Keyboard Freezing in Excel

Copper Contributor

Hello,

 

I am having a problem with my keyboard freezing in Microsoft Excel. When opening excel, the keyboard works normal and i am able to use the arrow keys to move cells within the workbook. However, when I access the ribbon and perform a function, the keyboard will freeze? The only way to resolve the issue is to use the mouse to click on a cell, at which time the entire keyboard become functional again.

 

For example, if i use Alt+H+H to fill color of a cell, as soon as i select a color the keyboard will freeze. I am not able to arrow out of the cell or type anything in the cell until I use the mouse to click the cell.

 

Can someone help me out? I have tried using the ScrollLock function but that does not appear to be helping.

 

Note: I am running Macabacus (modeling enhancement tool) but the issue occurs when using basic ribbon shortcuts, so I do not think it is Macabacus related.


THank you 

4 Replies

@Logan775 

 

Here's the only thing that works for me - other than exiting the program entirely.  

 

Simply open another worksheet tab.  You should be able to type into the new worksheet.  Then go back to the original one.  You should be able to now type in that one as well.

 

Don't know why it works, but it does.  It's a darn nuisance and a bug that's been in Excel for some time.  Strange Isn` it !

 

Regards,

Akshay | Tech support | O365CloudExperts

@Logan775 

 

Here's the only thing that works for me - other than exiting the program entirely.  

 

Simply open another worksheet tab.  You should be able to type into the new worksheet.  Then go back to the original one.  You should be able to now type in that one as well.

 

Don't know why it works, but it does.  It's a darn nuisance and a bug that's been in Excel for some time.  Strange Isn` it !

 

Regards,

Akshay | Tech support | O365CloudExperts

@Logan775 , it looks like a bug in one of the builds, quite many people report about this issue.

@Sergei BaklanThis is an old problem and it still isn't fixed. I've searched and seen complaints going back at least to 2014, in Excel 2013.

In my case I had no trouble with Excel 2010, but it was declared obsolete so I joined Office 365 and presumably have the very latest build. The build is well hidden but I think the build is Version 2001 build 12430.20184. I am using Windows 10 Pro on a ThinkPad E495 (AMD Ryzen 3500) with an external keyboard and screen, if any of this helps.

I usually have a bunch of spreadsheets open. In Excel 2010, it was one window and I had to switch between seeing one at a time. (Microsoft explained that policy by giving it a name, but I don't recall what it was.) In this later version of Excel 365, I have multiple Excel windows open and can copy from one to another, which is nice... BUT the keyboard routinely fails. I have to type into another window to get it back. Also, the cursor fails sometimes even when the keybaord works, so I can't see where I am.

I turned off Filter Keys, which a previous note said might help. So nothing right now seems to help. Can someone at Microsoft please look into it? Thanks!