Get rid of "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" in Excel

Quick tip: learn how to access a corrupt xls. file in Excel

Usually when upgrading you expect nothing but improvements. So it can be really disappointing when after moving to Excel 2010 you have no chance to access your .xls file created in the application version 2003 and earlier. You understand what I'm talking about if you ever encountered "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" error in Excel 2010 and later. Still think you can't open it? Actually you can!
Excel message: The file is corrupt and cannot be opened in Excel 2010

How to open a corrupt xls. file in Excel 2010 - 365

Try the following steps to see how your precious .xls data appear in Excel 2010 and later:

  1. Open Excel.
  2. Click on File -> Options.
  3. Select Trust Center and press the Trust center settings button.
    Excel: Trust center settings
  4. Pick Protected view.
    Trust center - Protected view
  5. Uncheck all the options under Protected View and confirm by pressing OK.
  6. Restart Excel and try to open the broken Excel documents.

Note. For safety reasons, you should save your document with new Office format like .xlsx. You can do it this way: File > Options -> Trust Center -> Trust Center settings -> Protected View.
Check all the options again under Protected View, click OK and restart Excel.

This will set the security options back. Sure, you don't want to open any file unsafely.

That's it. Hope it will work for you and your documents :).

Thanks and see you!

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385 comments

  1. Superrrrrrrrrr.... nice

  2. great..issue resolved

  3. Woo Hooo...
    You sir, Deserves a Cookie!!!

  4. Hello,

    I had excel sheet (no backup) which i opened after 10 days, now it shows .xls: file format is not found. I tried using repair and open option and unfortunately not working.

    Kindly help

  5. Thanks a lot

  6. excel canot open the file beccause the file format or file extension is not vaild. verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file -how to recover the file

    Only one file i see this msg other files are ok

  7. Thanks!

  8. Yesterday I had a password protected spreadsheet open for a couple hours. I saved and closed the file, then about 3 hours later I went to open it and it said the file was corrupted and couldn't be opened. Also the date of the file was from the previous day not yesterday. I have tried all the online solutions I can find as well as yours and they do not work. At work I use Excel-2010 and at home I use Excel-2016 This is a very important file to me, Can you help?

  9. ok. thanks sir

  10. Hello,
    I have tried this settings and also tried the dcomcnfg settings but still the problem is not resolve.I have also repair the MS office 2010 but no use.Still the files are showing the same error.
    This file is working on normal PC but showing error in thin client which is connected to windows server2008r2

  11. Great it worked for me
    Thanks

  12. Thanks...Much appreciated!

  13. YAY!!!! Thank you so much!!

  14. "excel file not open because file format or file extension is not valid verify that file has not been corrupted and file extension match the format of file"

  15. THANKS!! YOU SAVE ME!!!!

  16. THANKS!! YOU SAVE ME!!!!

  17. nice man

  18. It fixed but setting does not retain after system restart.

  19. Its working Thanks lot

  20. Yay! Thanks!

  21. Thanks a Lot, Now its working.

  22. Thanks a lot for your solution

  23. excel sheet not open showing this error
    "excel file not open because file format or file extension is not valid verify that file has not been corrupted and file extension match the format of file"

    • yeah .. on me too :(

  24. Hi sir,my excel file delete after that i use one recovery software fianlly find that excel sheet.when i open that excel sheet the file format and extension of don't match excel. the file could be corrupted or unsafe.please hlp me how to fix

  25. "Thank u so much for this info.my issue is resolved."

  26. Thanks man u r such a genius... was facing problem.long time finally it works ...thnk u so much

  27. Thanks!

  28. Worked like a charm...Thanks a ton...!!!!

  29. Thanks.Its working fine

  30. Hi,
    I have a file that has the same message when opened in excel 2007 "The file is corrupt and can not be opened". But I still open it in excel 2010.

    Please help!

  31. My Excel File Is Currept I Requst for you Repair file

  32. Thanks a man really it worked

  33. Thanks a lot...
    my excel is working now

  34. Its work for me when I uncheck all open in file block settings under trust center.

  35. Thanks man, I appreciate it.

  36. Worked for Excel 2016.
    Thanks

  37. No protected view in my excel option.
    How to solve?

  38. this worked! Thanks very much!

  39. thank you!!

  40. Thanks bro!! I was almost breaking this PC!

  41. Thanks a million!

  42. Thanks so much! I was having trouble with an Excel file after upgrading to Windows 10 (file had been opening fine before the upgrade) and this fixed it.

  43. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It worked for me!!!!

  44. You are a genius!! Been searching the answers for years and bingo you are good!

  45. I saved my files in my flash drive, unfortunately my flash drive has been corrupted. I am trying to open my recent excel files, but it says could not be found, check the spelling of the file name and verify that the file location is correct. Is there any possible way where I can save and open my recent documents. I tried to recover my files from my flash drive but 0 files detected

  46. I saved my files in my flash drive, unfortunately my flash drive has been corrupted. I am trying to open my recent excel files, but it says could not be found, check the spelling of the file name and verify that the file location is correct. Is there any possible way where I can save and open my recent documents.

  47. If you are getting error message "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened" in Excel 2010 while trying to open any of your saved excel document then you can fix this issue by using MS Excel Repair tool. It is especially designed to resolve the error that occurs while using the excel file.

  48. Thnanx lot this solution

  49. you are the best i have a client at work who have issue and i was able to help them thanks

  50. This did the trick
    Thank you

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