Cannot change axis bounds

Copper Contributor

I hope this is the right place to ask, but I have an issue with Excel 2016. When I plot a graph, Excel won't let me change the axes minima and maxima. I can enter a value into the respective fields (x minimum/maximum, y minimum/maximum), but when I hit enter to confirm the value, it simply changes back to the original. I've tried a quick repair, online repair and complete reinstall but the problem persists. I then tried to do this on a different PC with a different Excel license and there it works normally (I can enter a value, hit enter and the graph changes). 

 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

19 Replies

@dvirant 

With your permission, if I can recommend. It can help us all if you upload an Excel file (without sensitive data), no picture.

Even if it is said that a picture can say a thousand words, it is certainly not in the case of Excel,

on the contrary in some cases.

This would also be a blessing for all of us, as we can understand the problem much better,

a win-win situation for everyone.

* Knowing the operating system would also be an advantage.

 

Thank you for your understanding and patience

 

Nikolino

I know I don't know anything (Socrates)

@NikolinoDE I'm sorry, I forgot to mention the operating system - it's Windows 10, Excel 2016.

 

I would upload a particular file, but the issue is not file related. For testing purposes I simply used a series of 1, 2, 3 and inserted a plot. If I do the same on the PC I am currently on there are no issues. If I go to the "problem" PC, I can't change the axis in any graph in any and all files!

 

 

Hey guys, I'm experiencing the same problem. I have tried exactly the same things as @dvirant except for the attemp on another PC. I've already reinstalled it twice hoping that it will be fixed but it keeps changing the value of the bounds and the major and minor units when i press enter. It's driving me crazy.
Right now I'm using VBA Sub to change them, but its impossible to work like this.
Hope someone knows how to fix it.
Thanks in Advance.
Santiago

@dvirant 

Certainly not the most suitable one to help you with your plotting problem.

But I will search for and find information on the Internet for you and with you that could help you.

 

Bar min and max graph  (English)

Excel–Kastendiagramm  (German)

 

Wish you a nice day

 

Nikolino

I know I don't know anything (Socrates)

@dvirant and @NikolinoDE, it seems that I also have encountered _exactly_ the same type of problem. Can't change the axis bounds, but it works like a charm when opening the same Excel sheet on another computer - both running Win10/Office2016.
If it is any consolation, I have exactly the same problem. No idea how to fix it, but at least you're not alone :) it seems to me this is a fault in excel.
Excel 2019, Windows 10, all updates done.
Hey guys (@dvirant , @NikolinoDE , @robalten242 , @WFRAI ) !!!! I was looking at the excel configuration and nearly by chance I found the solution.... it's gonna sound unbelievable but it was this silly. Apparently the error appears when you don't have well defined the decimal and grouping symbol in your system in the Additional settings in the Region tab of the control panel of windows (I'd never changed anything there so honestly I don't know if it was an update that generated that change or what...) so in the excel options ( in the advanced tab) we all have the default setting that is "Use system separators" and that was messing everything up because every time we wrote excel detected that it was not the correct format and take it to the auto bound again. Give it a try and tell me how it went. ;)
I am pleased that you have found a solution.
The main thing is that you have a solution and that we all have learned something :)).

Thank you

Nikolino
The more I know, the more I realize that I don't know anything.
(Albert Einstein freely based on Socrates)
I've created an account just to say THANK YOU! Don't know how you found that, but you saved the day.
I have this problem as well. I went into the Advanced options and deselected the Use system separators option, then saved and closed the spreadsheet. Unfortunately, when I reopened it, and selected format axis, I still can't see the bounds/units. Is there something more/different I should be doing? Thank you.
Tnx

@Liz_IR - Were you ever able to figure out a solution? Noting that I'm running into the exact same issue as you and am not finding that the fix works that Copetin shared about enabling "Use system separators."

 

Please let me know if you came to a solution around this so that you can update the minimum value of your axis without the value automatically updating back to its original value.

I was able to see the bounds/units under axis options but there may have been a systematic fix as i did not change the way i was trying to set bounds (sorry that isn't very helpful). Best of luck

@Copetin I also created an account just to thank you, i indeed though it had to do with the , & . but didnt know this was the case. Salute!

It worked for me. Thanks!!

@Copetin 

I had the same issue and as soon as I started to read your solution, it clicked in my head, I changed the decimal definition in the past for working on something else - and I would never figure it out on my own, that is the issue with plotting. 

It helped super a lot!

 

Thank you!! 

@Copetin still didn't work... do you have any idea of something else I might do? 

honestly, I think this shouldn't be that hard....

@carlepy 

I have recently had two crazy problems. This was one of them. In both cases the solution was to close Teamviewer!

Does anyone know a solution to the same problem in Excel for Mac, Home 2021, operating on a Mac miniM2 with Ventura 13.2? There doesn't appear to be any solution close to what Copetin describes for Windows (very different command tree from Mac). (My 2011 iMac didn't have this problem with Office 2008.) Thanks for any help (even Thoughts & Prayers).