ‘Excel stuck at opening file 0%’ issue.

When you open an Excel file (XLS/XLSX) in MS Excel, the program reads and then loads the file data along with all its objects and properties. While opening and loading an Excel file, MS Excel displays an “Opening percentage.” You won’t usually notice or see this Excel file opening progress percentage while accessing smaller worksheets.

It’s more noticeable when you open a large Excel file or workbook with multiple objects, formulae, formatting, etc. However, after opening an Excel file with double-click, if it is stuck at Splash Screen with a message “Opening: FileName.xlsx (0%)” for a while (say 15-30 minutes) and does not progress, it indicates a problem with the Excel file, MS Excel program, or the system.  

Why Excel is Stuck at Opening File 0%?

If you have encountered this error, it may happen due to one of the following issues,

1. Damaged or corrupt Excel file
2. Incompatible or faulty Excel add-ins
3. Problem with the system’s display driver
4. Damaged MS Office (Excel) application

Methods to Fix ‘Excel Stuck at Opening File 0%’ Issue

Before fixing and troubleshooting the problem, check and confirm if the Excel file is working and not corrupt. For this, you can try opening it on another PC. Now there could be two scenarios,

Scenario 1:  Excel File Does Not Open

If the Excel file doesn’t open on another PC also, it indicates Excel file corruption. In such cases, look for the backup copy of the file, if you have downloaded it from an email or a website.

However, if there’s no backup, then you need an Excel file repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel to repair the corrupt file. This software preserves Excel file properties, such as cell formatting, formula bar, freeze panes, gridlines, etc. and helps you restore the damaged or corrupt worksheets to its original state with 100% integrity.

To repair Excel file, download and launch Stellar Repair for Excel software on your PC, choose the corrupt Excel (XLS/XLSX) file and click ‘Repair’. You can see the preview of your Excel file with all data and then save the repaired file at your desired location on the system as a new Excel file.

Scenario 2: Excel File Is Accessible on Another PC

If the Excel file opens successfully on another PC, then follow the troubleshooting methods below to resolve the Excel file stuck opening at 0%.

Method 1: Open MS Excel in Safe Mode

To check if an incompatible or faulty add-in or setting is causing the error, restart MS Excel in safe mode and then open the worksheet from the MS Excel ‘File’ options. The steps are as follows,

1. Press Windows+R and type excel.exe /safe
2. Hit Enter or press ‘OK’ to open MS Excel in safe mode

• Go to File > Open and then choose the Excel file to open it
• If it opens, the problem is probably caused by the add-ins. Go to File > Options > Add-ins > Manage > COM Add-ins and disable all the third-party add-ins

• Restart MS Excel normally and then go to File > Open and open the same Excel file. If it opens, the problem is solved.

However, if you want to keep the add-ins, enable one add-in at a time and open the same file to find which add-in is causing the problem. When found, remove the faulty add-in.

If it doesn’t work, head to the next solution.

Method 2. Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration

If you’re using hardware graphics acceleration adapter to run an external monitor, you may encounter problems with the Excel application. If the adapter is plugged in but doesn’t work correctly, Excel will usually hang on the loading screen. To resolve this problem, you will need to disable the hardware graphics acceleration adapter by following these steps,

• Quit all running instances of Excel from Task Manager

• Launch MS Excel directly, don’t double-click on the faulty workbook file to open MS Excel as it won’t open
• Click on File > Options > Advanced

• Under the ‘Display’ options, check the box ‘Disable hardware graphics acceleration’
• Click on ‘OK’

Try to open the Excel file now. If it still doesn’t work, move to the next solution.

Method 3. Repair MS Excel Application and Install the Latest Updates

Problems within MS Excel installation could also be a source of many unknown issues. Messed up registry settings, bugged updates, and even wrong user ‘Preferences’ can cause your Excel application to behave unusually. The fix for all such issues is to repair the Excel installation. To do so, follow these steps,

• Open Control Panel
• From Category view, under Programs, select Uninstall a program
• Click on the MS Office and then click ‘Change’

• When prompted, click on ‘Repair’ and then follow the instructions to complete the repair process

To update the MS Excel,

• Go to File > Account and click on Update options

• Then click ‘Update’

• MS Excel will start downloading the latest updates and then apply it, which might fix this Excel error

Still, Excel stuck on processing file at 0%? That means the Excel file you’re trying to open is severely corrupted. Thus, as mentioned earlier, use Stellar Repair for Excel software to repair corrupt or damaged Excel (XLS/XLSX) files and restore everything to a new Excel file. With the help of some best-in-class repair algorithms, this software enables you to fix problems within Excel files and recover tables, charts, cell comments, images, formulae, sorts, and filters. It is compatible with MS Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, and 2003.

Conclusion

Hopefully, one of the above-mentioned solutions has helped you overcome the “Excel stuck at Opening file 0%” error and Excel hangs on opening file issues. Also, you are able to access your MS Excel worksheet now. If you face any problems with your Excel workbooks in future, remember to get to the root of the issue first. Also, inculcate the habit of backing up your critical files regularly (if possible) and keep products like Stellar Repair for Excel in mind to save the day, when nothing else works.

Best Excel Repair Software till Date - Try Now

Summary: In this blog, we overview and conclude Stellar Repair for Excel as Best Excel Repair software till date – based on its distinctive features and capabilities. Also, you’ll get to know what makes it the top Excel repair software from the perspective of recognized review websites, tech community forums, and users. In addition, you’ll find the simple and step-wise process of repairing Excel by using the software.

Corruption in Excel files can hamper workflow, bringing productivity to a halt. And what can be more concerning is that you may lose sensitive data if the corrupt or damaged file is not repaired on time. An Excel file may get corrupted due to various reasons.

Common Reasons Behind Excel File Corruption

• Abrupt system shutdown
• Human errors such as accidental deletion, formatting, or overwriting an Excel workbook
• Damaged Excel installation
• Hardware failure
• Virus infection or malware attack
• Bad sectors on the hard drive on which Excel files reside
• Large-sized Excel file

Regardless of the reason, manually troubleshooting corruption errors in an Excel file can drain time, resources and may even cause data loss. However, using a third-party professional tool such as Stellar Repair for Excel can save you the manual efforts and time in repairing Excel files, keeping the original data intact.

What Makes Stellar Repair for Excel the Best Software?

While there is no dearth of Excel file repair tools, Stellar Repair for Excel software has garnered considerable interest and positive reviews by MVPs . The software has remarkable features that make it the Excel file repair specialist.

Key Features of Stellar Repair for Excel Software

Though the software encompasses several great features and a simple-to-use and intuitive user interface, some of the key features that make it the best Excel repair software are:

• Restores Excel (XLS / XLSX) File in Original, Intact State

The software repairs corrupt Excel files and restores all the data in the original format. Also, it helps restore the original properties of cell formatting of the workbook.

• Capability to Resolve all Excel Related Errors

Most errors that crop up unexpectedly while working with Excel files are the result of damages caused due to human errors, virus infection, power surges, etc. The software can help you easily fix corrupted Excel files to get rid of errors such as “Excel is not responding ”, “Excel found unreadable content in name.xls ”, “Excel cannot open the file filename.xlsx”, etc.

• Real-Time Pre-Recovery Preview

It provides users with the opportunity to preview recoverable Excel file items before saving them. This helps users estimate how much data they will be able to salvage by using the tool, thus helping them make an informed decision about investing in the software.

Besides these features, some other aspects that make the software a recommended choice for Excel repair are as follows:

• 100% Secure****: Downloading and installing this software is 100% safe and secure, since Norton antivirus security comes installed with it.
• Tested by MVPs****: Stellar Repair for Excel software is tried and tested by credible MVPs.
• Allows Testing before Purchase: The software’s demo version lets you understand the tool and its advantages before buying it.
• Stellar is Microsoft Gold Partner****: The software’s vendor, Stellar Data Recovery, is a certified Gold partner for Microsoft.

Stellar Repair for Excel – The Most Recommended Software

Check out the user ratings and reviews to understand why Stellar Repair for Excel ranks as the top Excel file repair software, and why you should choose it over its competitors:

• Capterra – 4/5

A user has shared how effectively the Stellar Repair for Excel software repaired and restored the corrupted Excel file.

• g2.com – 4.5/5

The Excel Repair software got a rating of 4.5/5 on g2.com based on the positive reviews of the users.

• Softpedia – 3.5/5

Softpedia gave the product a rating of 3.5/5 and reported it as 100% clean (meaning without malware).

Support and Compatibility
Stellar Repair for Excel software supports the latest MS Excel versions 2019, 2016, 2013, and lower versions. It can operate smoothly on Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, and earlier operating systems.
System Requirements
Stellar Repair for Excel requires a minimum Pentium Class Processor with 2 GB minimum memory and 250 MB of free storage drive space.

How to Use Stellar Repair for Excel Software to Repair Excel Files?

Follow these steps for repairing damaged or corrupt Excel files:

• Run the software and from the main software screen, select the corrupt Excel files you want to repair by clicking Browse or Search.

• Once the file is selected, click Repair to begin repairing the corrupt file.

• When the scanning finishes, all recoverable data is displayed in the left-pane of the preview window. Click on any item to preview its content in the right-pane.

• For saving the file, click the Save File button on the Home menu.
• When prompted, select a target location to save the repaired file and click OK.

The repaired Excel file will now get saved in the selected target location.

Concluding Lines

Stellar Repair for Excel  software empowers users to repair Excel (.XLS/.XLSX) files and restore worksheet data in the event of file corruption and data loss. More importantly, the software performs granular-level recovery to restore the complete file items while preserving worksheet properties and visual representation.

How to Fix the #Value! Error in Excel?

Summary: #Value! is a common error that occurs when using formulas in Excel. It can be due to an issue with the cells you are referencing or use of formulas in the wrong type or format. This blog will discuss some cases when this error may occur and the solutions to fix the issue. You’ll also find about an Excel repair software that can help fix the error if it has occurred due to corruption in Excel file.

You may experience the #Value! error in Excel when trying to enter invalid data type into the formulas. Sometimes, it appears when a value is not the expected type or when dates are given a text value. This Excel error may occur due to several reasons. However, the exact cause of this error is difficult to find. Below, we will be discussing some cases where you may get this error and the solutions to resolve the issues.

Case 1: Wrong Argument Data Type in Formulas

Sometimes, Excel throws the “#Value!” error if it recognizes incompatible arguments in the formulas.

For example: The Date function in the sheet expects only numerical values as arguments. In the below image you can see that when the formula’s string value is used in the month (January), it resulted in the #VALUE! error.

Solution

To fix the issue,

• Double-click the formula to verify the type of arguments.

• Correct the argument in the cell (B2).

The formula will work as expected.

Case 2: Using the Basic Subtraction Formula

Users often experience the #Value! error, when using the basic subtraction formula in Excel.

Solution

Check the formula and the type of values in the cell. If these are correct and the error persists, then follow these steps:

• Go to the Start button on Windows, type Control Panel, and double-click on it.
• Click Clock and Region > Region.

• On the Format tab, click Additional Settings.

• In the Customized Format window, search for List Separator.

• Check if the List Separator is set to minus (-). Change it to comma (,).

• Click OK.
• Now, open the Excel file and again try to use the formula.

Case 3: Wrong Text Value

The #Value! error can also occur due to the formula’s wrong value.

For example: If you are using the formula to add values in cells and Excel recognizes the unexpected text value, you may get a #Value error.

Solution

To fix the issue, you can correct the value or use the SUM function. It is recommended to use functions instead of operations to reduce the errors. In Excel, the formulas with math operators may not able to calculate the text in the cells. The SUM function automatically ignores the text value(er), calculates everything as numbers, and displays the result without the #Value! error.

Case 4: Blank Space in Cells

You may get the #Value! error if your formula refers to other cells with space or hidden space. Sometimes, spaces that make a cell display blank but actually they are not blank.

Solution

You can either delete the space or replace the blank space. Here’s how:

1. Delete the Blank Space

First, check if a cell is blank or not. To do this,

• Select the cell that looks blank.
• Press F2.

The blank cell won’t show space.

Then, press the Backspace key to delete the space. It will fix the error.

2. Replace Blank Space

You can also use the “Find and Select” option to replace the blank space in Excel. Here are the steps:

• Open the Excel file that shows #Value! error.
• On the Home tab, click Find & Select > Replace.

• In the Find what field, type a single space and delete everything in the “Replace with” field.

• Click Replace All > OK.

Case 4: Problem with Network Connection

Many users have reported experiencing errors when using Excel online due to problems with the network connection.

Solution

Check your Internet connection and see if it is working properly.  

Case 5: Wrong Formula Format

If you enter the wrong formula with a missing parenthesis or comma, then Excel can throw the #Value! error. The error can also occur if the application finds a special character within a cell.

Solution

Correct the formula and use the ISTEXT function to find the cells with issues.  

Case 6: Corruption in the Excel File

If none of the above works, then it indicates the Excel file is corrupt. The formulas in the Excel file do not work due to corruption.

Solution

You can use the Open and Repair utility in Excel if you are getting the error due to corruption in Excel file. In case the utility fails or the Excel file is severely corrupt, you can use a third-party Excel repair software, such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It is a powerful tool to repair corrupted or damaged Excel files and recover all its data, with 100% integrity. The tool supports Excel 2019, 2016, and older versions.

Closure

There are several reasons that can trigger Excel to throw the #Value! error. It can occur if there is an incorrect argument data type in formulas or blank space, text, or special characters within a cell. This blog discussed the possible scenarios when this error occurs. You can apply the solutions mentioned above to fix the error. If the #Value! error occurs due to corruption in the Excel file, then you can use Stellar Repair for Excel . It is a reliable tool that helps in fixing corruption-related errors in Excel.

How to repair corrupt Excel file

Stellar Repair for Excel is an excellent tool to repair corrupt or damaged MS Excel files. Mentioned below are the steps to perform Excel repair with this tool:

• Download & Run the Stellar Repair for Excel.

• A dialog box appears on your screen, click ‘OK’ to proceed.

• To select your corrupt .XLS or .XLSX file, click ‘Browse’ button. However, if you do not know the location of your .XLS or .XLSX file, the software provides you the option ‘Search’ to search for your corrupt Excel files.

• Select the checkboxes against the files that you want to repair and click ‘Repair’. This starts the scanning process.

• The list of all the files that the software has scanned is displayed in the tree-view in the left pane. Click on a file from this tree-view to see its preview in the middle pane. From this list, you can select the file that you want to recover.

• You can either select the ‘Default location of file’ or ‘Select New Folder’ in the ‘Save Document’ dialog box to save the repaired files.

Stellar Repair for Excel Stellar Repair for Excel is the best choice for repairing corrupt or damaged Excel (.XLS/.XLSX) files. This Excel recovery software restores everything from corrupt file to a new blank Excel file.

Learn More

Also read: