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jimb65's avatar
jimb65
Copper Contributor
Jul 15, 2024

Formatting a Cell or Cells from the color pallete

For some reason I lost the capability of highlighting / coloring a cell or cells from the drop down menu above the spreadsheet. I had it previously but now I can select a cell but when selecting colo...
excel
NikolinoDE's avatar
NikolinoDE
Platinum Contributor
Jul 16, 2024

jimb65 

If you are unable to highlight or color cells in Excel and it previously worked, there are a few potential reasons and solutions for this issue. Here are the steps you can follow to troubleshoot and fix this problem:

Step 1: Check for Conditional Formatting

  1. Check if Conditional Formatting is Overriding Manual Formatting:
    • Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules.
    • See if there are any rules that might be overriding your manual formatting.
    • If you find any conflicting rules, either edit or delete them.

Step 2: Check for Workbook or Worksheet Protection

  1. Check if the Sheet is Protected:
    • Go to Review > Unprotect Sheet.
    • If the sheet is protected, you might need a password to unprotect it.
  2. Check if the Workbook is Protected:
    • Go to Review > Protect Workbook.
    • If the workbook is protected, it might limit certain formatting options.

Step 3: Check for Read-Only Mode

  1. Ensure the Workbook is Not Read-Only:
    • Check the title bar of the workbook window. If it says "Read-Only", save a new copy of the workbook or check the file properties to remove the read-only attribute.

Step 4: Check Excel Options

  1. Check Advanced Options:
    • Go to File > Options > Advanced.
    • Scroll down to the "Display options for this workbook" section.
    • Make sure the option "Show gridlines" is checked (gridlines help you see cell borders but don't affect coloring cells).
  2. Resetting the Excel Toolbar:
    • Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
    • Click on Reset to reset the ribbon customizations to their default state.

Step 5: Repair Office

  1. Run Office Repair:
    • Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
    • Find Microsoft Office in the list, right-click on it, and select Change.
    • Choose Quick Repair or Online Repair to fix any potential issues with your Office installation.

Step 6: Check for Add-ins

  1. Disable Add-ins:
    • Go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
    • At the bottom, select Excel Add-ins from the drop-down menu and click Go.
    • Uncheck all the add-ins and click OK.
    • Restart Excel and check if the problem persists.

Step 7: Update Excel

  1. Ensure Excel is Updated:
    • Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
    • Make sure you have the latest updates installed.

Step 8: Check for Corruption

  1. Open Excel in Safe Mode:
    • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
    • Type excel /safe and press Enter.
    • Open your workbook and see if you can format cells in Safe Mode.
    • If it works in Safe Mode, the issue might be caused by an add-in or custom setting.

Step 9: Test in a New Workbook

  1. Create a New Workbook:
    • Open a new Excel workbook.
    • Try coloring cells in the new workbook to see if the issue is specific to your original workbook.

Step 10: Check for System Resources

  1. Ensure System Resources are Not Depleted:
    • Close any other applications that might be using up system resources.
    • Sometimes, low memory or CPU can cause Excel to behave unpredictably.

By following these steps, you should be able to identify and fix the issue preventing you from coloring cells in Excel. The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.

 

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

 

Hope this will help you.

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