# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel General >  > [SOLVED] Excel Locked for Editing by Me

## newbie4

After researching many articles online, I am stumped and hope someone can help figure this out.  

I am using Excel 2010 on Win 7 and it seems that many users have the same problem. 

I saved a file in my network drive and closed it.  When I reopened the file two days ago, it said this file is locked for editing by "user(me). Restart/shutdown didn't work.

I closed and I killed excel - even in CMD.  I tried a number of things like going to computer management and try finding any opened files however, I can't find any. I tried to even open the file for repair, but same result.  I am now downloading an update for excel in hopes it will resolve my issue.  Trying to see even through adding HKEY oplocks, but not sure if this will work here.  

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Newb

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## newdoverman

Some things to try:

Make sure that file preview is not active in Windows Explorer.

Get Ccleaner (free version) and delete all temporary files.

Reboot and try opening the file from within Excel...File, Open.

If the file won't open, rename the file in Windows Explorer and try opening again.

If this still fails, copy the file and try opening on a different computer. If it opens, save under a new name, copy back to the original computer. If the file doesn't open, it is corrupted in some way.....hope you have a backup.

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## simarui

this happens to me pretty much every time i open a file after upgrading to 2010...  i usually just click "Notify" on the popup and within a few seconds excel says the file is available for editing.  

kinda annoying, but not crippling so i stopped looking for a better solution...

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## newdoverman

I think that Excel didn't install properly.
You can do a repair install by going to the Control Panel, Programs and Features, select Microsoft Office, click Change, then click Repair.

If this doesn't work, uninstall Office and re-install after cleaning up all temporary files and rebooting.

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## newbie4

Hello - I followed all your recommendations, but still no luck.  Installed CC cleaner, notify, copy/paste/rename and it is still locked by me.  I also tried to repair it per the last suggestion given by going to change program>>repair and it didn't work.  The version of excel is not an upgrade as I often use this version to create/save workbooks.

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## newdoverman

From everything that I can find, this problem is related to temporary files not being deleted upon exit from Excel (or other Office program as they can also be affected)

I'm not sure where that folder is.

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## newdoverman

If you have another account on the computer, try using Excel in that account to see if it acts properly.

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## newbie4

Thanks Doverman for doing some digging around.  The temp files are located in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp...or there may be another one I am not aware of...but I deleted the tmp files from that folder.  I will try another account and see if I can unlock.  The HKEY in regedit looks promising, but I would need to create a new key for this.  I wish there was a service I could simply stop in computer management.  -Newb

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## newdoverman

Be EXTREMELY careful when doing any editing in the registry. A small mistake can create major problems. Backup the registry before editing.

Try another user account (create one if necessary) and try Excel with it. If Excel works properly with the new account, change to a new account, and get rid of the old one after migrating your data.

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## newbie4

Thanks Doverman.  I tried with a new account, but didn't resolve the issue.  I had to contact the network administrator and he reset the file.  Apparently there was a duplicate file holding the primary file hostage!  It appears that this problem was due to excel not closing correctly, which caused the clone file.  

Thank you to all who gave in your input.  

-N

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## newdoverman

I saw that you were on a network but for some reason it didn't hit me that it was a corporate network. That is too bad because I did come across several solutions that involved temp files and duplicate files on a network drive.

I'm glad that you finally have a solution.

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## tomreichert

Ok after many hours of going round. 

1. If its a network file and you/user has access to the network server to end sessions. 
   Go to Computer Management > Click Action > Connect to another computer "server where the file is" end the season by you/user

2. If dont have access to the server. Contact your IT and have them put a request in. 

The work around is to open the file in read mode only then file save it in the same location but add 2 to the end of the name. Save it.. close and delete the other copy. Rename the one you save with out the 2. 

At this time.. there is no secret way to resolve this issue.

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## DavidTan2019

My Best solution : Close all Excel workbooks, then Goto Task manager > End All EXCEL.EXE

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