Office
Can I delete Microsoft Excel from my Mac?
You can delete Microsoft Excel from your Mac without losing your saved workbooks, as they reside in your Documents or OneDrive folders. However, removing the application discards local settings, cached data, and AutoRecovery files specific to this installation, typically occupying 200 MB – 5 GB.
See how much space Microsoft Excel really takes before you decide
Microsoft Excel data usually takes 200 MB – 5 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.
Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+
OptiClear is a Mac app. Copy this page's link and open it on your Mac.
Email me the link- Application
- Microsoft Excel
- Typical data size
- 200 MB – 5 GB
- Category
- Office
- File Location
~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel
What you lose and what you keep when deleting Microsoft Excel
Specific to Microsoft Excel
Deleting the app itself leaves your personal documents and shared Office data untouched. Your sign-in credentials, templates, and Personal Macro Workbook live in a shared Group Container used by Word and PowerPoint, so they remain intact if you keep other Office apps. The app’s private sandbox, which holds caches and recent file lists, is removed, potentially slowing down future installs if not cleared separately. Your Microsoft 365 subscription remains active because the license is tied to your account, not the local files.
Where your Microsoft Excel data lives
These folders hold your own Microsoft Excel data. Deleting the app leaves them in place; removing them is what actually deletes it.
- Account and sync
- Office is licensed through the Microsoft account that activated it; removing the app does not cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- License
- Activation is tied to the Microsoft account and cached in the shared Office Group Containers, so it stays in place for any other Office app still installed.
- Your files
- Workbooks are saved wherever you chose, often Documents or OneDrive; the container holds caches, settings and recovery copies.
Important considerations before removing Microsoft Excel
Do not delete shared Microsoft folders if you still use Word, PowerPoint, or Outlook, as they contain essential sign-in and update helpers. Removing these shared components will break functionality for the remaining Office applications. If you have unsaved work, reopen the app to save any AutoRecovery copies before quitting. This ensures no recent changes are lost, as those recovery files are stored in the app’s specific container.
0 of 4 done
How to delete Microsoft Excel completely
Quit Microsoft Excel, move it to the Trash, then remove what it left in ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel. The full step-by-step guide:
Try it without risk
- Download and scan for freeSee every Microsoft Excel file and its size. No account needed.
- Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
- Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.
After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.