"An error occurred when sending commands to the program" in Excel

  • Commodity
  • 6 minutes to read
  • Applies to:
    Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, Microsoft Office Excel 2007

Symptoms

Y'all receive the following error message in Microsoft Excel. This error indicates that some process that is running inside Excel volition not let Excel close. An fault occurred when sending commands to the program

Resolution

To resolve this trouble, try the following methods, as advisable, in the given order.

Method 1: Ignore DDE

To correct this setting, follow these steps:

  1. Select File > Options.
  2. Select Advanced, curl down to the General section, and so clear the Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) check box in the Full general area.
  3. SelectOK.

This trouble may occur if the Ignore other applications that apply Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) check box in Excel options is selected.

When you double-click an Excel workbook in Windows Explorer, a dynamic information exchange (DDE) bulletin is sent to Excel. This bulletin instructs Excel to open up the workbook that you double-clicked.

If you select the "Ignore" pick, Excel ignores DDE messages that are sent to it by other programs. Therefore, the DDE message that is sent to Excel by Windows Explorer is ignored, and Excel does not open the workbook that you double-clicked.

Annotation

For more than information almost how to turn off DDE, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base of operations article:

211494 "There was a problem sending the command to the plan" mistake in Excel

If these steps practise not resolve the problem, go to Method 2.

Method ii: Repair User Feel Virtualization (UE-Five)

If you are running Update User Experience Virtualization (UE-V), install Hotfix Package 1 for Microsoft User Experience Virtualization ii.0 (KB2927019).

If you are not sure whether you lot are running UE-V, examine the program listing in the Programs and Features item in Control Panel. An entry for "Company Settings Center" indicates that you are running UE-V.

If these steps exercise not resolve the problem, get to Method iii.

Method 3: Reset file associations

To check whether the file associations in the system are performing correctly, reset the Excel file associations to their default settings. To do this, follow the steps for your operating organization.Windows 10

  1. Correct-click the Excel workbook, point to Open with, and so click More apps.
  2. Select the version of Excel you want to use to open up this file blazon, such every bit Excel 2016.
  3. Click to select Always utilize this app to open .xlsx files.
  4. Click OK.

Windows viii

  1. On the Beginning screen, type Control Panel.
  2. Select Control Panel.
  3. Select Default Programs > Set your default programs.
  4. Select Excel > Cull default for this program.
  5. On the Set Program Associations screen, select Select All > Salvage.

Windows 7

  1. Select Start > Control Console.
  2. Select Default Programs.
  3. Select Associate a file blazon or protocol with a specific programme.
  4. Select Microsoft Excel Worksheet, and and so select modify programme.
  5. Under Recommended Programs, select Microsoft Excel.
  6. If Excel does non announced in this list, select Browse, locate the Excel installation binder, select Excel.exe > Excel.

If these steps do not resolve the problem, go to Method four.

Method iv: Repair Office

Try to repair your Office programs. To practice this, follow the steps for your installation type and operating system.

For an Role 365 Click-to-Run installation

Windows 10

  1. In the search box, type Control Panel, and then click Command Panel in the search results.
  2. Nether Programs, click Uninstall a programme.
  3. Click Microsoft Office 365 > Change.
  4. Click Online Repair > Repair.

Annotation

You may accept to restart your computer subsequently the repair process is completed. Windows 8

  1. On the Start screen, type Control Panel.
  2. Select Command Panel.
  3. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
  4. Select **Microsoft Office 365 **> Modify.
  5. Select Online Repair > Repair.

Note

You lot may take to restart your computer afterwards the repair procedure is finished.

Windows 7

  1. Select Start >Command Panel.
  2. Double-click Programs and Features.
  3. Select **Microsoft Office 365 **> Change.
  4. Select Online Repair > Repair.

Note

You may take to restart your computer after the repair process is complete.

Select the Online Repair option to repair office.

For an Office 2016, 2013, Office 2010, or Office 2007 installation

To repair Function 2013, Office 2010, or Office 2007, follow the steps in the following Office website topic:

Repair Office programs

If these steps do not resolve the trouble, go to Method 5.

Method five: Turn off add-ins

Excel and COM add-in programs tin can too cause this problem. These two kinds of add-ins are located in different folders. For testing, disable and isolate the conflict by turning off each add-in 1 at a time. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. On the File carte, select Options > Add-Ins.
  2. In the Manage list at the bottom of the screen, select COM Add-Ins > Go.
  3. Articulate i of the add-ins in the list, and then select OK.
  4. Restart Excel by double-clicking the icon or file name for the workbook that you are trying to open up.
  5. If the problem persists, repeat steps ane-iv, except select a different add-in in stride 3.
  6. If the trouble persists later you articulate all the COM Add-ins, repeat steps 1-4, except select Excel Add-Ins in step 2, then try each of the Excel add-ins one at a time in step 3.

If Excel loads the file, the add-in you last turned off is causing the problem. If this is the instance, we recommend that y'all visit the manufacturer'southward website for the add-in to learn whether an updated version of the add-in is bachelor. If a newer version of the add-in is non available, or if you don't have to use the add-in, you can exit it turned off.

If Excel does not open up the file after you turn off all the add together-ins, the problem has a different cause.

If these steps practice not resolve the problem, go to Method 6.

Method 6: Disable hardware acceleration

To work around this problem, disable hardware acceleration until a fix is released by your video card manufacturer. Make sure to check regularly for updates to your video menu driver.

To disable hardware dispatch, follow these steps:

  1. Start any Office 2013 program.

  2. On the File tab, select Options.

  3. In the Options dialog box, select Advanced.

  4. In the listing of available options, select the Disable hardware graphics acceleration check box.

    The following screen shot shows this option in Excel.

    Select the Disable hardware graphics acceleration option to disable hardware acceleration in Office Options setting.

  5. Select OK.

If these steps practice not resolve the problem, go to Method 7.

Method seven: Verify or install the latest updates

You lot may accept to set Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Installing any important, recommended, and optional updates tin can ofttimes right problems by replacing out-of-engagement files and fixing vulnerabilities.

For more information most Part updates, click the post-obit article number to go to the commodity in the Microsoft Noesis Base:

Office Updates

Microsoft Support

More than Information

There are many possible reasons that might pb to this error.

  • The Excel workbook tries to access data from some other application that is yet active.
  • As well many Excel add together-ins have been added to the program, or one of the add together-ins is corrupted.
  • You might take taken one of the post-obit actions:
    • Utilize a 3rd-political party add-in or awarding
    • Try to open an embedded object
    • Save or open a file
    • Try to use the Transport as Zipper option
    • Call another application from the Excel workbook

For more data about this problem and for additional troubleshooting steps, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

2616247 Why does "An fault occurred when sending commands to the program" appear when opening Excel 2010 files? (Piece of cake Fix Article)

2994633 Excel: How to Troubleshoot Excel opening bare when you double-click a file icon or file name