Share via

Microsoft Excel - Sorry, our server is temporarily having problems. We're working on it

FRED TROST 10 Reputation points
2026-01-23T18:12:00.6966667+00:00

It looks like its happing again Microsoft Excel - Sorry, our server is temporarily having problems. We're working on it...Does anyone else have this issue......

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Other
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Xavier-D 8,585 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-01-24T09:12:43.2766667+00:00

    Hello FRED TROST,

    Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum

    I understand your Excel is showing the message "Sorry, our server is temporarily having problems. We're working on it"

    This is not caused by your file, device, or license in most cases. It typically happens when Excel is trying to reach Microsoft services (sign-in, licensing, co‑authoring, templates, add-ins, or AutoSave) but unable to reach Microsoft server.

    What you can do right now is to wait for when the service is back to working again. Also make sure your internet connection is still working too.

    You can check the Microsoft service status here for when the Microsoft service is back online:

    https://status.cloud.microsoft/m365/referrer=serviceStatusRedirect

    Feel free reply back to this post If you need further assistance, I'll be happy to help.

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. AI answer

    2026-01-23T18:12:10.43+00:00

    If you're encountering the error message "Sorry, our server is temporarily having problems. We're working on it" in Microsoft Excel, it may be due to temporary server issues. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

    1. Check your internet connection: Ensure that you are connected to the internet as this could affect the activation process.
    2. Sign out and sign back in: Open Excel, sign out of your account, and then sign back in with your Work or School account.
    3. Reset Microsoft 365 activation state: You can follow the instructions on how to reset the activation state for Microsoft 365 Apps.
    4. Temporarily disable third-party antivirus: Sometimes, antivirus software can interfere with the activation process. Try disabling it temporarily.
    5. Check proxy settings: If you're behind a proxy server, ensure that the settings are correctly configured. You may need to consult your administrator.
    6. Firewall settings: Ensure that your firewall is not blocking access to necessary URLs for Microsoft 365 activation.
    7. Reinstall Microsoft 365 Apps: If none of the above steps work, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling the Microsoft 365 Apps.

    If the issue persists, it might be worth checking Microsoft's support pages for any ongoing service issues or further troubleshooting steps.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.