Fix: Excel Error Personal.xlsb is Locked for Editing

Hide your preview pane and resolve this error

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Published onOctober 4, 2024

published onOctober 4, 2024

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The personal.xlsb is an important but hidden file that helps you automate some tasks and saving macros but you may encounter an error that it is locked for editing when you attempt to launch an Excel file.

When this happens, yourExcel app may have crashedunexpectedly especially if yourfile is corruptedor you’ve opened multiple instances of Excel.Not properly saving your filescan also trigger this error.

Also, if you’re notusing an administrator accountand don’t have requisite permissions to access these files, you may experience this error.

How do I fix the Excel error personal.xlsb is locked for editing?

1. Hide the preview pane

2. Enable the DDE feature

The DDE feature allows data to be shared between Excel files so enabling it allows other Excel instances that may be using the personal.xlsb workbook to be shared and get rid of the it is locked error.

3. Save file with a different extension

The idea behind this is that the XLSM format is already macro-enabled so the personal.xlsb is locked for editing error won’t be triggered because File Explorer does not support the preview of such workbooks due to security concerns.

4. Recreate the Personal.xlsb file

Note that its storage location also plays a part in this error so if it is not in its rightful folder, you may be locked out from editing. Moving the personal.xlsb file to another location will force it to be recreated the next time you restart Excel.

5. Unprotect and unshare your workbook

6. Repair the Excel app

If you’re out of luck with any of our recommended solutions, try opening the Excel sheet with anExcel alternative. These offer a higher compatibility scale so the probability of your files failing to open is almost zero.

Speaking of being locked out, we have an interesting article on how tounlock your Excel sheets without a password.

Fix: Excel Error Personal.xlsb is Locked for Editing#

How do I fix the Excel error personal.xlsb is locked for editing?#

1. Hide the preview pane#

2. Enable the DDE feature#

3. Save file with a different extension#

4. Recreate the Personal.xlsb file#

5. Unprotect and unshare your workbook#

6. Repair the Excel app#