How to fix “Microsoft Excel cannot open or save any more documents …”
Applies to:
Excel 2016, 2019, Office365
When I have @RISK open, and try to open a file using File » Open in Excel’s menu, I get this error:
Microsoft Excel cannot open or save any more documents because there is not enough available memory or disk space.
· To make more memory available, close workbooks or programs you no longer need.
· To free disk space, delete files you no longer need from the disk you are saving to.
The same thing happens if I double-click an Excel file in Windows’ File Explorer while @RISK is open in Excel.
1,
if this error shows for a local file, the actual problem has nothing to do with disk space. Excel is trying to display a security warning about the file you want to open, but for some reason, it is unable to. Security warnings typically come for files you downloaded from the Internet, but not always. To work around this problem, you need to answer the security prompt before Microsoft Excel tries to display it. There are two methods to do this:
- Method 1 (by file): Before trying to open the file in Excel, find it in Windows’ File Explorer. Right-click the file and select Properties. At the bottom of the General tab, click the Unblock button. Once you unblock a file, Windows should remember and Excel should not ask you again.
This option is available for some file types, but not others. If you don’t have an Unblock button, use Method 2. - Method 2 (by folder): This option is better if you usually store your downloaded Excel files in one folder. In Excel, click File » Options » Trust Center » Trust Center Settings » Trusted Locations. Click Add new location. Browse to the folder where you store your Excel files, select Subfolders of this location are also trusted and click OK.
2,
If this error shows up as from a network shared folder
For example, a locations like this: \\192.168.1.20\public is not trustworthy.
You may need to disconnect and re-connect with the computer name like this: \\MyServer\public. That is trustworthy.
3,
If these errors show up as Office trust settings prevent you from opening untrusted files. Both for Excel and Word, the same solutions for both, please see below.
Follow these steps to get rid of this error:
- Open Microsoft EXCEL orWord
- Go to File -> Options -> Trust Center.
- Now click on Trust Center Settings.
- Click Protected View in the left pane.
- Now uncheck the box: Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments.
- Click OK to save changes in Trust Center window.
- Click OK in Excel/Word Options.