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Migrating from PC to MacBook.

Numbers seems to open excel files just fine, but when I save the file, I am often unable to ever it again. Any ideas?

MacBook

Posted on Feb 6, 2020 8:38 AM

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2 replies

Feb 6, 2020 3:28 PM in response to Gertraud

Hi Gertraud,


Numbers will open Excel files 'just fine,' provided the Excel file does not use Array formulas, macros, or anything that requires Visual Basic, as these are not supported in Numbers.


Regarding the inability to reopen the saved Numbers file, this issue is not likely connected with the file having been imported from .xlsx format.


Your issue appears to have some similarity to one often reported in the days after an OS update to macOS Catalina—loss of ability to open Nunbers (and Pages) documents.


One suggestion that had many 'that solved it' replies was to restart the computer.

A followup suggestion in cases where that restart was not successful in clearing the issue was to do a restart into safe mode.


To do a 'Safe mode" startup:

  • If the computer is shut down: press the power button or key

If the computer is running, choose Restart from the Apple menu

  • As soon as you hear the startup chime, press and hold the shift key
  • Keep shift pressed until you see the apple logo and a progress bar below it on the screen,then
  • release the key and let the startup process finish.


Every startup (including restarts) of the computer triggers a set of housekeeping routines.

A "safe mode" startup runs a larger set of these routines, and omits starting some sections of the OS and its support software.


Because of the extra housekeeping, the "safe mode" startup takes longer than a regular startup. You will also see a degradation in video performance in "safe mode". This is normal.


When the "safe mode' startup has completed, restart the computer again, this time omitting the use of the shift key (ie. a normal restart).


Launch Numbers and attempt to open the problem document(s) again.


Regards,

Barry


Further information regarding Safe Mode: Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support



Feb 6, 2020 3:21 PM in response to Gertraud

Numbers imports the excel file into a new Numbers document. When you save the document, you are saving the information as a Numbers file. If you want to share the document as excel, you can use the Numbers menu item "File > Export To > Excel..."


you will have to do this each time you want to share the document. If you want to work natively in excel you can purchase excel for mac OS X

Migrating from PC to MacBook.

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