Forum Discussion
Cant click on drop down arrow
- noahwass FYI I think I found the cause (for my case anyway): if you have multiple displays and they are at different screen resolutions (external monitor at 100%, laptop at 120%), the dropdowns and other Excel features will not work properly on the display that is not set to 100%.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/data-validation-list-dropdown-arrow-cannot-be/85b25ab5-9e25-4027-9fd3-4e9331bcda26
Excel 2010:
File -> Options -> Advanced-> Group: Show options for this workbook: -> Show objects as: Select "All".
Then the dropdown functions will be back. 🙂
Ps. Recommend to do an Office update. As far as I can remember, that was an old bug which was actually fixed with a patch in the service pack ... even in 2010. Better safe than sorry, update.
I would be happy to know if I could help.
Nikolino
I know I don't know anything (Socrates)
* Kindly Mark and Vote this reply if it helps please, as it will be beneficial to more Community members reading here.
Old post, but this was extremely helpful for an issue I had encountered!
Not sure when the setting changed for me, but this certainly resolved the frustrating issue I had with drop-downs.
For later Excel version Office 365 reference, the navigation is as follows:
File > Advanced:
Under the "Display options for this workbook" sub-header there is the option "For objects, show:"
Select "All"
Thanks again!
- Thanks for your feedback, I'm glad you found a solution and are posting it here.
I wish you continued success with Excel! This was an awesome discovery. I did not find the answer until I continued reading.
Mine was working until it wasn't. I realized after read that I had zoomed the workbook. Putting the zoom back to 100%, changing monitors, close/open, copy workbook, clear validation,... nothing worked. Did not find until I got to this post where to find the appropriate section. Question remains, why did it get changed from All to Nothing? Thanks Trahllah.
NikolinoDE HI Nikolino,
Sorry, in the Advance Option, there is no Group so I couldnt do what you suggested. And I mistook, my version is not 2010 but 2019 😉
I ran an update, logoff and relogin but problem still exists.
I wonder if I delete the software and reload with the code, will that work?
Thanks
Jasmine
So with me I can open it, as Mr. Hans Vogelaar also describes it.
You might be lucky with this correction instruction.
How to show drop down list’s disappeared arrows again in Excel?
In some cases, the arrow of drop down list disappears because the option called In-cell dropdown is not checked.
- Select the drop down list cells and click Data > Data Validation.
- In the Data Validation dialog, under Settings tab, go to check In-cell dropdown option.
- Clock OK to close dialog, and you can see the arrow of drop down list has been shown.
If all of this does not work out, make a Windows update and an Office update to be on the safe side. If this doesn't work either, then ... halleluia, uninstall and reinstall the office package.
Hope it doesn't come to that and be lucky with the correction instructions.
