Problems opening an Excel file on a MAC

dwsjarcmcd

I have the Excel version on my MAC and am having issues opening my most used file and hopefully one of the knowledgeable contributors here can help.  I've tried googling solutions but nothing seems to work.  The MAC is on the latest software version - Ventura 13.2.1.

This problem has only started this week and for this file only, which has disappeared from my 'recent' documents on the Excel app.  I've found the file in my documents and every time I try to open it, I get the following message;

"Excel cannot open the file ’name of file.xlsx’ because the file format or file extension is not valid. Verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file."

I've tried compressing the folder containing the file and extending it again (as per some of my googling) but can't find a solution that actually works!!

Any help would be much appreciated

flaneurs_lobster

Do you have another device to try opening (or at least viewing) the file on?

If you have a backup copy on another service (device, cloud) then get it moved or renamed just in case the local copy is corrupted and the backup is not. 

dwsjarcmcd

flaneurs_lobster said:

Do you have another device to try opening (or at least viewing) the file on?

If you have a backup copy on another service (device, cloud) then get it moved or renamed just in case the local copy is corrupted and the backup is not. 

Hi, the document was also on my OneDrive app, which is on my my iPad as well as my MAC but has disappeared from them.  Can’t open it via iCloud.

Grandad2b

Disappeared from OneDrive? Is this the master copy or a backup?

Heedtheadvice

Nor sure why you tried to compress uncompress. There is a lot out on the net that really ought to be ignored.

First thing to do is copy the corrupted excel file preferably to another computer device.

Then on that copy perform the Microsoft recovery procedures for the copy excel file.

See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-a-corrupted-workbook-153a45f4-6cab-44b1-93ca-801ddcd4ea53

You will need a good working copy on the Excel app  on that device or use 365 online.

If the be cannot be repaired then it may be that you can only recover the data.

Hindsight for you now but always have backups!!! for situation such as this so set one up as soon as you are able.