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

Question

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

Answer 1

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".

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Answer 2

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 :)

Answer 3

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?

Answer 4

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/cannot-open-word-or-excel-attachments/72034c84-1bcd-4b2f-9c8c-82318b4753d0

This solution from 2021 worked for us today.

Answer 5

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.