Can't interact with Excel because of hidden dialog box.

John Wilk 20 Reputation points
2023-01-15T16:07:05.61+00:00

Hidden dialog box keeps Excel from operating properly. I've tried alt-tabbing the dialog does not show up. When I try to shut Excel down using the task manager since close it normaly I get a dialog box stating "You cannot close Microsft Exel because a dialog box is open. Click OK, switch to Microsoft Excel, and then close the dialog box." Which doesn't work Screenshot 2023-01-15 110547.png

Excel
Excel
A family of Microsoft spreadsheet software with tools for analyzing, charting, and communicating data.
1,489 questions
Excel Management
Excel Management
Excel: A family of Microsoft spreadsheet software with tools for analyzing, charting, and communicating data.Management: The act or process of organizing, handling, directing or controlling something.
1,647 questions

6 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Emily Hua-MSFT 27,536 Reputation points
    2023-01-16T05:28:23.98+00:00

    Hi @John Wilk

    when I open excel it asks me to sign in

    Do you mean Excel let you sign in the licensed account?

    Please try to start Excel in safe mode: Press Win+R to start Run in Windows, type Excel /safe, press Enter to start Excel app. Then create new workbook, check if you can close or save it.

    • If safe mode works, it's recommended to go to File > Options > Add-ins > COM Add-ins, Go > Clear the check boxes for any enabled COM add-ins, select OK. Then go to C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART, if there is any folder or file, please move it to desktop temporarily for a check.
    • If safe mode does not work, I would suggest you go to Control Panel then perform an Online Repair for Office apps.

    Besides, if you have pined Excel to take bar, please click the Start Menu (Windows icon) > Scroll down the list of programs to "Excel" > More > Right-click and choose "Unpin from Start".

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

  2. Alan Gregory 0 Reputation points
    2023-08-02T12:57:35.41+00:00

    After looking around the web and nothing working for me including the above - I decided to try copying my original doc in the folder and pasting a copy.

    When I opened the copy the dialogue box appeared and I was able to save my file. Simple but effective :)

    0 comments
  3. AA 0 Reputation points
    2023-08-25T13:33:18.1933333+00:00

    I have had a similar issue over a couple of weeks; now and again, when an Excel dialog box pops up (like to confirm a save action before closing a file), the pop up box appears with 'Microsoft Excel' in the top left hand corner but the dialog box itself is empty, i.e. white.

    You then don't know what the box is asking or where the controls are in the box, i.e. where's the "Yes" or "No" box - I know you can guess this by moving your mouse into a box area where it should be but that's rubbish and I would not say it's a work around.

    I can fix this by re-starting Excel but that's not great as I am not sure what the box was asking in the first place. All other 365 apps work fine, just Excel does this (now and again) and only in the last couple of weeks or so.

    Any ideas anyone?

  4. Vince Miller 0 Reputation points
    2023-09-15T15:33:37.4233333+00:00
    0 comments
  5. Erica Law 0 Reputation points
    2023-12-29T17:07:58.0533333+00:00

    Click on whichever tool in excel you want to use, and when you believe the pop-up box is up but you cant see it, press and hold the windows button on your keyboard then press the left arrow and right arrow a few times (while still holding windows button) until you see the pop-up box reappear on your screen. Pressing that windows button allows you to move a window while your in it.