Excel freezes on exit

Hello all.  hoping that someone here can point me in the right direction....

Excel freezes when I go to exit... doesn't matter if it is a brand-new workbook with no data or spreadsheet with formulas... I am using Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2202 Build 16.0.14931.20272) 64-bit . I have ran all the updates, disabled all the add-ons and it still locks on exit?? However, when I start excel in safe mode it allows me to exit without freezing...