I’m experiencing a problem where the first spreadsheet I open in LibreOffice Calc takes around 30 to 40 seconds to load. However, all subsequent spreadsheets load at a normal, quick speed. If I close and re-open the program, the problem persists. I’ve tried reinstalling and updating the software, but the issue persists. I don’t have the same problem with text documents, and I haven’t experienced this issue on my three older laptops. This new laptop is a Dell XPS15, which initially did not have this problem.
You could try:
- Installing the manufacturer’s printer driver, this is the most likely issue if you are on Windows, the Windows drivers will wait for printer to respond until timed out.
- If you aren’t on Windows then try setting a pdf printer as default
- In Tools > Options > Load/Save > General untick the box Load printer settings with the document
Thanks mate I tried this solution and then rebooted but it didn’t work out.
There are three different possible solutions in my comment, which one did you try?
Note that the first time LibreOffice opens it takes longer than subsequent times but 30-40 seconds is a long time unless you have LibreOffice installed on a spinning HDD hard drive instead of SSD. Or you have the LibreOffice portable app on a pen drive, that can take a long time too depending on pen drive and USB port.
To save time on slower devices you can click Tools > Options > LibreOffice > General and tick the box Load LibreOffice during system start-up.
Could it be a delay in accessing the file on a compressed drive/another drive/network location? Or maybe the anti-virus software is set to scan files before opening? Could it be a File manager issue, I find that Windows Explorer often takes 10 seconds or more to get itself together on first opening before it display anything and then changes location twice more over the next ten seconds.
My Dell XPS15 has an SSD and is super fast except for this one thing. I don’t think it is anything to do with printers, my printers drivers are up to date and both the Tools>Options suggested didn’t work out. I didn’t think the second one would because its not about how fast LibreCalc loads but how fast the first, and only the first spreadsheet that I actually open when LibreCalc has loaded. Because the problem only exists on this one computer out 5 of varying ages that I have, I believe the problem is more related to a configuration error with this particular computer, As mentioned the problem didn’t originally exist.
What happens if you print something immediately before opening Calc spreadsheet?
The first start of LibreOffice takes longer as it loads libraries, etc. When you see a blank spreadsheet, it might still be loading files in the background.
Is it always the same spreadsheets that are slow to load?
Thanks again mate, I barely ever use the printer, its not plugged in unless used. Also it doesn’t matter which spreadsheet I open they are all slow.
A couple of interesting things have happened though:
- As long as I don’t reboot I can open and shut LibreCalc all I like and the first spreadsheet will open very quickly, just not the first after boot up. I presume this may have happened after checking the “Load LibreOffice during system startup” since that is the most recent one tried.
- Also I decided to check the “Perform check for default file associations on start-up” box, this created its own little mystery with startup messages on every startup saying “The following file formats are not registered to open LibreCalc”, and then listing .ODS and .ODT files as the ones not registered, yet they are both defaulted to LibreCalc when I click the button to check on them, I have even checked manually in their properties in my save folders.
Lastly I am actually quite happy to have gotten this far with you showing me where to look, I can probably live with the minor annoyance that is still there. I am going to try to find time to check this computers LibreOffice options and settings against my other computers, so thanks again for your help.
And that is the probable cause. Set a pdf printer as default printer and you won’t have the wait. You said your printer drivers were up to date but never said if they were the printer manufacturer’s drivers or the very basic ones supplied by Windows.
You won’t try it because of your belief so there is nothing more to do but leave this thread. Bye
Hi, just finally tried setting PDF as default printer, but no change, rebooted still no change. Thats cool though, thanks.
Solved, I left all the new settings as they are except the PDF default printer. I then started reverse engineering what I had done. Anyway it was when I Unchecked the “Load printer settings with the document” (which WAS originally Unchecked right at the start of all this) that everything worked perfectly. Don’t know why things didn’t work originally, maybe needed “Load LibreOffice during system startup”, in combination. Maybe needed to be turned off and on. Anyway you did it, I got there eventually, I really didn’t think this problem was going to be fully solvable, so thanks a lot for your help.
By the way, I recently learned this life hack: An interesting bug in Windows that can speed up your computer - If you activate the full-screen mode in Explorer (press F11) and immediately close it, then all folders will open instantly after that.
Just Do It (c) Nike 
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That’s good! It has stopped the folders pane from jumping around like a crazy kangaroo. 
My workaround until now has been opening 2 or 3 Explorer windows on start up so they have settled down for when I need to use them.
Cheers, Al
Update, After turning computer off last night, got up this morning and LibreCalc was loading the first spreadsheet slowly again. So I reset PDF as default printer again. This time instead of restarting the computer I turned it off for a few minutes, now everything’s working properly again.