I’ve always liked using Google tools like Docs, Forms, and especially Sheets. They make stuff like keeping track of money, sharing info, or collecting answers really easy. I use them almost every day.
Today, I tried opening one of my Google Sheets files, and out of nowhere, it showed this message: “Sorry, unable to open the file at this time. Please check the address and try again.” At first, I thought it would go away if I waited a bit. But every time I clicked that file, the same error popped up again. It was only happening with that one file. Everything else worked fine.
It’s the kind of thing that can throw you off, especially when you really need that file. And it doesn’t just happen in Sheets—it can show up in Forms, Drive, or other Google files too.
Let’s talk about why this might be happening and how you can fix it easily without stressing out.
How to Fix Google Sheets “Unable to open the file at this time”
Use Incognito Mode and Sign in with One Google Account
This is the fix that worked for me. This error usually happens when you’re signed into more than one Google account in the same browser. I had several Google accounts logged in at the same time, and that seemed to cause the issue. Google didn’t show any clear message about the problem other than the error.
So, I opened a new incognito tab, signed in only with the Google account that had access to the sheet, and then tried opening the file. It worked right away. After doing this once, the document started opening normally even outside of incognito.
If you’re signed in with multiple accounts, you should definitely try this method. You can also use Chrome profiles to keep different Google accounts separate. This way, you make sure only one account is signed in per profile, which helps avoid this kind of issue.
Create a Copy of the File
If only certain files are showing the “Sorry, unable to open the file at this time” error while others with similar content open normally, the issue may be related to a problem within that specific file.
As a temporary fix for this, create a fresh copy of the affected file:
- Go to Google Drive
- Right-click on the file that is not opening
- Select Make a copy
- Try opening the new copy
In many cases, the copied file opens without any error. This method helps refresh the file structure and often resolves issues that affect only specific documents.
Check Google Drive Storage Limit
This error can also occur if your Google Drive storage is full. For example, if your storage usage exceeds the available limit, Google Sheets may fail to open or copy files, even though the message does not clearly mention this.
Visit Google One Storage to check your usage. If your storage is full, delete or move some files to free up space. You should keep in mind that even making a copy of a file requires storage, so having enough space is important for the document to open correctly.
Open It on Another Browser or Device
Sometimes the problem might be with the browser you’re using. Maybe it has some old data, or an extension is making things worse. One easy fix is to try opening the file in a different browser. For example, if you’re using Chrome, try Opera or Edge to open that file.
You can also try checking the file on another device, like your phone or a different computer.
Log Out and Log In Again
In some cases, just signing out of your Google account and logging back in can fix the issue. Just click your profile photo in the corner, sign out, wait for a few seconds or minutes, then sign back in and try opening the file again.
Clear Your Browser Cache
If nothing else works, clearing your browser cache might help. Old saved data can sometimes block files from opening.
We’ve added steps for Chrome below, but the process is pretty similar on most browsers. You can also use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Delete (or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac) to open the clear browsing data menu quickly.
- Open Chrome and click the three dots in the top right corner
- Go to Settings
- Click on Privacy and security
- Select Delete browsing data
- Choose Cached images and files (you don’t need to select everything)
- Click Clear data.
If you’re still facing the Google Sheets “Unable to open the file at this time” error, it might just be a temporary issue. In some cases, waiting a bit and trying again later is all you need. It might just fix itself without you having to do anything.
RELATED: [QUICK FIX] Google Sheets: “A network error has occurred.”
