[Solved]: All Excel Files Opening as Read Only (6 Solutions)

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Occasionally, when opening an Excel file, an alert message appears informing you that the file is read-only. When you see the message several times, you may find it irritating and want to delete it. In this tutorial, we will show you how to solve the problem of opening all Excel files as read-only.


How to Solve All Excel Files Opening as Read Only Problem: 6 Handy Solutions

The sample alert message when opening a read-only file is shown in the image below. We will provide six possible solutions to the problem in the sections below.

There could be a variety of causes for the issue. Some of the best possible reasons are:

  • It’s possible that the Excel file is corrupted or damaged.
  • Inclusion of add-ins that are incompatible.
  • The Read-Only Attribute is set for the Excel File.
  • The Microsoft Excel application hasn’t been updated in a long time.
  • Due to a security issue, antivirus software refused to open the Excel file.
  • A password is required to access the file.
  • Editing documents from a previously used drive is not permitted.
  • The Microsoft Office program could be damaged.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only


1. Use General Option to Remove Read-Only Recommended Status

If a user saves a file with the Read-only recommended attribute, the error message will appear every time you try to open it. As a result, we’ll have to turn off the read-only option.

Steps:

  • When the alert message appears, click on No.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • Go to File tab.
  • Click on Save As.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • Go to a preferred folder.
  • Click on the Tools.
  • Then, select General Options.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • Uncheck the Read-only recommended box.
  • Finally, click OK.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • Save the Excel File.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • As a result, open the file from the folder again; this time, the file will open without displaying the message.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

Read More: [Fixed!] This Excel Workbook Was Opened in Read-Only Mode


2. Disable Read Only from Excel File Properties

A file can be saved with a Read-only status using the General attribute. So, in the Properties section, we need to disable the Read-only attribute.

Steps:

  • Firstly, right-click on the file.
  • From the list, select the Properties option.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • From the General tab, unselect the Read-only attribute.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

Read More: How to Make a Cell Read-Only in Excel


3. Deactivate Excel Protected View

When the protected view is enabled, it will open in a read-only protected view. It usually occurs when you download a file from an Internet source.

Steps:

  • Go to Home.
  • Click on More >> Options.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • From the Excel Options, select the Trust Center.
  • Then, click on Trust Center Settings.

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

  • From the left-side tabs, select the Protected View option.
  • Then, unselect the box tagged with “Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet.”

Handy Approaches to Solve the Problem of Opening All Excel Files as Read Only

Read More: How to Make Excel Workbook Read Only with Password


4. Update/Renew Microsoft Office

It’s possible that an outdated Excel application won’t be able to open the updated version of the file. As a result, you must determine whether an update is available or simply update to a newer version.

Steps:

  • Firstly, click on Account.
  • From the Update Options, select Update Now. 

Sample Data


5. Repair Microsoft Excel

Repair Microsoft Excel to remove the error message, you may need to change, uninstall, or repair the current Office Suite.

Steps:

  • Open Control Panel.
  • From the Programs menu, click on the Uninstall a program button.

Sample Data

  • Click on your Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Then, click on the Change tab and click Yes to repair.

Sample Data


6. Check OneDrive Storage

If you don’t have enough space on your OneDrive, you might not be able to open a file in editing mode. You should check your drive’s available storage space on a regular basis.

Steps:

  • Go to your Microsoft Account.
  • Click on OneDrive to open the application.

Sample Data

  • In the bottom left corner, you can see the used storage of your OneDrive application.

Sample Data

 Notes: 
  • Some other solutions for antivirus settings and permissions to access a file: By opening Excel and other Office documents in read-only mode, some antivirus programs prevent them from being opened. If this happens, try adjusting your antivirus settings to allow Excel files to open normally. A read-only or encrypted error message could be present in the document. If necessary, alter the antivirus settings.
  • Leading to a shortage of edit permission, the error message may display if you browse a Spreadsheet from a network or shared device. Make sure the network drive you’re working with has read and write rights. You may also copy the file from the network drive and save it in your local directory to view and edit it without getting this issue.

Read More: [Fixed!] Excel Files Open as Read Only from Network


Download Practice Workbook

Download this practice workbook to exercise while you are reading this article.


Conclusion

I hope this article has given you a tutorial about how to solve the problem with all Excel files opening as read-only. All of these procedures should be learned and applied to your dataset. Take a look at the practice workbook and put these skills to the test. We’re motivated to keep making tutorials like this because of your valuable support.

Please contact us if you have any questions. Also, feel free to leave comments in the section below.

Stay with us and keep learning.


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Bhubon Costa
Bhubon Costa

Bhubon Costa, B.Sc. in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, has worked with the ExcelDemy since 2021. Currently, he has been working as a reviewer. Notably, he has written over 90 articles and led several VBA content development teams. He has a great passion for the fields of data analytics and data science. His areas of expertise include Excel VBA, Power Query, Pivot Table, Power BI, MySQL, PostgreSQL, machine learning, and Python... Read Full Bio

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