Excel file is locked for editing Try this first, if the file is locked by you
Talk to the other user
Make sure everyone uses a version that supports co-authoring
Put the file in One. Drive or Share. Point in Microsoft 365
Make sure to use one of these file formats
Check your One. Drive sync app
See More .
The File in Use and File is Locked for Editing error in Microsoft Excel can occur both if the file is being used by another user (in case of shared workbook) and also if the file is locked by yourself.
Tip: Sometimes a file may get locked if everyone editing isn’t using a version that supports co-authoring. To co-author together, make sure everyone is using the Microsoft 365 subscription version of Excel or Excel for the web. Make sure the file is closed on all your devices.
If you haven’t quit the Excel file properly then the Excel application becomes unable to delete the owner file and hence when the user tries to open/edit the Excel file then they get “The document is locked for editing by another user” error message.
This of course begs the question “What to do when Excel is locked by another user?”
If you are receiving locked for editing by another user or your program is not responding then click End Now. On the File menu, tap to the Exit Task Manager. If any other user is also working on the same excel file at the same time then you have the two options to perform. The first one is, either you can wait till that person releases the file.
Why can’t I edit my Excel file?
There is a possibility that your Excel file is locked for editing with a password . You probably set a password but forgot it or set it by a co-author without your knowledge. There is a definite solution as well. Passper for Excel can remove all editing restrictions on your worksheet/workbooks without losing or affecting your original data.
What does file in use or locked for editing mean?
1 File in use or locked for editing error occurs when Excel fails to close properly, therefore, failing to save the file accordingly. 2 The file could be opened by another user when open in a shared network. 3 Sometimes, Microsoft Office may create a temporary file for your Excel, which has “~$” followed by the name of your Excel file.