How to Fix Excel's Sharing Violation Error in 6 Easy Ways

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Learn how to fix your Excel file for good

3 min. read

Updated onAugust 7, 2024

updated onAugust 7, 2024

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Key notes

Excel’s sharing violation error dates back to MS Office 2007. That error message states:Your changes could not be saved to ‘ FileName’ because of a sharing violation.

Consequently, users can’t save changes to some of their Excel spreadsheet files when that issue arises. It’s not something new, and Microsoft once had a hotfix package for the error that has now been discontinued.

Nevertheless, you can still fix the sharing violation with the resolutions below.

How can I fix Excel’s sharing violation error?

2. Save the corrupted Excel file with an alternative title

Try saving the file with an alternative file title. To do that in Excel, clickFileandSave as. Then enter an alternative title for the file in the text box, and press theSavebutton.

3. Save the file to an alternative folder

Alternatively, try saving the file to a different folder. Select theSave asoption. Then select an alternative folder to save it to. Click theSavebutton.

4. Delete files with CCleaner

Need more info on how to clean your PC with CCleaner? Take a look at this useful article.

5. Uninstall third-party antivirus utilities

The sharing violation error can also be due to somethird-party antivirusutilities. So, uninstalling third-party utilities might resolve the issue.

You can do that with the standard Windows uninstaller, but that will also leave behind residual files.

Press the Windows key + R hotkey and enter ‘appwiz.cpl’ in Run to open the Windows uninstaller. Then you can uninstall the antivirus software from there.

Most of the bigger antivirus utilities have their own exclusive uninstaller tools, listed within aMicrosoft forum post, with which you can more thoroughly remove them.

Download the uninstaller tool for the antivirus software. Then open that utility to uninstall the antivirus software with it.

6. Enable indexing

1.Open File Explorer with theWindows key + Ekeyboard shortcut.

Right-click the folder that includes the Excel file the sharing violation arises for and selectProperties.
Press theAdvancedbutton.

4.Select theAllow files in this folder to have contents indexed in addition to file propertiescheckbox.

ClickOKon the Advanced Attributes window.
Select theApplyoption .
Click theOKbutton to save the changes.

Some users have confirmed they‘ve fixed the issue by enabling file indexing for the folder that includes theExcelspreadsheet the error arises for. This can be done with the help of the built-in File Explorer on your Windows PC.

If you need additional info onhow to enable or disable indexing in Windows 10, check out our handy guide and learn how you can do it. You can also learnhow to make an attendance sheeteasily.

Those resolutions will probably fix Excel’s sharing violation for most users.

If you have any other questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to check them out.

How to Fix Excel’s Sharing Violation Error in 6 Easy Ways#

How can I fix Excel’s sharing violation error?#

1. Turn on the Sharing Wizard#

2. Save the corrupted Excel file with an alternative title#

3. Save the file to an alternative folder#

4. Delete files with CCleaner#

5. Uninstall third-party antivirus utilities#

6. Enable indexing#

How to Fix Excel’s Sharing Violation Error in 6 Easy Ways