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OLSD237's avatar
OLSD237
Copper Contributor
Jun 29, 2023
Solved

Excel Ctrl + Up Arrow and Ctrl + Down Arrow Not Working

I've looked through the other posts in the forum, but still cannot get this working in my Excel for some reason. Ctrl + left arrow or right arrow works, taking me to end of the horizontal data set, yet the ctrl + up arrow or down arrow is not working.

Things I've already tried:

 

  1. I don't have scroll lock selected, either on the keyboard or on the onscreen keyboard.
  2. I've already enabled sticky keys from the control panel.
  3. I've disabled all add-ins.
  4. I've tried restarting Excel and restarting the computer.

If anyone has any thoughts on the issue here it would be much appreciated. 

  • OLSD237's avatar
    OLSD237
    Jul 11, 2023
    So the answer here was to reinstall Microsoft office. Now it works again. Pretty frustrating and time consuming, but it's critical functionality I need for financial modeling.

    Thanks all!
  • Joshua9077's avatar
    Joshua9077
    Copper Contributor

    OLSD237 I experienced the same issue, but finally resolved it. 

     

    Check that your NumLk key isnt locked. 

  • -MEA-'s avatar
    -MEA-
    Copper Contributor

    OLSD237 just touch Scrool Lock on keyboard. If you don't have Scroll Lock in your keyboard, you can use windows on screen keyboard. It is worked for me. I hope It might be work for you too.

  • SudhirX's avatar
    SudhirX
    Copper Contributor

    I faced the same problem. Resolved the issue by "Repairing" the office App installation. Troubleshooting steps: Settings-->Apps--> Installed apps-->Microsoft <Your version>(office) ---> ... --->Advanced options---> Click/ tap Repair. Sharing to help others. OLSD237 

  • benbeara's avatar
    benbeara
    Copper Contributor

    OLSD237 

     

    After reading all the responses to this post and countless other on other sites, here is a quick summary of my configuration, what fails for me, and what worked for me:

     

    Configuration

    • Excel 365 with all the latest updates
    • Razer Kiyo Pro - using the webcam but did not install the software!
    • No unnecessary add-ins and/or de-activating any had no impact
    • YouTube Music is not the issue in my scenario
    • Excel Tools -> Options -> [any suggested configuration options] had no impact

    Behaviour

    • fails on one worksheet, but not the entire workbook!
    • new workbooks do not have this issue
    • Ctrl-[left][right] works
    • Ctrl-[end] works
    • Ctrl-[up][down] does NOT work
    • Ctrl-[home] does NOT work
    • Conclusion:  problem is isolated to the configuration of one worksheet

    Based on this, I researched more in terms of how the sheet was designed/developed (not by me).  In my scenario, the problem stemmed from the worksheet being protected.  Once I turned that off, navigation was back to normal!

    Thankfully my scenario was a lot simpler than discovering the conflicts with YT Music/Razer.  But since I wasn't the designer/developer, I knew the problem was localized within the spreadsheet.

     

    Review -> Protect -> Protect/Unprotect [Sheet][WorkBook]

  • mtnbkr0918-1's avatar
    mtnbkr0918-1
    Copper Contributor
    Check to see if you have any cells frozen. Remove and then reset the any row or column you want frozen.
  • Amr_Tagen's avatar
    Amr_Tagen
    Copper Contributor

    Try checking Tools/Options/Transition/Transition Navigation Keys checkbox - change the setting and test. Might just work! OLSD237 

    • Jahyem's avatar
      Jahyem
      Copper Contributor
      Yes, you're correct. When I closed the Youtube Music App, It worked again. Thank you.
    • TroyN555's avatar
      TroyN555
      Copper Contributor
      After a lot of time wasting and browsing around, it turns up it was YouTube Music that was blocking the shortcuts from working in Excel. Once disabled them in YouTube Music, they started working again.
      Thank you for your help.
      • TroyN555 

        Thank you for the feedback, it could be useful for other people. Unfortunately never knows what could blocks the shortcuts, that's case by case.

  • NikolinoDE's avatar
    NikolinoDE
    Gold Contributor

    OLSD237 

    If the Ctrl + Up Arrow or Ctrl + Down Arrow shortcuts are not working in Excel, there are a few additional troubleshooting steps you can try:

     

    Check your keyboard: Ensure that the Ctrl key on your physical keyboard is functioning properly. Try using a different keyboard or testing the Ctrl key with other applications to rule out any hardware issues.

     

    Check Excel options: Verify that the Ctrl + Up Arrow and Ctrl + Down Arrow shortcuts are not disabled in Excel options.

    Here is how to check:

     

    Click on the "File" tab in Excel.

    Select "Options" from the menu.

    In the Excel Options dialog box, click on "Advanced" on the left.

    Scroll down to the "Editing options" section.

    Make sure the "Enable Ctrl + Arrow key shortcuts" option is checked.

    Click "OK" to save the changes.

    Check for conflicting keyboard shortcuts: It's possible that another keyboard shortcut is conflicting with Ctrl + Up Arrow or Ctrl + Down Arrow. You can check and modify the keyboard shortcuts in Excel options:

     

    Follow the steps mentioned in point 2 to open Excel Options.

    Click on "Customize Ribbon" on the left.

    At the bottom, click on the "Keyboard shortcuts: Customize" button.

    In the "Categories" list, select "All Commands".

    In the "Commands" list, look for "EditGoTo" or "EditGoToSpecial".

    Select the shortcut you want to use (Ctrl + Up Arrow or Ctrl + Down Arrow) in the "Press new shortcut key" field.

    Click "Assign" and then "Close" to save the changes.

    Repair or reinstall Office: If the issue persists, you may consider repairing or reinstalling Microsoft Office. This can help resolve any underlying software conflicts or issues.

     

    If none of these solutions work, it is possible that there may be an issue with your Excel installation or the operating system. The texts, steps and functions were created with the help of AI for reasons of time.

     

    Hope this will help you.

    • Gnana_Sambandham's avatar
      Gnana_Sambandham
      Copper Contributor

      NikolinoDE I Couldn't find the Enable Ctrl + option where you mentioned, or Editgoto option as you mentioned what should i do now?

       

       

    • OLSD237's avatar
      OLSD237
      Copper Contributor

      NikolinoDE

      I also was unable to find the "Enable Ctrl + Arrow key shortcuts" option in the Advanced menu.

      Also to note, the ctrl + left arrow works and the ctrl + right arrow works, but not the control + down arrow or ctrl + up arrow.

       

      I also do not see the "Keyboard shortcuts: Customize" button at the bottom of the 'Customize Ribbon' section:

       

       

      • NikolinoDE's avatar
        NikolinoDE
        Gold Contributor

        OLSD237 

        Apologies for the confusion. If the Ctrl + Left Arrow and Ctrl + Right Arrow shortcuts are working, but the Ctrl + Down Arrow and Ctrl + Up Arrow shortcuts are not, it suggests that there might be specific issues with the Excel workbook or settings. Here are a few more suggestions to troubleshoot the problem:

        1. Check cell formatting: Make sure the cells in the worksheet where you are trying to use Ctrl + Down Arrow or Ctrl + Up Arrow are formatted as continuous data without any breaks or empty cells. Sometimes, if there are blank cells or merged cells within the data range, it can disrupt the functionality of these shortcuts.
        2. Disable filters: If filters are applied in the worksheet, try disabling them and then check if the Ctrl + Down Arrow or Ctrl + Up Arrow shortcuts work. Filters can sometimes interfere with the normal behavior of these shortcuts.
        3. Clear clipboard contents: Occasionally, clipboard issues can affect keyboard shortcuts. Clear the clipboard by copying a blank cell (Ctrl + C) and check if that resolves the issue.
        4. Try in a new worksheet: Create a new worksheet within the same workbook or open a new workbook altogether. Test the Ctrl + Down Arrow and Ctrl + Up Arrow shortcuts in the new worksheet. This will help determine if the problem is specific to the current worksheet or workbook.
        5. Check Excel options for conflicts: In Excel Options, go to "Advanced" and scroll down to the "Display options for this workbook" section. Make sure the "Disable hardware graphics acceleration" option is checked. Also, ensure that there are no conflicting settings or add-ins that could affect the keyboard shortcuts.

        If none of these suggestions resolve the issue, it might be helpful to share the specific version of Excel you are using and any additional details about the workbook or data, Operating system, storage medium, etc.. The text and the steps were created by the AI.

        My answer is voluntary and without guarantee.

         

        Hope this will help you.

    • SergeiBaklan's avatar
      SergeiBaklan
      MVP

      NikolinoDE 

      --

      In the Excel Options dialog box, click on "Advanced" on the left.

      Scroll down to the "Editing options" section.

      Make sure the "Enable Ctrl + Arrow key shortcuts" option is checked.

      --

      Where is it?

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