Symptoms

In Microsoft Excel, when you create a Web query from a site that uses the Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (https://), you may receive an error message that resembles the following error message:

Desktop browsers. Mobile device browsers. Query data from an XML file or a URL that returns XML. Query data from a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services list or library. Query data from a Microsoft SQL Server database. Query data from a Microsoft Office Access database. Query data from a Web. Based on additional discussion with co-workers and management regarding the standards for web browsers (use of a modern web browser, Microsoft Edge or Chrome, but final decision was not available), I discovered two possible solutions. Chrome solution: This solution I was able to test on a co-workers computer.

Change Default Browser For Excel Web Query

Unable to open
address. Cannot download the information you requested.

Note In this message, address is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the secure Web page that you are trying to connect to.

Cause

This issue occurs when Excel cannot initiate a connection because of the settings on the secure Web server.

More Information

Web Browser In Excel

To test whether Excel is able to connect to a particular Web page, follow these steps:

Web Browser Web Browsers Web Queries In Excel File

1. In Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or in Microsoft Excel 2002, click Open on the File menu.
   In Microsoft Office Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click
   Open.

2. In the File name box, type the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the secure Web page that you want to open, and then click Open.

If you cannot open the Web page, Excel cannot connect to the secure Web page, and you cannot create a Web query.