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Easily collaborate on an Excel spreadsheet over the internet
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Need to work on a shared spreadsheet with coworkers, classmates, or friends and family? It's easy to do in the online version of Microsoft Excel. Unlike sharing a workbook in the desktop version of Excel, the web version is free for everyone, so you won't need a Microsoft 365 subscription to collaborate. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to share an Excel workbook online with Excel for the web, help you troubleshoot and fix problems, and provide answers to common questions about shared workbooks.

Quick Steps: Sharing an Excel Workbook Online

  1. Open your spreadsheet in the web version of Excel.
  2. Click the green Share button.
  3. Click Share on the menu.
  4. Enter the email address of the person you want to share with.
  5. Click the pencil icon to enable or disable their editing access.
  6. Click Send .
Section 1 of 3:

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  1. 1
    Open your Excel file or create a new one. If you're using Excel on the web, it's easy to share a spreadsheet with anyone. To get started, log in to Excel on the Web with your Microsoft account, then open your file.
    • To create a new shared workbook, select a template at the top, or click Blank workbook to start fresh.
    • If you already have an Excel workbook saved on your computer that you want to share, you can click Upload at the top-right corner of your file list to upload it now.
    • You can use this method to share an Excel workbook even if you don't subscribe to Microsoft 365. The person you share with also won't need a subscription, but they will need a Microsoft account.
    • If you or the person you share with wants to edit the workbook in the desktop version of Excel, you will need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription. [1]
  2. You'll see this green button in the top right corner of the page. [2]
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  3. 3
    Click Share again on the menu. This opens the "Share (filename)" menu.
  4. 4
    Enter the email address of the person you want to share with. Type the person's email address into the field. [3]
    • You can share the file with multiple people if you'd like.
    • If you would like to include a message with the sharing notification, type it into the "Add a message" field.
  5. 5
    Click the pencil icon to set the permissions. By default, the person you share the file with can edit the file ( Can edit ). If you only want the person to be able to view the file but not make changes, select Can view instead.
  6. This sends a link to the Excel workbook to the person or people you entered. If you'd rather send out a link manually, you can click Copy Link to save the link to your clipboard.
  7. 7
    Collaborate. Now that the workbook is shared, the person you're sharing with can click the link you emailed them to open it in Excel on the web. If they subscribe to Microsoft 365, they will also see the option to open it in the desktop app. To get started , here are a few important things to know:
    • If you and another person are editing the workbook at the same time, you'll see a colored outline representing their cursor. When they are working on a cell, that cell will be outlined in their editing color. [4]
    • To comment on a cell, right-click or control-click the cell, then select New comment .
    • To see comments on the worksheet, go to Review > Comments > Show comments . Also, a purple flag will appear in cells with comments, and clicking that cell will reveal the comment.
    • To see changes to the workbook, go to Review > Changes and History > Show Changes .
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Section 2 of 3:

Troubleshooting

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  1. 1
    I can't edit a shared workbook in Excel for Windows or Mac. These sharing features are only available in the desktop versions of Excel if you subscribe to Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Office). If you don't have a subscription, you can open and edit the workbook using Excel on the web for free. [5]
  2. 2
    I can't open or edit a shared workbook in Excel on the web. If the workbook was shared using the legacy "Shared Workbook" option available in older versions of Excel, you won't be able to open it in Excel on the web. If the person uploads the workbook to Excel for the web and shares it from there, you will be able to open and edit it. [6]
  3. 3
    I see "File is locked" when I try to edit a shared workbook. This error usually occurs when someone who has access to the shared workbook opens it in a version of Excel that doesn't support coauthoring. Even if just one person opens it in an unsupported version of Excel, everyone with access to the workbook will get that error. [7]
  4. 4
    I can't see someone's changes. If the person making the changes has opened the workbook in a version of Excel that doesn't support coauthoring (such as a legacy version), they don't have AutoSave enabled, or they haven't clicked the Enable Editing button, you won't be able to see their changes. It's also possible the person is working on the workbook in the desktop version of Excel, but has OneDrive paused. [8]
  5. 5
    I see "Can't merge changes" or "Can't save your changes." This error occurs when someone uses an Excel feature that isn't supported by coauthoring. Try clicking Reload on the error. If that doesn't help, go to File > Create a copy to save a temporary copy with a different name.
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Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    Can you share just one sheet in Excel online? In Excel on the web, there is no way to share just one worksheet. If you don't want to share the whole workbook, copy the worksheet to a new workbook instead.
  2. 2
    Can multiple users edit an Excel spreadsheet at the same time? Yes, multiple users can coauthor a shared workbook in Excel and all work on it at the same time using the online version of Excel. Just click Share at the top of the workbook, enter the email addresses of the person/people you want to share with, set their permission to Can edit , and click Send .
  3. 3
    How do I track changes in a shared Excel file? In Excel on the web, click the Review tab at the top of the workbook, select Changes and History , then click Show Changes . [9]
  4. 4
    Can I share a workbook using Excel for Windows or Excel for Mac? Yes, as long as you subscribe to Microsoft 365. The steps are very similar, but you'll need to upload your workbook to OneDrive or a SharePoint library first. Once uploaded, click the green Share button at the top-right to start sharing. [10]
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      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Go to https://office.com/launch/excel and log in if prompted.
      2. Open your project or create a new one.
      3. Click Share .
      4. Set the permissions.
      5. Enter the name, group, or email of who you want to share the workbook with.
      6. Click Send .

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