Forum Discussion
Matthew Sheets
Microsoft
MicrosoftEditing text in a cell: Ctrl+A doesn't select all; ctrl+backspace doesn't delete
Wanting to see if any other users have noticed, have thoughts around this issue:
When editing text in a cell on Excel for Windows:
- Ctrl+A does nothing (expected: should select all of the text in the cell)
- Ctrl+backspace does nothing (expected: should 'delete' the 'word' before the cursor)
It's definitely been a painful one for me.
- Found out why and it is STUPID!
CTRL+A is strictly designated to open the argument dialog box when you type in a formula. It makes a "no you don't" sound when you press CTRL+A and have not typed in a formula, to let you know the formula hasn't been typed.
Just STUPID!FractaLaghter
It is the same for me as well. Whenever I double-click to edit the cell and pressed ctrl+a to "select all" it doesn't work as it does on my other devices.
It produces a sound like a prompt instead of selecting all contents within the cell whenever I press ctrl+a.
This is extremely annoying and it's affecting and slowing my work processes with Excel greatly. I'm Currently running Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 (Version 2406 Build 17726.20160) on a brand new Windows 11 laptop (all drivers and software updated), I've even tried reinstalling Microsoft Office after logging in and using the online repair option (doesn't solve the issue).
Can someone help to advise/share a way to fix this issue of not being able to double-click the cell and hit ctrl+a to select all the cell's components to delete/copy/cut.As I remember Ctrl+A for the cell editing mode was introduced not a long ago. Thus probably it's not for Excel 2016, for the latest versions. I have no 2016 to test.
If someone confirms it shall be in 2016, another reason could be if some add-in blocks shortcut for Excel. That's to try in excel /safe mode if it works or not.
- Hit Home and then Shift+End.
Just Shift+Home is enough, focus is at end by default
Ready Mode ( Working with Range ) - if you want to select all the cells of the worksheet , then Press Ctrl + A twice or simple press Ctrl + Shift + Space twice
Ctrl + A selects the active range , if your cell is surrounded by empty row and column , then Ctrl + A one time will select the whole sheet.In Edit mode ( working with cell content ) Ctrl + A will select only the cell content , also if you are typing any formula then ctrl + A will open the formula argument box if clicked after the open paranthesis for eg = sum( ctrl + a
- Hit crl-home, hold shift, hit ctrl-end. Just a few more keystrokes and easy enough. I use Ctrl to deal with line breaks in the edited text.
- Bill, that's what I do every day many times, just prefer Ctrl+End first. Ctrl+A would be much better.
Hi Matthew,
Yes, these shortcuts don't work in cell editing mode. Add your vote...
