How to Clear the Microsoft Excel Cache
Microsoft Excel occasionally requires a cache clear-out to maintain its performance and prevent data corruption. Understanding how to manage and clear the cache is essential for keeping your application running smoothly and optimizing your spreadsheet experience.
How to Clear the Microsoft Excel Cache
In Microsoft Excel, clearing the cache is essential for troubleshooting issues and enhancing performance. Follow these steps to effectively clear the Excel cache and ensure your software runs efficiently.
-
Step 1. Close Excel
Begin by ensuring that all Excel instances are closed. Save any open work to prevent data loss before closing the application.
-
Step 2. Open ‘Windows File Explorer’
Navigate to “File Explorer” on your computer. You can access it by clicking its icon on the taskbar or pressing “Windows key + E.”
-
Step 3. Go to the Excel Cache Folder
In “File Explorer,” type or paste the following path into the address bar, adjusting it if your Excel installation is in a different location: “localappdata\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache.”
-
Step 4. Delete Cache Files
Within the “OfficeFileCache” folder, select all files and folders. Right-click and choose “Delete” from the context menu to remove these files. This will clear the cache used by Excel.
-
Step 5. Empty the Recycle Bin and Restart Excel
Finally, empty your Recycle Bin to completely remove the cache files from your system, and then restart Excel to see the performance improvements.
You may also find valuable insights in the following articles offering tips for Microsoft Excel:
FAQs
Why should I clear the Excel cache?
Clearing the Excel cache can resolve performance issues and errors caused by corrupted or outdated cache files.
Will clearing the cache delete any of my Excel data?
No, clearing the cache does not delete your Excel documents, but it removes temporary files that might be causing issues.
How often should I clear the Excel cache?
You should clear the cache as needed, especially if you encounter frequent performance slowdowns or errors.
Can clearing the cache improve Excel’s speed?
Yes. Clearing the cache can improve Excel’s speed by removing old temporary files that may slow down the application.
Is there a way to automatically clear the Excel cache?
Excel does not provide an automatic feature to clear the cache, but you can manually delete the cache files as described when necessary.