Forum Discussion
Why is Excel suddenly calculating much slower than before?
I've noticed that one of my workbooks has become significantly slower over the past few weeks. It's around 20 MB, contains several PivotTables, XLOOKUP formulas, and conditional formatting. Simple e...
Check Formulas > Calculation Options. Make sure it is not stuck on something unusual. Try Manual temporarily to test.
Check for heavy formulas. XLOOKUP over whole columns like A:A can slow things down. Use limited ranges or Excel Tables.
Reduce conditional formatting. Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules. Delete duplicate/unused rules and avoid applying rules to entire columns.
Refresh/rebuild PivotTables. Old pivot caches can make files larger and slower.
Check file bloat. Press Ctrl + End. If Excel jumps far below/right of your real data, clear unused rows/columns and save.
Disable add-ins temporarily. File > Options > Add-ins.
Save as a new .xlsx file. Sometimes this cleans hidden workbook bloat.