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Adrian_Tischler
User level: Level 1 (34 points)

Using existing Pivot Tables cause Excel to crash

Issue:


Using existing Pivot Tables cause crash of Excel since 3rd November


Microsoft Error Reporting

There was a problem with Microsoft Excel and we apologize for the inconvenience. Microsoft Excel will attempt to recover your work.

Recover work and restart Microsoft Excel

Done so far:

  • checked latest MacOS installed: 27.2
  • Software update for Excel available: No (Microsoft® Excel for Mac, Version 16.114.1 (26102031)
  • copied Excel file to local drive from Dropbox synced folder - problem still persists
  • tried with other Excel files - same problem
  • created clean new file with a pivot table - no issue

Have beyond 100 pivot tables on vast Excel files. Unable to create all files new.


Interim Solution from MS Community


I've been able to sidestep the issue temporarily by rolling back to Excel version 16.113.4 (26100421). This is not a long-term fix, but it will work in a pinch if you need your pivot tables now.

I had to drag /Applications/Microsoft\ Excel.app to the bin, then I downloaded the Office Suite for version 16.113.4 from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-for-mac and installed it.

I also turned off auto-updates in Microsoft AutoUpdate (in Excel, under Help → Check for Updates) to avoid 16.114 being installed again until a fix is released.

Posted on Nov 3, 2026 2:59 PM

9 replies

Adrian_Tischler Author
User level: Level 1 (34 points)

Nov 4, 2026 4:22 PM in response to neuroanatomist

I found this fix


I found this fix on a MS forum. It works ...


Deleting preferences and reinstalling Excel did not help. What fixed it was clearing the experimental features:

Quit Excel completely (Cmd+Q).

Reopen the Excel app itself, WITHOUT opening any workbook (not even a blank one). This is important: the option only works when no workbook is open.

In the menu bar, go to Help > Clear Application Data.

Clear the experimental features.

Quit Excel (Cmd+Q) and reopen it.

After that, all my existing workbooks with pivot tables refresh and work normally again, with no crash.

neuroanatomist
User level: Level 9 (72,871 points)

Nov 4, 2026 6:49 AM in response to Adrian_Tischler

Adrian_Tischler wrote:
• Software update for Excel available: No (Microsoft® Excel for Mac, Version 16.114.1 (26102031)

Update to the current version of MS Excel, which is 16.114.3.



As you can see from the above, I am on the Current Channel (most stable release, not Preview or Beta channels).


Reboot your Mac and run Check for Updates again, or download the update package directly from Microsoft:


https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-for-mac

KevinzApple
User level: Level 1 (12 points)

Nov 4, 2026 7:31 PM in response to Adrian_Tischler

Clear Application Data worked for me (After many other suggestions, including updating to latest Excel (16.114.4) and Mac OS (27/2) had not helped.

Thanks

MrHoffman
User level: Level 10 (169,253 points)

Nov 4, 2026 1:51 PM in response to Adrian_Tischler

Adrian_Tischler wrote:
Thanks. Are pre-existing pivot tables working in that new release?

Try it.


(It’s Microsoft. They recently read-only’d all of Office 2021 for Mac perpetual licensees, and for a few versions.)

neuroanatomist
User level: Level 9 (72,871 points)

Nov 4, 2026 10:40 AM in response to neuroanatomist

FYI, 16.114.4 was just released.


Adrian_Tischler Author
User level: Level 1 (34 points)

Nov 4, 2026 12:59 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Thanks. Are pre-existing pivot tables working in that new release?

Adrian_Tischler Author
User level: Level 1 (34 points)

Nov 4, 2026 3:05 PM in response to neuroanatomist

I just updated to 16.114.4 but it has not fixed the problem

Randall_2023
User level: Level 5 (4,860 points)

Nov 4, 2026 5:59 PM in response to Adrian_Tischler

Excellent findings. Thanks for sharing your solution.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256388403