Excel file opening in Read Only Mode I had this problem today, and finally figured out the solution. I had put a slash '/' in the filename, which is OK on the Mac, but Excel does NOT like it.
When I removed the slash from the filename (using the finder), the Excel file then opened normally. I often use slashes when adding the date as part of the filename. When working on an Excel, Word, or PowerPoint file, I have to remember to use dashes, not slashes. In this case, my filename included the phrase '64/128 bit register'.
For more information, see Save an Excel workbook for compatibility with earlier versions of Excel. If you save a workbook in another file format, such as a text file format, some of the formatting and data might be lost, and other features might not be supported. The following file formats have feature and formatting differences as described.
I changed it to '64 or 128 bit register'. Hope this helps someone. I wasted a lot of time on it. MacBook Pro (Early 2011) running OS 10.8 Mountain Lion Office for Mac 2011 vers 14.2.3 (120616).
Take out slash in file name worked for me Worked for me, thanks! Had put a slash '/' in the filename, which is OK on the Mac, but Excel does NOT like it. When I removed the slash from the filename (using the finder), the Excel file then opened normally. I often use slashes when adding the date as part of the filename. When working on an Excel, Word, or PowerPoint file, I have to remember to use dashes, not slashes.
In this case, my filename included the phrase '64/128 bit register'. I changed it to '64 or 128 bit register'. Click to expand. hi there well i have been having this issues with some of the users getting this read only problem. So here it goes, microsoft needs to improve there coding!! In my case and i say this it might not work for all of you, (well i hope it does) the users always were using the slash ie, myfilefrom.xlsx. The solution that worked for me was to remove the slash and put a dash.
Now when they open it, it is no longer read only. I really hope this helps!, its people like you and me that make the problem solving a bit easier! So as someone once said. THINK DIFFERENT! Not the solution I think this solution must be an accidental solve (i.e not the real fix) I've had this problem with a few files which now cannot be accessed from another machine because it thinks someone else is currently modifying it. I've removed all non alphabet characters (/ - ) and the problem remains.
10.6.8 machine trying to access a.xls file stored on a 10.8.2 iMac. I've checked permissions are ok. Only workround is to save as a new file on the client machine, but as it's a file a number of us work on it's not a viable solution. I had this problem today, and finally figured out the solution. I had put a slash '/' in the filename, which is OK on the Mac, but Excel does NOT like it. When I removed the slash from the filename (using the finder), the Excel file then opened normally.
I often use slashes when adding the date as part of the filename. When working on an Excel, Word, or PowerPoint file, I have to remember to use dashes, not slashes. In this case, my filename included the phrase '64/128 bit register'. I changed it to '64 or 128 bit register'.
Hope this helps someone. I wasted a lot of time on it.
MacBook Pro (Early 2011) running OS 10.8 Mountain Lion Office for Mac 2011 vers 14.2.3 (120616). Elusive fix Mac only computers. Problem same as descriptions above, occurs on files transferred between work and home on a USB stick formatted for PCs when bought, reformatted for Mac with Disk Utility. No problem for years, hundreds of files with NAMEdd-mm-yy.xlsx name format, then recently one out of 10 or 20 will say it it's Read Only when opened at the location away from where it was created.
Changing status with Info window has no effect. Removing the dashes from file name fixes it but you can't reinsert them without getting the Read Only status again. Noting a post above where saving a problem file to desktop fixed it, I copied it there from the USB stick and it opened fully functional.
So I inserted 'Test' at the front of the name on the desktop copy and dragged it back on the USB. Put 'Original' at the front of the problem file name still on the USB and it worked from there. Took 'Test' off the good copied file on the USB so that it had the original name and the problem came back. Took 'Original' off the name of initial bad file on the USB and it was bad again.
Something in my computer still recognizes that specific file name as Read Only. Something was done on the creating computer that tagged it Read Only, though it still works there, and that tag is now on the receiving computer for that file name only, not the hundreds of others just like it (same format, same prefix to the dashed dates). Meanwhile the files on either side of it that do still have dashes work fine. I will eliminate the dashes on the problem files only and see how it goes, sure would be nice to find the root of this problem.
A Google search shows that it's widespread and has been around for a while. This is what I love about Microsoft.
Well, one of many things. Overcoming excel files opening as read only Correcting this problem may be simply removing a / from the file name. In working on a number of excel files, I started using the / as part of the file name. Excel used to prevent using that character in a file name, but my most recent version (Mac Office 2011) did not. And/or it may be some interaction with the 2011 version and the new Mavericks OS. Regardless, I could include the / in a file name., and not be prevented from doing so by Excell However, it did created the read only status when I did next open the file saved under a new name (e.g., 'old file name' rev.xlsx.
Just by chance I tried simplifying the file name. In removing the / it took care of the opening as 'read only' problem.
As an experiment, I added the / to an existing file name and it opened as read only. The &, $ and? Do not cause the problem. The problem caused by the / may have something to do with the / being a divider used in the path name. Hoping this helps you solve your Read only problem.
Word 2016 for Mac Word for Mac 2011 If you want your document to be read but not edited, you can save it as a PDF file. When you do, the PDF will retain your formatting and often be a smaller file than the original document.
Tagged PDF files make it easier for screen readers and other assistive technologies to determine a logical reading order and navigation for the file, as well as allowing for content reflow when using large type displays, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and mobile phones. This tagging can be done automatically when you save a file as PDF format.
Save your document as a tagged PDF. On the File menu, click Save As. Or, you can also save a file by clicking the Save icon in the ribbon. In the Save As box, type a name for the file.
Important:. Give the PDF a different name than the original document. That way, you'll have two files: a Word document you can continue to edit and a PDF file you can share. If you don't change the name, your document will be converted to a PDF and you won't be able to change it back without using specialized software or a third-party add-in. In the File Format box, click PDF.
![Cannot open excel on mac Cannot open excel on mac](/uploads/1/2/4/7/124788424/143907973.png)
Click Export. Email a PDF copy of your document from Word You can send a PDF copy of your document directly from Word. On the File menu, click Share Send PDF.
Word will create a PDF file and attach it to a new email message. See also For information about saving documents as PDFs in other versions of Microsoft Word, go to.
To learn more about tagged PDFs.