In excel, when I click the help (?) icon, I get "Sorry, something went wrong. Please check your network connection and try again." My network connection is fine. How do I correct this error?

I did a variant of the original answer which seems to work so far.

i.e.: after doing this:

* Open the Excel app> go to File > options> select trust center> select trust center settings> Click on Privacy Option> Click on privacy settings > Check all the connected experiences including "Turn On experiences that download online content" and "Turn on experiences that analyze content" *

Close and reopen Excel

which didn't work, I then unchecked:

Optional diagnostic data

Personalized offers and discounts for Microsoft products

Close and reopen Excel

and help was working again!

I've seen this answer on a number of complaint posts. This will not fix anything as far as I know. The Internet connection is fine. I am fully logged on using my MS Account. This is some connection issue specific to Excel (although it may occur in other Office apps but I've not seen it). Frankly, this is inexcusable. There are many complaints over this same issue and if it's not your answer which is useless information, then there are other fixes which work for some people some times. For instance, the logging out and logging in will get Excel help back but only until the connection to Help is dropped, usually a short time later. Or, how about the reboot? Cold or hot reboot? Doesn't make a difference. Closing out of all Office apps? Works for a while, then the Excel help connection is dropped. Microsoft, forget about AI and fix what you already have.

LOTS of people have this problem, including me. Former Microsoft employee and know what I am doing. The help functionality simply doesn't work no matter what suggestions are implemented. This is obviously a bug, and an important one. I'm taking a class that uses a lot of lesser-known Excel functions. The availability of Help is essential!!

In excel, when I click the help (?) icon, I get "Sorry, something went wrong. Please check your network connection and try again." My network connection is fine. How do I correct this error?

I am using Microsoft 365.

I have the same problem with a most Office 365 apps. When first launched Help/F1 functionality work as expected. But after some time passes, minutes to hours, trying to launch Help/F1 produces the error with the message you describe. If I relaunch the application Help/F1 functionality works again but with time eventually errors out.

All other applications and OS features that require access to the internet when this error occurs are working fine so I'm positive I am connected to the internet.

I have repaired my Office installation, signed out and back into my Microsoft account with no improvement. The suggestions Shakiru Soenu posted are not pertinent to this issue as far as I can tell. I checked my setting per his suggestion and they were already set the way he suggests.

Thanks,

Jim

Hi Michael K!

I am Shakiru, an independent advisor and a user like you, and I am glad to be helping you out today.

Perhaps you need to turn ON all online experiences. Please do this: * Open the Excel app> go to File > options> select trust center> select trust center settings> Click on Privacy Option> Click on privacy settings > Check all the connected experiences including "Turn On experiences that download online content" and "Turn on experiences that analyze content" * Close and reopen Excel

Kindly let me know, if you require additional assistance, I will be glad to help further.

Kind Regards, Shakiru