Excel Stocks data type: "You need to be online to refresh your linked data types" even though I'm online (work account)

Avenia Marco 5 Reputation points
2026-09-16T08:47:13.5133333+00:00

Hi,

I'm using Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows (Italian interface). I have a workbook where ETFs and ETCs listed on Xetra and Borsa Italiana are converted to the Stocks data type. Until recently it refreshed without any problem.

Now, when I select Data > Refresh All, I get this error:

"You need to be online to refresh your linked data types. Check your connection and try again."

(Italian UI: "È necessario essere online per aggiornare i tipi di dati collegati. Controllare la connessione e riprovare.")

My PC is online and the internet works normally.

Account details:

  • Excel on the PC is signed in with my work/school account.
  • I am not the Microsoft 365 administrator of my organization.

What I've already tried, without success:

  • Signed out of Excel, closed it completely and signed back in
  • File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings: connected experiences are [enabled / greyed out and can't be changed]
  • Trust Center > External Content: linked data types are not disabled
  • Temporarily disabled VPN/proxy/antivirus and tried a different network
  • Updated Office and ran an Online Repair
  • Excel for the web: the same file [refreshes / does not refresh]

My questions:

  1. Why does Excel say I'm offline when my connection is working?
  2. Could a policy in my organization's Microsoft 365 tenant block linked data types for my work account? If so, which setting should our admin check?
  3. Is there anything else I can try on my side?

Thank you.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Windows

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Avenia Marco 5 Reputation points
    2026-09-16T08:51:22.7866667+00:00

    already tried everything

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.

  2. AI answer

    2026-09-16T08:47:34.8666667+00:00

    That message does not necessarily mean the PC has no internet access. For linked data types, Excel shows “You need to be online to refresh your linked data types” when it cannot complete the online refresh path for the data type service. The supported checks are:

    1. Verify the Excel sign-in state Go to File > Account and confirm Excel is signed in with the account associated with the Microsoft 365 subscription.
    2. Confirm Excel is fully updated In File > Account, make sure Excel has the latest updates installed.
    3. Try the workbook in Excel for the web If desktop Excel cannot refresh, open the workbook in Excel for the web with the same subscription account and test refresh there.
    4. Refresh a single linked data type Right-click a Stocks cell and select Data Type > Refresh. For all connections, use Data > Refresh All or Ctrl+Alt+F5.
    5. Check whether linked data types are blocked by Trust Center settings Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings. Under Security settings for linked data types, use either:
      • Prompt user about linked data types, or
      • Enable all linked data types (not recommended)
    6. If the error persists, treat it as a service-side or environment-side refresh failure The documented recommendation for this specific error is to verify connectivity and, if needed, check with the IT admin.

    For the admin question: the context does not document a Microsoft 365 tenant setting that blocks the built-in Stocks data type for work accounts. It does document admin control for Organization data types / Power BI scenarios, where a Power BI admin can disable that feature. That is separate from Stocks.

    What can still be tried locally:

    • If desktop Excel fails but Excel for the web refreshes, continue using Excel for the web for refresh and confirm the desktop app is signed in and updated.
    • If both desktop and web fail, verify the account meets the data type requirements and is a Microsoft 365 subscription account.
    • If refresh errors are interrupting work, a documented workaround is to turn off Automatic Refresh and use existing values until the condition is resolved. Note: data can become stale, and manual refresh will still fail for the same underlying reason.
    • If the issue appeared suddenly after previously working, the context also shows some refresh failures can be temporary service problems where the recommendation is simply to try again later.

    Direct answers:

    1. Why Excel says offline while the connection works
      Because the linked data type refresh service could not be reached or completed, and Excel surfaces that as an online/connection refresh error.
    2. Could tenant policy block it?
      The available documentation supports admin blocking for Organization data types / Power BI, not for the built-in Stocks data type.
    3. Anything else to try locally?
      The supported local actions are: confirm sign-in with the subscription account, update Excel, test in Excel for the web, refresh a single data type, and verify Trust Center linked data type settings.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
  3. Helen Luu 3,215 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-16T10:55:19.0566667+00:00

    Hello @Avenia Marco

    Based on the information provided, I understand that you are experiencing an issue where Excel is unable to connect or refresh data successfully.

    To further investigate this issue, could you please help me with the following information:

    • Is the workbook shared with other users? If so, are they able to refresh the data successfully?
    • Before the issue started occurring, were there any changes made to your network environment, such as firewall, proxy, VPN, or other IT-related configurations?
    • Can you reproduce the same issue with a different Excel file that contains a similar data connection?
    • Could you please share your current Office version? You can find this by opening Excel and navigating to File > Account, then sharing a screenshot or the version/build number displayed.
    • If you are using a VPN, proxy, or third-party antivirus software, please completely close these applications (rather than temporarily disabling them), restart your computer, and test the issue again. Please also ensure that these applications are not configured to launch automatically when Windows starts.

    Please let me know the results of the above tests, along with any error messages or screenshots you may have. This information will help me further isolate the cause of the issue.

    I look forward to your update.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.