How to Reset Microsoft Excel Settings

Sometimes, Microsoft Excel may not work correctly due to incorrect configurations, plugin issues, or system errors. Resetting Excel settings can help resolve these problems. Below are several methods to reset Excel to its default settings.

Method 1: Reset Excel Settings via Registry Editor

Note: Modifying the Windows Registry can be risky. Be sure to back up the registry before proceeding.

Press Win + R and type regedit, then press Enter.
Navigate to the following key:
```
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\XX.0\Excel
```
(Replace XX.0 with your Excel version, e.g., 16.0 for Office 2016/2019/2021, 15.0 for Office 2013, etc.)
Right-click the Excel folder and select Export to create a backup.
After creating the backup, right-click the Excel folder and choose Delete.
Close the Registry Editor and restart Excel. It will recreate the deleted registry settings with default values.

Method 2: Reset Excel Options via Safe Mode

Safe mode helps disable all add-ins and custom settings temporarily.

Press Win + R, type excel /safe, and press Enter.
If Excel works fine in safe mode, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
Disable all add-ins and restart Excel normally.

Method 3: Repair Microsoft Office Installation

If resetting settings does not resolve the issue, repairing Office might help.

Open Control Panel and go to Programs and Features.
Find Microsoft Office, right-click it, and select Change.
Choose Quick Repair or Online Repair and follow the instructions.

Method 4: Reset Excel Customizations via UI

You can manually reset toolbar and ribbon customizations.

Open Excel and go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
Click Reset and choose Reset all customizations.

Additional Resources

Using these methods, you can restore Excel to its original state and resolve common issues effectively.

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