How to Fix "Too Many Different Cell Formats" in Excel？

Although MS Excel is one of the most popular spreadsheet editors used by many users, it has many limitations. Among many limitations, the “too many different cell formats” error is quite common especially due to its restrictions with formatting. Thankfully, there are many ways to fix the issue in simple steps. If you are also struggling with the “too many different cell formats” error on your Excel spreadsheets, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we have included proven methods to solve the problem along with common reasons causing it to be better understood.

Part 1: Potential Excel “Too many different cell formats” Error Causes

The “Too many different cell formats” error in Excel indicates that your spreadsheet has exceeded the allowed number of unique formatting styles. This limit is approximately 4,000 in Excel 2003 and 64,000 in Excel 2007 and later versions, encompassing combinations of font, size, bold, italics, underlines, and other formatting attributes. However, there can be many reasons for this error to occur, and understanding them will help in applying the right solution.

Here are some of the common causes for the “Too many different cell formats” error in Excel:

1. Same Look, Same Style: If many cells look the same (same font, color, etc.), Excel uses just one "style recipe" for all of them.
2. Lots of Merged Cells: Having many merged cells (where multiple cells are combined into one) can also cause style problems.
3. Copying from Other Places: When you copy and paste data from websites or other Excel files, you often bring along hidden "style recipes."
4. Big File: If your Excel file is getting big, it might be because of too much - complicated formatting, like conditional formatting (where cells change color based on rules).
5. Importing Data: If you import data from other programs, it can bring in lots of these extra "style recipes" that multiply quickly, leading to errors or file corruption.

Note: A Complete Guide to Fix Formatting issues in Excel [2025]

Part 2: Easy Methods to Fix Too Many Different Cell Formats Errors

Now that you understand the reasons behind the “Too many different cell formats” error in Excel, you can apply the right solution depending on the cause. However, start by ensuring your Excel application is updated. This can often resolve issues with duplicate styles. If it does not fix the issue, then here are the following five methods to easily resolve the “Too many different cell formats” Error on an Excel spreadsheet:

Method 1: Simplify Formatting in an Excel Workbook

If your Excel file is large due to excessive formatting, you might encounter the 'Too many different cell formats' error. Simplifying your formatting can help. Try using a standard font and applying borders consistently.

Step 1. First, open the Excel sheet that is giving you the error. Next, press the “Ctrl and A” keys at the same time. This will select all the cells on the sheet.

Step 2. At the top of Excel, click on the "Home" tab, look for the "Clear" button, and click it.

Step 3. From the list of options, click the "Clear Formats" option. This will remove all the extra and unnecessary formatting from the cells you selected. You can also remove any cell patterns or use cell styles to further clean up the formatting.

Method 2: Remove Conditional Formatting

Too much conditional formatting can also cause the 'Too many different cell formats' error. If you have used many conditional formatting rules on different cells, it creates lots of unique formats. You can fix this by checking and removing any unnecessary conditional formatting.

Step 1. Open the Excel file that's giving you the "Too many formats" error. Click on the "Home" tab at the top of Excel. Locate and click on the "Conditional Formatting" button.

Step 2. Select the "Manage Rules" option from the drop - down menu.

Step 3. A “Conditional Formatting Rules Manager” window showing all your conditional formatting rules will pop up. Look through the rules, and if you see any you do not need, click on them and then click the "Delete Rule" button.

Method 3: Use Repair Excel Workbook

Workbook corruption can be a culprit behind the 'Too many different cell formats' error. To resolve this, utilize Microsoft Excel's 'Open and Repair' tool, which is a free built-in function for repairing damaged documents.

Step 1. Start by opening the Excel program. Click on "File" at the top, then click "Open."

Step 2. Next, click "Browse" and find the Excel file that is giving you the error.

Step 3. Instead of just clicking "Open," click the little arrow next to the "Open" button, and then choose "Open and Repair."

Step 4. In the window that pops up, click the "Repair" button. Excel will try to fix your file. Once it's finished, click the "Close" button.

Method 4: Save the Excel File to Binary Format

The Excel “too many cell formats” error can occur in oversized spreadsheets. To address this, consider saving the file in the .xlsb binary format. This format is designed to minimize file size, potentially resolving the error.

Step 1. First, open the Excel file that's giving you the error. Click "File" at the top, then click the "Save As" option from the list.

Step 2. In the "Save as type" box, click the dropdown menu and select the "Excel Binary Workbook (*.xlsb)" option from the list in the dropdown. Click the "Save" button.

Method 5: Set a Uniform Font Style

If you do not want to completely clear all the formatting of your Excel workbook. Instead, try selectively reducing your formatting to only the essential, unique styles. This will fix the 'too many cell formats' error while preserving necessary formatting.

Step 1. Open the Excel sheet you are facing an error with and press the “Ctrl and A” keys on your keyboard to select all the cells in your Excel sheet.

Step 2. Go to the "Home" tab at the top, and in the "Font" section, pick the font style you want for all your cells.

Step 3. Click the "Fill Color" button (it looks like a paint bucket). Then, choose "No Fill" to remove any background colors from the cells. Now, all the cells in your sheet have the same font and no background color.

Part 3: Best Way to Fix All Formatting Issues in Excel

While solving “too many different cell formats” using the above methods can be easy, what if you have other formatting issues in Excel? Also, file corruption can lead to formatting errors in Excel. When this occurs, repairing the file using a powerful file repair tool is often the most effective solution. One such robust tool is the Repairit, which can fix all types of formatting, damage and corruption of the Excel file. In addition, you can repair multiple Excel files at the same time using its batch-processing feature.

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• Repair damaged Excel files with all levels of corruption, including blank files, files not opening, unrecognizable format, unreadable content, files layout changed, etc.

• Repairs all kinds of data stored in damaged Excel files such as tables, charts, formulas, comments, images, etc.

• Support all formats of Excel files: XLSX/XLSM/XLTX/XLTM/XLS

• Perfectly repair corrupted files with a very high success rate, without modifying the original file.

• No limit to the number and size of the repairable files.

• Support Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista, Windows Server 2003/2008/2012/2016/2019/2022, and macOS 10.12~macOS 13.

• Except for Excel, Repairit also supports all formats of PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ZIP, and Adobe files.

Some of the key features of the Repairit File Repair application:

Step 1. Open the File Repair software and click on the “File Repair” option.

Step 2. Next, click on the “+Add” button at the center of the window to add corrupted Excel files to the app. And you can begin the repair process by clicking on the “Repair” button.

Step 3. After the process is completed, you can preview the repaired Excel files by clicking on the “Preview” button and save them to your system if you are satisfied.

Conclusion

While MS Excel is perhaps the most popular spreadsheet used across the globe, the “too many different cell formats” error can get frustrating. However, you can fix this error by following the easy methods provided in the article. In case you want to fix all types of formatting and corruption with your Excel files, then consider using the Repairit File Repair tool. Not only is it extremely powerful to restore your damaged Excel sheets, but it is also extremely user-friendly, with just three steps to repair.