the share button in Excel is not working. i keep getting the msg to save my changes first, which i have done many times.

The message to save changes before sharing usually means Excel cannot complete its internal save process, even if it appears that the file has been saved. Common causes include permission issues on the save location, antivirus interference, or other processes interrupting Excel’s save mechanism.

Try these steps in order:

1. Confirm the file is saving correctly
   • Use File → Save As and save the workbook to a local folder such as Documents or Desktop (not a network drive or synced folder) with a simple name.
   • If any error appears when saving (for example, about sharing or permissions), resolve that first using the steps below.
2. Check folder permissions (especially if saving to a network drive)
   • If the file is on a network share or server location, ensure the account has Modify and Delete rights on that folder.
   • Without Delete and Modify rights, Excel cannot complete its save sequence (it creates a temporary file, deletes the original, then renames the temporary file). This can cause repeated prompts to save before sharing.
   • If this is a managed network location, contact the network administrator and request Modify and Delete permissions on the folder.
3. Temporarily test without antivirus interference
   • Some antivirus software locks Excel’s temporary file during the save process, which can prevent Excel from finalizing the save.
   • Temporarily disable the antivirus software on the device (or ask IT to do so) and then:
     • Save the workbook again.
     • Try the Share button once the save completes.
   • If this resolves the issue, check with the antivirus vendor for an update or configuration that avoids interfering with Excel saves.
4. Check for other processes interfering with the save
   • Excel saves by creating a temporary file in the same folder, deleting the original, then renaming the temporary file.
   • Any process that accesses or locks that temporary file (for example, sync tools, backup agents, or security scanners) can interrupt the save and leave Excel thinking the file is not fully saved.
   • Try saving to a different local folder that is not synced or monitored by other tools and then use the Share button from that copy.
5. Test Excel in Safe Mode (for add-in conflicts)
   • Close Excel.
   • Start Excel in Safe Mode (for example, by holding Ctrl while starting Excel and choosing Yes when prompted to start in Safe Mode).
   • Open the workbook, save it to a local folder, then try the Share button.
   • If sharing works in Safe Mode, a third‑party add-in or startup file is likely interfering with the save process and should be disabled or removed.

If the Share button continues to insist on saving first, focus on resolving any underlying save issues (permissions, antivirus, or interfering processes) and verifying that a manual Save As to a local folder completes without any warnings before using Share again.

References:

• You may receive a "Your changes could not be saved" error message when you try to save a file to a network drive in Excel
• Troubleshoot why Excel doesn't save changes