'apostrophes

This apostrophe is used by Excel to treat the content as text, even if it looks like a number or formula.

Given that this problem seems to be specific to this computer, here are some possible causes and solutions:

1. Check the Regional Settings or Language Settings

Sometimes, regional or language settings can cause unexpected behaviors in Excel. The system's regional settings might be influencing how Excel interprets numbers or text.

• Steps to check:
  1. Open Control Panel (you can search for it from the Start menu).
  2. Go to Clock and Region > Region.
  3. In the Region settings, check if your location and language are set correctly.
  4. Click on the Additional settings... button and review the settings related to numbers (like decimal separator, etc.) to ensure they match what you expect.

2. Check Excel's AutoCorrect Settings

It's possible that some AutoCorrect options are set to automatically add an apostrophe or text formatting to your entries.

• Steps to check:
  1. Open Excel and go to the File tab.
  2. Click on Options at the bottom.
  3. In the Excel Options window, select Proofing from the list on the left.
  4. Click on AutoCorrect Options.
  5. In the AutoCorrect window, check if there are any custom entries that might be causing the apostrophe to appear before text.

3. Excel File Compatibility

If the workbook was saved in an older Excel format, it might cause some compatibility issues on newer versions of Excel. Try saving the workbook as the latest .xlsx format.

• Steps to check:
  1. Open the affected workbook.
  2. Go to File > Save As.
  3. Choose Excel Workbook (.xlsx) format to ensure it's saved in the latest file format.

4. Check for Add-ins or Macros

If there are any add-ins or macros active in Excel, they might be affecting how data is entered into cells.

• Steps to check:
  1. Go to File > Options.
  2. In the Excel Options window, click on Add-ins.
  3. At the bottom of the window, select Excel Add-ins from the drop-down and click Go.
  4. Uncheck any add-ins that seem unnecessary and click OK.
  5. You can also check for any active macros by going to the Developer tab (if visible) and clicking Macros to see if any macros are running.

5. Check for Keyboard Shortcuts

It’s possible that a keyboard shortcut or setting in Excel is causing the apostrophe to be added automatically. Ensure you're not accidentally triggering a setting that adds this.

• Steps to check:
  1. Try typing into a new, blank workbook and see if the issue persists.
  2. If it's only happening in one specific workbook, there may be some conditional formatting or specific cell rules causing the issue.

6. Check the Excel Formatting

If the workbook opens on this computer with the apostrophe and works fine on others, it’s possible that there’s some custom formatting or default behavior set for this workbook or all workbooks.

• Steps to check:
  1. Open the workbook and select all cells (Ctrl + A).
  2. Right-click on any selected cell and choose Format Cells.
  3. Under the Number tab, check if the cell format is set to Text. If it is, change it to General or the appropriate format for the content you're working with.

7. Check for Corrupt Profile or Excel Installation

If none of the above fixes the issue, it’s possible there’s something corrupted in your Excel profile or installation.

• Steps to check:
1. Try creating a new user profile on your computer and see if the issue persists when logged into the new profile.
2. If the issue stops, consider reinstalling Excel. To do this, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features, select Microsoft Office, and click Uninstall. Afterward, reinstall Office from your Microsoft account or installation media.

By following these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to identify the cause of the issue and get Excel back to working as expected. The apostrophe typically signifies that Excel is treating the content as text, so the solution will likely involve adjusting the formatting or settings that trigger this behavior. The text was created with the help of AI.

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

Hope this will help you.

Happy Excel-ing!