Application.ScreenUpdating Freezing Workbook

Copper Contributor

Due to a recent update with Office 365, the Application.ScreenUpdating function in VBA does not work anymore (at least in Excel). I have a macro enabled workbook that has had the same code for a couple of years now. Each one of my subs have Application.ScreenUpdating = False at the beginning and Application.ScreenUpdating = True at the end. This has worked great for preventing Excel to work harder than it needs. The spreadsheet was worked on (not the VBA code) on Friday, and on Monday, the spreadsheet started freezing like the screen would not update no matter what I clicked on. I was eventually able to diagnose that if I removed all of the Application.ScreenUpdating = False, then the freezing no longer occurs. Again, the code has not changed in several months (and never for the ScreenUpdating portion) and has worked perfectly up until today. Has anyone else experienced a similar issue with the Applicaiton.ScreenUpdating function?

14 Replies
I can confirm that I am getting exactly the same issue as of recently.
Im running Windows 11 and my Excel started behaving the same way:

Run Application.ScreenUpdating = False in the immediate window, and screen updates are turned off as expected, and screen freezes.

Run Application.ScreenUpdating = True, and screen updates are still off. Screen remains frozen. Forced to restart Excel.

I am having the same issue. trying to report to Microsoft. we have to all keep doing this until they see the problem. Make sure to contact them through the help app until the issue is fixed. 

Yep me too. Exact same issue.
Just created an empty xlsm with a macro with only
Application.ScreenUpdating = false
Application.ScreenUpdating = true

easy to reproduce.
Excel workbooks needs to be closed and opened again to get normal functioning.
Just updated to version 2206 build 15330.20246

 

Edited my post once more....After a full restart I found out today that the excel sheets work again!  So for me, going to file -->account-->update options-->update now seems to have worked.

maybe you can go to Microsoft help and let them know to tell developers to fix this
I just tried a manual update from: Account -> Update options -> Update now.

This updated my Excel to v 2206 build 15330.20246, but now it looks like the screen updating functions are working fine? I tried my xlsm workbooks and none of them are freezing anymore.

Not sure what is happening as the update is the same version as yours.

Same issue, for me and others in my workplace. Since we issue macros extensively to run functions for less Excel savy depts this is a real issue.

Update - Updating to new version - 2206 (15330.20246) seems to have resolved this for me. 

Exact same problem here. We use VBA macros and this is now broken in the latest updates. Had to downgrade Excel to prevent this.
I edited my post. Indeed after the update and a reboot it works again.
UPDATE TODAY - MS said an update came out that should fix this.
We are experiencing the same problems, has a huge impact on processes here.
We update to version 2206 (15330.20246) and rebooted, but it did not solve it.

Awaiting new update?

Steven

Did you update windows? 

you should contact MS help app and let them know. I havnt seen the issue yet but if I do I will be telling them right away

The following macro will cause all versions of the latest releases of Excel version 2206 to lock up, even the latest version 15330.20246

 

Sub Excel_Freeze()

ThisWorkbook.Application.ScreenUpdating = False

For Each Worksheet In ThisWorkbook.Worksheets

Next Worksheet

ThisWorkbook.Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub

 

This runs successfully in all prior versions of Excel. We use a similar macro to size our multi-tab business worksheets to maximize screen size. They are all not running now.  The issue appears to be turning screenupdating off while iterating the spreadsheet tabs in a multiple tab spreadsheet. Commenting out the first line will stop the problem.

 

But I believe this to be a bigger problem in this release than just this issue.

Same issue.

Please fix this ASAP Microsoft (or, you know, make this default behavior to fix how terrible VBA performance is in general).

@bimbam you need to contact MS through the help feature.  They dont read these unless you send it to them.