Forum Discussion
Excel will not let me click into cells or incorrect cell is selected randomly
Hi,
This is an ongoing issue that I've been having for years across platforms, computers, versions of excel and workbooks.
Basicially, one of two things happen:
1-I click on a cell but nothing happens, the cell is not selected
2-I click on a cell but the wrong cell is selected (Example: Click on cell B2 but excel will select C2)
This will happen as frequently as a few times a day (across multiple workbooks) to every month (again, across multiple workbooks)
In ALL cases cells are NOT protected
Saving the workbook, closing then restarting excel fixes the problem.
As I mentioned before, this has been ongoing for years now across multiple computers, workbooks, operating systems. All systems and versions of excel were fully up to date at the time of the error. Because this is happening over several different workbooks, I do not belive it is a workbook issue (especially when it doesn't happen 100% of the time to ANY workbook)
Systems used:
Macbook Pro (circa 2015), OS up to date - No longer have this computer
Windows 8 (again, old computer)
Windows 10 (old computer
Windows 11 (2 different computers, currently owned)
I have always kept excel and the OS fully up to date and I'm currently using the most recent version of Windows and Excel.
In all cases, I have used built in trackpad and a 3 different wireless mice (with full batteries). Still randomly occurs.
It's really just an annoyance and like I mentioned before, saving the workbook and restarting excel solves the issue... until next time (which could be later that day or a few weeks...It's very random.)
114 Replies
Disable co-pilot in Excel - File, Options, CoPilot. That did it for me.
Thank you so much! That was my issue and I couldn't figure it out.
Thanks for the information. I don't seem to have CoPilot as an add-in, so my search goes on. Strange if you had the same issue and this solved it, makes me wonder about other add-ins.
nThanks, I will try that!
Adjusting the width of any column, or turning off (then optionally back on) freeze panes, will un-stick Excel and let the correct cell be selected, and/or enable cell editing. PITA and surely something the brainiacs at the Excel team could figure out.
(And while tinkering, how about
a) fixing Excel so that it never clears the clipboard of data the user selects and copies. Another royal PITA. Or at least explain why Excel feels it necessary to destroy the clipboard if a minor edit to some part of a sheet was made, not affecting the source data.
b) fix normal formula text boxes where it is impossible to click, select and delete text without hitting F2. Some days. Others it works like a normal text box. It is a crapshoot whether the text box you're presented with is going to behave like a proper text field, or a wonky excel-rule text box when unnecessary.)
Over a year since I raised this with our local IT guys; they've just given me my 3rd new laptop to try to resolve it (in case a different manufacturer might help, I'm trying HP rather than Dell now), but the problems persist.
I don't like the whole 'mental health' bandwagon but this issue has changed my working life and caused me untold stress and unhappiness. Microsoft's obvious abandonment of the case (including asking the assigned rep Chris Haymond - Excel Engineering, to drop it) underlines what an utterly disgusting and shameful organisation they are.
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As this disgusting company still refuses to fix it, I'm adding a note here with one of the quickest ways to fix it while you're working:
- Set your Excel window to almost full size (so it's fully useable) with the icon in the top right.
- Save/edit/save - it seems to need more than just one save to 'remember' the window size.
- When the issue occurs, you can just click maximise then adjusted window with the same icon (or vice-versa if you start with maximised window).
Using this method, you can reset the cursor with only two clicks. It's slightly faster than my usual method of a quick up/down scroll, though that method is OK too.
Microsoft - those in positions of authority who choose profiteering while harming others - you will get your karma.
Thank you so much! This worked great.
- Set your local computer to 1920x1080 and scaling to 125%. In out setup the remote side is a 4K TV connected to a Windows 11 NUC. The remote side is a Windows 11 desktop with no monitor connected. No more issues in Excel / Excel Teams, and also Epic. This problem is all related to scaling issues that Microsoft refuses to fix. It's also not good to mix resolutions on the local side & the remote side. If you care connecting to a computer that doesn't have a monitor attached consider an EDID adapter to make the computer think a monitor is attached and configure the resolutions to match. Not all EDID adapters support 4K. Also verify your Desktop resolution & your Active signal resolution match. Settings / Display / Advanced display settings (compare the Desktop resolution & your Active signal resolution here) / Display adapter properties for Display x / List All Modes.
CPeterson710 I have read through this thread and thought I’d add my experience with this issue.
I have had this issue using different files on different computers over the past 3 years. I have used Windows 10 and Windows 11.
For me, I have observed this happens mainly when I’m working in a table or if at some point I have sorted the rows. It’s a huge annoyance when updating. In my experiences I have a minimum of 20 rows before this issue happens. To “unstick” it, I have to arrow up and down above and below the stuck row then arrow to a cell in the row and type to get it to work again. It’s fiddly and a time waster. I would hope that Microsoft staff would have encountered this and would have tried to find a fix. I am guessing not since it has happens for such a long time.
It also happens to me super annoying! Sometimes it helps to scale up, many times not. Really a time waster. It already happened after row 10.
Thanks for adding to the thread, this is useful as I fear Microsoft might start to close them down. As they continue to ignore paying customers, I hope more and more people will raise the issue via Feedback Hub. Although that appears nothing more than a PR tool, at least the complaints will be registered.
That's exactly the same B.S. workaround I still use to get it to work. I started using F2 to enter the cell I select (adjacent to the whichever cell I'm on when it randomly stops letting me edit) so I don't have to reach all the way over for my mouse like a sucker, though.
I'll have to check out those catalysts you mentioned... I'm never usually paying attention to exactly what I'm doing immediately preceding the event, but this'll give me some motivation to be more vigilant.
I'm going to start raising repeat reports via Feedback Hub for the same issue until they start taking it seriously, in the hope someone there might notice and offer to help.
We had a rep on this post or a similar one, names Chris Hammond, who started helping then disappeared. He said it was better to report the issue via the feedback option from the app itself, and mention his name in the report.
This continues to be one of the most disgusting customer services fails I've encountered in years working in tech.
Microsoft continue to abandon the case. If I could take legal action, I would do.
Vanheems I haven't had this issue for about a year now. The only thing that has changed for me is that we are working off of SharePoint and Microsoft 365, i don't work off the cloud though, i edit in the excel App once . I feel your pain though, as it was driving me mad for well over a year!
- Hi Copper Contributor,
Thanks for the info, this is interesting. You're saying the issue doesn't arise if you open a file with the Office version of the app but from SharePoint (for example, when given the option of web version or Office app)?
I was having issues that seem to match yours. After pulling out many hairs, I stumbled on something that seems to have fixed it for me (or at least made it less frequent. I "fixed" it a while ago and haven't seen the problem since.)
I'm using Win 11 on a Dell laptop with a touchpad. Not sure if any of that is important.
I find that I frequently use the touchpad "scroll wheel" function (sliding two fingers) to scroll the worksheet. And this seemed to lead to the problem. I also use the same method to scroll in some other program that loaded at the same time--switch back and forth between the two. And often I just hover over the other program to scroll without actually activating the other program.
I thought this last behavior might be to blame, so I went to Windows Settings/mouse to turn off the "Scroll inactive windows when hovering over them" setting.
To my surprise, it was already set to "Off". Yet I was using the feature! It would do what I wanted it to do. Something was wrong somewhere. So I tried turning the Settings feature "On".
Since then, I've had no issues with Excel showing the wrong active cell / not letting me edit the cell I want.
I hope this helps you. I know how frustrating this issue is!
RichHolton thanks for the suggestion, interested and pleased to hear you have a solution. For me, "Scroll inactive windows when hovering over them" was already "On" but I might try toggling a few other mouse options, previously I've only really tried the touchpad ones I think.
Very odd if this has solved it for you.
@Chris Hammond - please review further with this info?
- I'm not new to this problem, just new to getting so frustrated I Googled for a solution, ultimately resulting in even greater frustration (as I'm sure everyone on here has experienced) of the abject absence thereof (and the deeply abiding sense there is no interest from Microsoft in a solution. This seems to be happening more and more regularly these days... there will be a clear and distinct issue with a software product, but it's still too "niche" for the company to dedicate any resources toward. Then, when this frustrated customer base ultimately identifies the problem FOR them, they don't do anything with the information. Looks like I'll be relying on the workaround for years to come.
(note: also came with Win 11, and I also have dual monitors - and there was far more extensive literature out there at how much Windows (especially Win 11) struggles with dual monitors. For example, the 2 I'm using are identical in physical size but differ in resolution. Windows has no way "understanding" this, it seems; so I'm forced to align them strange in Settings, then resulting in strange movement aberrations when dragging my cursor from one to another in an Extended Desktop environment. And, like the Excel issue, there's a strong "welp, tough sh*t" sentiment in terms of fixing what seems so simple an issue (though I'm no software engineer, so I could be understating the complexity).
Fingers crossed they patch it up soon... or EVER, I guess. I plan on using Office 2021 for a long, long time since it's the last non-365 edition they're releasing and I'll fight the subscription model with every ounce of strength I can muster.
- It's absolutely maddening. I've made an official report, in which they asked me to send my excel document over, last year. Never heard from them since.
I'd urge everyone on here to also make official reports, so we become the squeaky wheel.HandFoodler - perhaps it's in a parallel post, but an MS Excel chap Chris Hammond has been looking into this. He asks for feedback sent from the app, not sure how the huge world of MS can pick up and divert to Chris but best to mention his name in any report.
This should be a legal case by now, would be great if a company somewhere lost money (well, we all are, by way of inefficiency) and took it to court. In all my time in I.T. this is the most disgraceful non-fix of a bug issue I've encountered. It's absolutely disgusting and has really impacted my working life.
Edit: it's in 'Selecting a cell in Excel goes to an incorrect cell':
I'm trying to follow! Are you saying an actual MS Excel employee is assigned to this issue?
So I should resubmit my issue through the actual excel app, and request to have it reviewed by him?Edit: I should have clicked your link before asking those questions. Much thanks for the lead!
