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jfletcher's avatar
jfletcher
Copper Contributor
Jan 26, 2026

Formatting Issue

I have talked to support and told me to reach out here. I am trying to work on a school file and every time I go to click margins on the page layout tab, excel will say "not responding" nothing will ...
excel
NikolinoDE's avatar
NikolinoDE
Platinum Contributor
Jan 28, 2026

To resolve Excel freezing when clicking the Margins button in the Page Layout tab, follow these steps:

Cause

Easy Fix for Users

Zoom / Display scaling

Make sure your Excel zoom is set to 100% (bottom-right corner). Then try Page Layout → Margins again.

Add-ins

Start Excel normally, and if it still freezes, open Excel in Safe Mode (hold Ctrl while starting Excel). Then go to File → Options → Add-ins and turn off any extra add-ins.

Corrupted Settings

Sometimes Excel settings get messed up. If issues continue, IT can reset Excel settings for you.

Printer Drivers

Excel checks your default printer when opening Margins. Set your default printer to Microsoft XPS Writer or OneNote.

File Corruption

If this file still freezes, try saving it as a new file (.xlsb) or use Open and Repair in Excel.

Graphics Drivers

If nothing else works, go to File → Options → Advanced → Display and disable hardware graphics acceleration (IT can help if you’re unsure).

After these steps, Excel should respond normally when adjusting margins. If the issue persists, it may indicate a deeper system conflict (e.g., Windows update, antivirus interference), then needed more information .

 

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

 

Hope this will help you.

 

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