Microsoft Excel cannot open or save any more documents because there is not enough available memory or disk space

If you are seeing the ‘Microsoft Excel cannot open or save any more documents because there is not enough available memory or disk space‘ error, this might be misleading and the cause is likely nothing like what the error message says.  In fact, it’s most likely security setting to try and protect you.

Please note that this is at your own risk, if you disable this protection, you may be increasing your risk of opening an infected document.  But hopefully you’re already careful about what documents your open and only open legitimate documents from know contacts.

How to fix Microsoft Excel memory or disk space error?

1) Confirm that you trust the source of this document.

2) Open ‘Excel’.

3) Start a ‘blank workbook’.

4) Click ‘File’.

5) Select ‘Options’ in the left menu column.

6) Select ‘Trust Center’ in the left menu column.

7) Click the ‘Trust Center Settings’ button.

8) Select ‘Protected View’ from the left menu.

9) Un-tick ‘Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments’.

10) Click ‘OK’

11) Click ‘OK’

That’s it, you should now be able to open the Excel document.

Alternative fix for Microsoft Excel memory or disk space error

If the above does not work, try the below:

1) Confirm that you trust the source of this document.

2) Right click on the Excel file.

3) Select ‘Properties’.

4) Tick the ‘unblock’ box in security section.

5) Click ‘OK’.

That should be it, your Excel document should now open.