Excel 2016 will not open file from file explorer

Anonymous
2015-09-25T09:51:21+00:00

I cannot get Excel 2016 to open and run a file by clicking on the file from File Explorer. Is there a bug?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2015-11-24T11:55:44+00:00

The issue got solved by an online repair from the Programs and Features in the Control Panel.

Hope it helps to others

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-04-13T07:06:24+00:00

    I cannot get Excel 2016 to open and run a file by clicking on the file from File Explorer. Is there a bug?

    Windows 2010 - Office 2016

    Deepak's process below:

    1*. Right click on any of the Excel file.* 2. Select ‘Open With’ from the pop-up menu.

    3. Click Choose default Program. 4. Select Microsoft Excel in the Programs box. *5. Check the option ‘Use this app for all .xlsx files’.*6. Click ok and try to open the file.

    After step 2 - open with - I get default screen print below - so Deepak's process is already my default.

    Then, the checking of "Always use this app to open .xlsx files" plus the "OK", results in Excel opening, but not the file. When trying again, the check-mark is no longer there.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-13T09:47:33+00:00

    I had the same problem, but just found the solution. This morning I had Office 2013 installed; then I installed Office 2016 and uninstalled 2013. The problem was that the excel files were trying to open up Office 2013, which no longer existed. Easy solution: right click file, "open with", "Excel 2016... and everything solved!!

    Mine already said to open with Excel 2016.  But, I went ahead and browsed directly to the excel.exe to open with.  It still will not open directly from Windows Explorer.

    Mine also already said to open with Excel 2016 - same problem - still won't open with Explorer.

    Obviously, Explorer is not connected to Excel.

    My upgrade/download was done by full-time professionals who can't fix the problem - must be due to inadequacy of MS download.

    Why is MS so silent on this common issue?

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-14T17:58:37+00:00

    I am now having the same issue on a brand new install on a fresh install of Windows.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-04-15T02:16:11+00:00

    WTH MSFT?  You train people for 30 year to click a file then you roll out this? 

    It is simply wrong to have to open the program, then the file. Did you test this at all?

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