Autosave in excel spreadsheet is disabling by itself

Camille 0 Reputation points
2026-08-21T09:56:58.96+00:00

I have a library in SharePoint that contains an Excel spreadsheet shared with two people. However, autosave is often disabled, causing the information entered by one of the users to not be recorded in the original spreadsheet. When this happens, you need to create a new copy and replace the existing document. This library is synchronized in the notebook of the two collaborators, they use the "Excel application" and not the web version.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Windows

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  1. Ana Le 2,345 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-21T10:17:57.2766667+00:00

    Hi @Camille,

    Since the workbook is stored in a SharePoint Online library but both users are opening it through a synchronized folder in the Excel desktop app, I would first check whether the issue is related to how the workbook is being opened rather than replacing the file each time.

    Please try the following with the same workbook:

    1. Close the workbook on both computers.
    2. Open the SharePoint library in a browser.
    3. Open the workbook and choose Open in Desktop App.
    4. Confirm that AutoSave is turned on, then have both users make a small test change and verify whether the changes are saved to the same workbook.

    Microsoft notes that AutoSave may not be available as expected when a cloud file is opened from File Explorer/Finder or from a recent-file entry that points to a local path. Reopening the file from its OneDrive or SharePoint location is one of the recommended checks: Turn on autosave in Microsoft 365 apps | Microsoft Support

    Also, on both computers, please confirm that:

    • OneDrive synchronization is running and is not paused.
    • The workbook is in a supported format such as .xlsx.
    • In Excel, go to File > Options > Save and confirm AutoSave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default is enabled.

    More information about conditions that can prevent AutoSave from being available can be found here: What is AutoSave? | Microsoft Support

    For now, I would avoid creating a new copy and replacing the workbook, as that can make it harder to determine why AutoSave is being disabled.

    If the issue still occurs when the workbook is opened directly from SharePoint using Open in Desktop App, please reply with:

    • The Excel version/build from File > Account > About Excel on both computers.
    • Whether AutoSave turns off immediately when the file is opened, or only after the workbook has been open for some time.
    • Whether the same behavior occurs with a newly created .xlsx workbook stored in the same SharePoint library.

    Those details should help narrow down whether this is specific to the original workbook or to the Excel/OneDrive environment.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-21T09:57:18.8966667+00:00

    AutoSave in Excel can disable itself when the workbook is not opened from a supported cloud location, when the file format or workbook features are incompatible, or when Excel settings/add-ins interfere with it.

    For this SharePoint-synced library scenario, use this troubleshooting path:

    1. Open the workbook from inside Excel, not from File Explorer or a synced local folder.
      • In Excel, go to File > Open.
      • Open the file from the SharePoint or OneDrive online location.
      • If the file is opened from File Explorer, Finder, or a recent list that points to a local path, AutoSave may be off.
    2. Verify the workbook is stored in a supported location.
      • AutoSave works for files stored in OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint Online.
      • If the file is effectively being opened from a local synced path, a file server, or SharePoint on-premises, AutoSave is disabled.
    3. Check the Excel AutoSave setting.
      • Go to File > Options > Save.
      • Confirm the AutoSave box is checked.
    4. Check for common workbook conditions that disable AutoSave.
      • Older file formats such as .xls can disable AutoSave.
      • If the workbook uses Shared Workbook, turn that off and use co-authoring instead.
      • If the workbook has password encryption, remove it if possible: File > Info > Protect Workbook.
      • If the workbook has restricted access, remove it if possible: File > Info > Protect Workbook > Restrict Access > Unrestricted Access.
      • If opening a workbook snapshot from SharePoint, open the actual file instead.
      • If Check compatibility when saving this workbook is enabled, remove it from File > Info > Inspect Workbook > Check Compatibility.
      • If the workbook contains embedded objects, replacing them with links can help.
    5. Check whether an Excel add-in is disabling AutoSave.
      • Go to File > Options > Add-Ins > Excel Add-ins > Go.
      • Clear the check box for add-ins and test again.
    6. Check OneDrive sync status.
      • If OneDrive synchronization is paused, AutoSave can be disabled.
      • Resume sync and test the workbook again.
    7. If the issue appears only with this one workbook, test with a new workbook in the same SharePoint library.
      • If a new workbook keeps AutoSave on, the issue is likely with features or settings inside the original workbook.
    8. If users are seeing the AutoSave toggle turn off randomly and then must save as a new file, this can indicate a version-specific Excel/SharePoint sync issue.
      • In that case, have the Microsoft 365 admin open a support ticket through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
      • As a temporary mitigation, monitor the AutoSave toggle closely and save manually if it turns off unexpectedly.

    Important: when AutoSave is off, collaboration is less efficient and increases the likelihood of conflicts, which matches the behavior being seen where one user’s updates are not reflected in the original workbook.

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