Forum Discussion
Why isn't my help working in excel 365?
- You're welcome! Please be sure to mark the post with the best answer if a solution provided resolved the issue. This will help others with the same issue.
If you're experiencing issues accessing Help in Excel 365 and receiving error messages, there could be a few possible reasons and solutions to consider:
- Internet connectivity: Ensure that you have a stable internet connection. Help in Excel 365 relies on online resources and content, so a reliable internet connection is essential. Check your network connection and try accessing Help again.
- Service availability: Confirm if the Microsoft Office services are up and running. Occasionally, there may be service outages or disruptions that can affect Help functionality. You can visit the Microsoft 365 Service Status page or other official Microsoft support channels to check for any known issues or maintenance notifications.
- Office version and updates: Verify that your Excel 365 installation is up to date. Microsoft regularly releases updates and bug fixes that address various issues, including problems with Help. Ensure that you have installed the latest updates for Excel 365 by going to "File" > "Account" > "Update Options" > "Update Now" in Excel.
- Clear cache and reset settings: Sometimes, cached data or corrupted settings can interfere with Help functionality. Try clearing the cache and resetting settings by going to "File" > "Options" > "Advanced" > "Reset" in Excel. Make sure to read the warning messages and follow the prompts carefully.
- Disable add-ins: Add-ins can sometimes conflict with Help functionality. Try disabling any third-party add-ins or plugins you have installed in Excel. You can do this by going to "File" > "Options" > "Add-Ins" in Excel and managing the add-ins from there.
- Repair Office installation: If the above steps don't resolve the issue, you can try repairing your Office installation. Access the Control Panel on your computer, navigate to "Programs" > "Programs and Features," find Microsoft Office 365, select it, and click on "Change" or "Repair" to initiate the repair process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair.
NikolinoDE In Excel 365,click on File -> Account -> Update License, which is on the right hand side of the Account screen. This will require you to sign in with your Microsoft account, and should give you authorization to use the help facility. The authorization may not last very long, I have to use this button repeatedly. You should get a message to restart; you have to close the app and reopen. It is a pain, but it has worked for me. It would be nice if the error message could give a better hint than "check your network connection"
- Thanks for this tip. This helped resolve my issue and Help is now populating on the sidebar in Excel 365.
Thanks for your answer. Very helpful! I fixed the issue by updating 365 per your instructions. BTW the part about "File" > "Options" > "Advanced" > "Reset" didnt work for me. I googled how to reset cache in Excel and found that "File" > "Options" > "Save" > "Cache Settings" > "Reset" works well.
Thanks, I made the suggested changes and help worked when I reopened Word. BillA47
There is not reset option in my version of Excel
From Item 4: Try clearing the cache and resetting settings by going to "File" > "Options" > "Advanced" > "Reset" in Excel.
I did not see ‘reset’ in the “Advanced” options. Did I miss it or is there another problem?
Barry357us The only mention of anything "cache" was when I accessed File>Options>Save>Cache Settings. Hope this helps.
- thanks!
