Cannot open excel it says opening :SOLVER.XLAM and stops from there

Ketan MISTRY 0 Reputation points
2026-09-14T08:29:22.4833333+00:00

Cannot open excel it says opening: SOLVER.XLAM and stops from there. I have tried to delete and download new version but it did not work. I also tried repairs, but nothing works. If you can please help

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-14T08:29:38.64+00:00

    SOLVER.XLAM points to the Solver add-in loading at Excel startup. Since reinstalling and repairing already did not help, isolate the add-in first.

    1. Start Excel in Safe Mode.
      • Press Windows + R.
      • Type excel /safe and press Enter.
      • Confirm the title bar shows Microsoft Excel (Safe Mode).
    2. If Excel opens in Safe Mode, disable add-ins one at a time.
      • Go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
      • At the bottom, in Manage, select COM Add-Ins > Go.
      • Clear one add-in, select OK, then restart Excel normally.
      • If the problem continues, repeat for the next add-in.
      • Then repeat the same process with Excel Add-Ins in the Manage list.
      • If Excel opens after disabling one add-in, that add-in is the cause.
    3. If Solver is the add-in causing the stop, leave it turned off temporarily and test Excel normally.
      • If Excel works with Solver off, the issue is isolated to that add-in.
    4. Check whether an Excel 4.0 macro security policy is affecting Solver.
      • Solver and Analysis ToolPak may not function properly when the policy that prevents Excel from running Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros is enabled.
      • This can happen if the Group Policy setting Prevent Excel from running XLM macros is enabled, or if the registry value HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Security\XL4MacroOff is set to 1.
      • If this is a managed work or school device, an organization policy may be applying this setting.
    5. If Excel still hangs even after add-ins are disabled, check startup loading behavior.
      • Excel opens files found in the XLStart folder or an alternate startup folder when it starts.
      • Remove or test without startup workbooks in those folders.
    6. If Excel does not start even in Safe Mode, the issue is likely not an add-in.
      • Run an Office repair again, preferably Online Repair:
        • Settings > Apps > select Office > Modify > Online Repair > Repair.
    7. If the issue continues after that, test for software conflicts with a clean boot/selective startup.
      • A background process or service can interfere with Excel startup.
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  2. Kai-H 26,760 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-14T13:50:26.28+00:00

    Hi, Ketan MISTRY

    This can happen when Excel keeps a damaged Solver startup entry in the Windows registry. Reinstalling Office may not remove that user-specific setting.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Close all Office apps. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

    Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Options

    First, right-click Options and select Export to create a backup.

    In the right pane, look for values named OPEN, OPEN1, OPEN2, and so on. Rename each one by adding Old at the beginning, for example, rename OPEN to OldOPEN. Then restart Excel normally. These entries can force Excel to load Solver even after it has been removed.

    Also install pending Office updates from Word > File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.

    If Excel still freezes, create a temporary new Windows user account and test Excel there. If it opens, the problem is limited to the original Windows profile rather than the Office installation.

    Be careful not to change any other registry entries.

    Disclaimer: Generally, modifying registry subkeys or work group is intended for advanced users, administrators, and IT Professionals. It can help fix some problems, however, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For further protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click How to back up and restore the registry in Windows - Microsoft Support to view the article.  

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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