Word and Excel files very slow to open.

searchlight123

Acer Aspire E15 laptop running Windows 8.1 and Microsoft office 2007. Files are opening very slow in Excel and Word. This happens when opening from a file shortcut on the desktop. Small files take about 12 seconds to load.
Excel and Word both load in about 1 second. if I open a file while Excel or Word is running, the file takes about 1 second to load. Strange thing is that Microsoft Publisher or Powerpoint files load instantly as do other program files. i'm sure that an update has caused this as when i first got this laptop around a year ago this issue didn't exist.

Anyone else experience this problem?

k599rag

Sounds like something is loading with Word and Excel when you open the programs. When u open a file from Explorer your PC has to open the application and then load the relevant document. It will always open a document/spreadsheet faster if you use File>Open in Word or Excel as the application is already open. Have a look in the Add Ins on Word and Excel. Is there anything in there that is opening with the application?

https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/Load-or-unload-add-in-programs-0911334a-0d90-421f-9451-b360cc7674e2

https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/Enable-or-disable-add-ins-in-Office-programs-3e533d0f-a6cf-44b7-b6b4-3d9185b5e025

This article mentions a number of issues that is could be:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/e06845d4-09e9-44ab-bdfc-e3804a37a89c/excel-2007-slow-opening-file?forum=officesetupdeploylegacy

k599rag

Also here:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f57/word-and-excel-documents-slow-to-open-628755.html

searchlight123

many thanks for replies which i have linked thru to read but have to admit as a very basic user of word and excel they are a bit above my head.
all i know is i used to open these shortcut files almost instantly and somewhere in the past 6-9 months this has changed to 10-15 seconds at least.
opening the complete word or excel program happens instantly. i realise this is not a major issue but it is annoying waiting for a file to open from a desktop shortcut as half the time i keep clicking it as i'm not sure the original clicks have responded!!

k599rag

As I say I would say it is an Add In causing the issue. Here's how to disable them. I would disable any add ins that are enabled and then try again.

Excel

To Load or unload an Excel add-in program
1/ Click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image, and then click Excel Options.
2/ Click the Add-Ins category.
3/ In the Manage box, click Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
4/ To unload an Excel add-in, do the following:
5/ In the Add-Ins available box, clear the check box next to the add-in that you want to unload, and then click OK to remove the add-in from the Office Fluent Ribbon, restart Excel.

Word

1/ Click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image, click Word Options, and then click Add-Ins.
2/ In the Add-ins box, identify the add-in that you want to enable or disable and note the Add-in type located in the Type column.
3/ Select the Add-in type in the Manage box and then click Go.
4/ Select or clear the check box for the Add-in that you want enable or disable and then click OK.
5/ Restart Word

searchlight123

Many thanks for the detailed instructions. I will follow these when I get home and report back.
Much appreciated.

searchlight123

k599rag wrote: »

As I say I would say it is an Add In causing the issue. Here's how to disable them. I would disable any add ins that are enabled and then try again.

Excel

To Load or unload an Excel add-in program
1/ Click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image, and then click Excel Options.
2/ Click the Add-Ins category.
3/ In the Manage box, click Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
4/ To unload an Excel add-in, do the following:
5/ In the Add-Ins available box, clear the check box next to the add-in that you want to unload, and then click OK to remove the add-in from the Office Fluent Ribbon, restart Excel.

Word

1/ Click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image, click Word Options, and then click Add-Ins.
2/ In the Add-ins box, identify the add-in that you want to enable or disable and note the Add-in type located in the Type column.
3/ Select the Add-in type in the Manage box and then click Go.
4/ Select or clear the check box for the Add-in that you want enable or disable and then click OK.
5/ Restart Word

thanks k559rag for your reply and instructions.
here's the kicker!! i have no add ins for Excel selected at all.
there is 1 active add in running in Word which is a smart tag for outlook i do not use outlook). as it's mainly excel files i open from shortcuts this is a pity!!
oh well guess i may have to live with this annoyance?

k599rag

Another option: In Excel - File > Options > Advanced, scroll down to the General section and make sure 'Ignore other applications that use DDE' is unchecked.

k599rag

Also, what is the File type that you are saving them as? They should be docx.

k599rag

Thirdly, what Anti Virus Software are you using? Can you disable it, test and then re-enable it? At least this will rule out an issue.

After this it may also be worth upgrading the lot to Windows 10. Its a free upgrade and may solve things.

Le_Kirk

k599rag wrote: »

Also, what is the File type that you are saving them as? They should be docx.

Or for Excel it is .xlsx