How to stop Excel from automatically checking Workbook performance?

Anonymous
2023-03-06T17:17:06+00:00

Performance check??

The Excel sheet is the way I want it to look and don't want to change it for better performance. I just want Excel to stop prompting me.

Every time I open an Excel sheet, it wants me to do a performance check because of:

"Excess formatting and unneeded metadata cause large, slow workbooks. Check for improvements to performance"

So I find myself X-clicking away this message every time. Because there is no 'excess' of formatting. The Excel sheet simply is a nicely layouted workbook and we want it to be looking this way. We don't need Excel trying to outsmart us and giving this suggestion every time you open the workbook to remove information.

It is only very confusing for not-very-experienced users who also make use of my Excel sheet.

How and where can I set Excel in a way that is stops asking this unwanted question?

  • The question mostly pops-up in the Web version of Office 365.
  • I tried unchecking boxes in the performance check tool, in the desktop version, but to no result.

Would be lovely if someone has a workaround or knows which box needs to be un-checked.

And it would be awesome if a MS engineer helps giving priority to this problem, so that it can be switched of universally.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Windows

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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Answer accepted by question author
Andreas Killer 144.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2025-01-25T10:37:57+00:00

This thread shows that there are a significant number of people complaining about this. Unfortunately, this is only a user forum, we understand your problem, but we cannot do anything to fix it. Only the Excel developers can do this if they are instructed to do so.

As previously stated, this is simply a statistical problem, Microsoft must first recognize that this is a problem. Unfortunately, this is not so easy considering that more than 200,000 people work at Microsoft.

There is a feedback portal where you can cast your vote. There is already a feed on this topic, unfortunately with very few votes. I'm sure if we get as many votes as this post has been viewed, then Microsoft will react.

Anyone reading this, please follow these steps:

Click on this link:
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/89bb523d-b197-ef11-95f6-0022484d7a88

  1. Sign in
  2. Click the Vote button

@HanzieV:

If you mark this reply as answer, it will be the first to appear when someone views this thread. I hope we can encourage as many people as possible to draw Microsoft's attention to this problem. Unfortunately, this is all we can do for you.

Andreas.

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-06T10:09:35+00:00

    Standing ovation for Spencer.

    JUST SWITCH OFF THE FEATURE. NO-ONE WANTS IT!

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-24T20:13:31+00:00

    Dear Prash - and other Microsoft wizards,

    Don't you think it is time to get into action finally to get this problem solved?

    Don't you notice the sheer number of people who deal with the same issue?

    Don't you read all the examples in the answers to this - rather simple - question?

    Do you actually care for your loyal consumers and users who actually work with your products? We try to make something nice out of dull Excelsheets, which then in one stroke is distroyed by a dumb option to eliminate all carefull layouting that was applied.

    Please.

    Please make this work Prash!

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-19T22:15:14+00:00

    Even if the feature is used, I wonder how many users wish there was an "undo" feature available after it. Especially if that user saves the changes without realising that they've destroyed the spreadsheet. Monitoring the usage is potentially flawed logic too, if people use it not really understanding what it's going to do!

    I have kept multiple backups in different locations for all the spreadsheets I've create or modified for years. I will not be changing that habit any time soon.

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-01-06T15:44:11+00:00

    It was quite some time ago that Microsoft let their users know we didn't matter. It's just being forcibly shoved in our faces now.

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