MacBook Air: Excel and Word documents won't open

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You could have an issue with things that are neither Microsoft or Apple. If you have been ill-advised to install anti-virus, so-called "cleaning" or "optimization" apps, or a client-side VPN, you could have a self-inflicted wound.

If you have all your files stored in OneDrive, DropBox, or even iCloud drive and your internet connection speed is modest at best, that can be a real issue. Your computer needs time to access files that could be stored thousands of miles away. A VPN will slow than even more. When the servers are super-busy... well, you get the picture.

Software interferences can be hard to diagnose in this "hands-off" setting but there is a tool that is 100% safe. If you want a data-driven evaluation in this setting where we can neither see nor touch your computer, please post an EtreCheck report.

We can quickly and within the limitations of these forums help you determine what issues are at play without our playing a protracted game of "20 Questions" with you that could go on for days. 

EtreCheck Pro is available here:

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The free version will do nicely for this purpose, although the app is worthy of our financial support.

We can see hard data about drive performance, software issues and interferences, and RAM usage. Etrecheck is the development of a long-serving and trusted ASC contributor. It is a reporting app, not a "fix-it” app, expressly for displaying information in these forums to help us help you remotely. It will not reveal any personal or secure information.

Please see this excellent user tip on how to post long text reports like EtreCheck's into a forum response:

How to use the Add Text Feature When Post… - Apple Community

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I’ve come across similar issues with users I’ve supported and I generally start with three troubleshooting steps:

1) is this an Office problem? (do the apps launch when you click on their icons - as opposed to launching by clicking on the file you want to open) - if so, move on to step 2

2) if I make a new file and save it, can I then open it again? This tests the possibility that the file(s) you cannot open are possibly munged). If so, move on to step 3

3) open each file and save as to create a new file - and for a Word document you might try saving as text only

"MacBook Air: Excel and Word documents won't open: I have a Macbook Air 2017 running Monterey 12.7.6 When I try to open an Excel workbook (version 16.89), or Word document it can take several double clicks before it opens - if it opens at all. The icon does a little explosion but the file name stays grey. If I leave it for a minute or two it might open eventually. The file sizes are tiny (0.6kb up to 20kb) How can this be resolved?"

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Upgrade to MS Office 2024 or Use MS Office 365:

NOTE: Microsoft ended support of MS Office 2016 on October 13th of 2025. And they did the same for Microsoft Office 2019 and Windows 10. So, I would recommend you consider upgrading the version of MS Office to 2024. For an issue such as this, support no longer is provided, and, therefore, you will never see bug fixes and security updates from Microsoft for this product. So, expect no bug fix for this. So, consider upgrading 100%. See Here: End of support for Office 2016 for Mac - Microsoft Help

“I'm not sure what you're telling me here. When I look at 'about excel' it says it is excel for Mac; version 16.89; license: Microsoft 365”

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Having not mentioned 365 in your OP, I mistook your post. You’re fine with 365. As long as MS keeps the release of it, and you follow the annual renewal, all will work. So, my reply does not reply. But, refer to it for knowledge about the discontinuance of software and how they can make you more vulnerable.