iOS Microsoft Excel File Corrupted

you will likely get better support at microsoft https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Excel-for-iPad-Help-6b5dc2e1-a8e4-48e6- bb69-cb9a3964bc91

I have the exact same issue. Files open just fine on my iMac, but some files will not open on iPad or iPhone. Files are on Dropbox and Excel says file is corrupt. Has become an issue only recently since last Excel app update around March 18. Let me know if you hear of a fix.

SAme issue for me - i can create a file on my mac and save it in the cloud, open it and edit it on ipad successfully. If i then go back to the mac and edit it, it no longer will open on my iPad. If i then open it on my mac and copy the contents into a new workbook, then save again, it will then open on my iPad.

Very frustrating!

Glad I'm not alone! I've tried to restart Excel on my ios twice and that didn't work. I believe this started happening after recently updating my ios software,. After that, none of my files that I use constantly work anymore on the app except on computers. Excel app may need another update to get this bug fix.

"you will likely get better support at microsoft"

That's the funniest thing I've read all week.Same problem here: up-to-date .xlsx files, created with newest version of Excel for Mac, saved in Dropbox, open fine on several Macs, but Excel for ios on iPhone and iPad can't open them, claiming they're "corrupted."

Paul Schleuse wrote:

"you will likely get better support at microsoft"

Why would you think that the manufacturer of Excel is not a good source?

Oh I tried Microsoft. Their online support tried a couple of obvious things (delete and reinstall) that didn't work. Then they referred me to their telephone support. Telephone support tried something more complicated (using MS OneDrive instead of Dropbox) that still didn't work. Then they referred me to the same online support site I had started with. When I pointed out that I had already done that I was told there was nothing else they could do. Then they tried to sell me Office 365, explaining "our free apps don't always work."

Microsoft support has always been aimed at people who simply don't know how to use their products. If you encounter an actual bug they will try to pass the buck, or up-sell you. I'm just trying to get their software to perform a basic function.

well ms are not alone in being guilty of having support aimed at people who are doing it wrong though

but you can investigate more to find a pattern like

are the issue with both files created on the ios device or on a computer and then later edited with the ios app

if the file container more advanced features such as macro's or if made on a computer they were in a language other then the

ios version, ms even localize their macro programming language

there is likely something which differ from the sunshine scenario that I'm sure ms's and apple (because apple test apps before released on the app store) tried or though of

Thanks for the reply. I've done some more experimenting, and here's what I've found:

If I create workbook on my Mac and save it in Dropbox or OneDrive, I can open and edit it in Excel for ios. However, if I open and edit an existing workbook on the Mac, and then save it, I cannot subsequently open it in Excel for ios (I get the "file is corrupted" error message).

I tried using Numbers instead of Excel, but Numbers for ios no longer integrates with Dropbox. (?!)

My workbooks do contain simple formulas, but no macros or other unusual elements, and there are no language conflicts.

I know this may not be an Apple problem, but any further advice is welcome. If I can't use my new iPad Pro for this basic function I might as well throw it in the trash.

If you take the 'corrupt' workbook, open it on you Mac and copy the sheets into a new workbook, then save it, it will then open on your ipad again.

Not a soultion i know but at least it means you can still work between the ipad and Mac on the same doc.

Yes, in a pinch I can do this, but only if I know in advance when I'm at my computer that I'm going to need that workbook on the iPad.

I wonder if the problem is that Excel for ios sees that the file has been changed since it was last opened on the iPad and therefore thinks it's corrupted. In other words it isn't set to work on documents in shared resources like OneDrive or Dropbox.

I broke down and subscribed to Office 365 on my mac. If you pay for the iOS app, you actually get the software on 1 desktop included in the monthly price. I had been running a paid copy of Office 2011 on my Mac.

Lo and behold, everything works now. I wonder if MSFT is just pushing everyone to adopt Office 365 on a subscription basis? Not the root I wanted to go, but I needed functionality back and couldn't wait around for this to get resolved.

To repair corrupt or damaged MS Excel file, I would like to refer Kernel for Excel recovery software. The software is easy-to-integrate and use. In addition, the software also enables its user to repair multiple MS Excel files in a single attempt. For more information, visit: http://www.xls.excelfilerepair.org/

I have the same problem