Has anyone else encountered this problem? Receive an Excel file in email (both GMail and (desktop) Outlook 2016 (using a live.com account, not a GMail one) have been tested); Double click on it to open it. (Excel 2016 is already open); The file opens in Excel with that irritating little "Oooooh, very dangerous! Could be scary monsters inside!" message which, I'll admit, is potentially useful for files from outside the organisation which is the only reason that I leave it on. Of course, there's no point if it doesn't actually work. Then one of two things happens. Either You go to click the Enable Editing button and Excel completely hangs on you; or You get the "Excel (Protected Mode) {breathless pause...} Has! Stopped! Working! Pretending to check for a solution that has never once been found in my lifetime, please waste your time waiting" dialog. There is nothing wrong with the file itself. I have tried with two different files, both have a problem. In both cases if instead of opening them from the Email application I save them to a trusted location I can open them without problem. But opening them directly from either browser or Outlook completely crashes Excel 2016 in a way that it didn't with Excel 2010. Anyone else? PS: If anyone from Microsoft responds to this post, looking into this specific question , I'll be more than happy to listen. If instead they copy and paste a script about restarting Windows in Safe Mode I may just need to throw a shoe at something.

I just heard back from a displaylink tech support person. Apparently they are aware of the issue. He had me do a work around that has fixed the issue for me. Open a blank excel document. Go to file 3. Go to options Go to advanced Under Display Check the box...Disable graphics hardware acceleration. 7. Click apply. This has fixed my issue until there is a driver update. Thanks...Matt

I tried to find the details of the patches that had been done since then, but the relevant page only has details of upgraded features, not bug fixes. (Perhaps there aren't any bugs in Office. Stop laughing everyone.) FYI looks like you can see details of bug fixes here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/mt465751?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396 This is linked from the 'For a complete list of all of the updates and changes, check this page' links on the main 'What's New and Improved in Office' page you linked above. Even then though, I can't find specifics of a fix for this issue.

Memory-shmemory........ I've got a spanking new i7 Surface Pro 4 with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD, I've got power to burn even while running SQL Server and IIS locally, and very little need for add-ins in my current role (previous one they were business critical). Plus its what it came pre-installed with from the local IT crowd and I like to try and prod them only when I need them...... Your observation about version numbers being different between 32 and 64 bit installs is probably quite relevant, but suggests to me that they've not fixed the issue in Office 64bit yet as it's still very much an issue for me.

It makes me suspect that somewhere in the March updates there was indeed a fix for this issue. It would be interesting to know if anyone on 16.0.6741.2021 or higher is still experiencing this. How do I get this magic 16.0.6741.2021 version? I'm running Office 2016 64bit via Win10 Pro on a Surface Pro4 i7 and apparently I'm 'up to date' with 16.0.4366.1000......... I'm still on 32 bit Office. I have yet to be convinced that the additional memory usage of 64 bit is worth trading for the number of 32 bit add-ins that crash and burn. I'd therefore expect the version numbers to be different.

Excel 2016 (Protected Mode) Crashing When Opening Files From Email

Anonymous

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Receive an Excel file in email (both GMail and (desktop) Outlook 2016 (using a live.com account, not a GMail one) have been tested);
Double click on it to open it. (Excel 2016 is already open);
The file opens in Excel with that irritating little "Oooooh, very dangerous! Could be scary monsters inside!" message which, I'll admit, is potentially useful for files from outside the organisation which is the only reason that I leave it on. Of course, there's no point if it doesn't actually work.

Then one of two things happens. Either

You go to click the Enable Editing button and Excel completely hangs on you; or
You get the "Excel (Protected Mode) {breathless pause...} Has! Stopped! Working! Pretending to check for a solution that has never once been found in my lifetime, please waste your time waiting" dialog.

There is nothing wrong with the file itself. I have tried with two different files, both have a problem. In both cases if instead of opening them from the Email application I save them to a trusted location I can open them without problem. But opening them directly from either browser or Outlook completely crashes Excel 2016 in a way that it didn't with Excel 2010.

Anyone else?

PS: If anyone from Microsoft responds to this post, looking into this specific question, I'll be more than happy to listen. If instead they copy and paste a script about restarting Windows in Safe Mode I may just need to throw a shoe at something.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous

I just heard back from a displaylink tech support person. Apparently they are aware of the issue. He had me do a work around that has fixed the issue for me.

Open a blank excel document.
Go to file

3. Go to options

Go to advanced
Under Display
Check the box...Disable graphics hardware acceleration.

7. Click apply.

This has fixed my issue until there is a driver update.

Thanks...Matt

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Updated to displaylink driver 7.9m5 dated 2/23/2016 and problem was resolved for me.

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88 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-04-29T03:51:19+00:00

I tried to find the details of the patches that had been done since then, but the relevant page only has details of upgraded features, not bug fixes. (Perhaps there aren't any bugs in Office. Stop laughing everyone.)

FYI looks like you can see details of bug fixes here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/mt465751?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

This is linked from the 'For a complete list of all of the updates and changes, check this page' links on the main 'What's New and Improved in Office' page you linked above. Even then though, I can't find specifics of a fix for this issue.
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Anonymous

2016-04-29T03:44:17+00:00

Memory-shmemory........

I've got a spanking new i7 Surface Pro 4 with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD, I've got power to burn even while running SQL Server and IIS locally, and very little need for add-ins in my current role (previous one they were business critical).

Plus its what it came pre-installed with from the local IT crowd and I like to try and prod them only when I need them......

Your observation about version numbers being different between 32 and 64 bit installs is probably quite relevant, but suggests to me that they've not fixed the issue in Office 64bit yet as it's still very much an issue for me.
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Anonymous

2016-04-29T03:34:38+00:00

It makes me suspect that somewhere in the March updates there was indeed a fix for this issue. It would be interesting to know if anyone on 16.0.6741.2021 or higher is still experiencing this.

How do I get this magic 16.0.6741.2021 version?

I'm running Office 2016 64bit via Win10 Pro on a Surface Pro4 i7 and apparently I'm 'up to date' with 16.0.4366.1000.........

I'm still on 32 bit Office. I have yet to be convinced that the additional memory usage of 64 bit is worth trading for the number of 32 bit add-ins that crash and burn.

I'd therefore expect the version numbers to be different.
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