With this guide, we’ll show you how to fix arrow keys not working in Excel. Let’s get started.
1. Turn Off Scroll Lock
You won’t be able to use the arrow keys if you have a scroll lock enabled on your keyboard. So, the first fix for arrow keys not working in Excel is to turn off your scroll lock.
Look out for a light on your keyboard’s scroll lock button. If it’s on, that means the scroll lock button is enabled and that the arrow keys are not functioning as they should. The solution is to simply press the button to turn the lock off.
How to Turn Off Scroll Lock on a Keyboard
To turn off the scroll lock on a Windows computer, simply press the Scroll lock key.
It is usually located in the control keys section of the keyboard, above the arrow keys, or on the right side of the function keys.
On a Mac, press the F14 or the Shift + F14 key combination. If the scroll lock does not go off, try pressing Command + F14.
How to Turn Off Scroll Lock Without a Keyboard
These days, most computers have keyboards without scroll locks. But you can still turn off the scroll lock without a keyboard.
For Windows Users
Windows has an on-screen keyboard feature that provides you with keys that don’t exist on your physical keyboard. To access the on-screen keyboard:
Open the Start menu, search and launch On-Screen Keyboard. When it opens, look at the right-hand side of the On-screen keyboard. There you will find all the lock keys Click on the key named ScrLk, and it will turn off the scroll lock if it is enabled.
For macOS Users
If you can’t turn off the scroll lock with the keyboard commands on your physical Mac, you’ll need to run an AppleScript.
This method is not as difficult as it sounds if you follow the simple steps below:
Click on Launchpad, search for TextEdit and open it. Create a new document by clicking on the File menu and select New. Copy the following code and paste it into your document.
Save the file by pressing the Command+S keys. Name the file FixExcelKeys. applescript. Now, open your Excel spreadsheet. Double-click the FixExcelKeys. applescript. This will open the script. Click the Run button at the top of the window, and it should fix the arrow keys not working in Excel.
2. Enable Sticky Keys
Another way to fix arrow keys not working in Excel is to enable the sticky keys features on your Windows computer. The sticky keys are not directly related to the arrow keys or your Excel application, but you could try toggling it to see whether it fixes the issue for you.
Open your system’s Control Panel. Click on Ease of Access Center. Next, Click on Make the keyboard easier to use. In some operating systems, you may need to click Change how your keyboard works before you see this section. Enable the option that says Turn on Sticky Keys and click on OK. Alternatively, press your Shift key five times in quick succession to enable Sticky Keys. From the pop-up dialog box, click Yes.
3. Disable Scroll Lock in Excel
If your arrow keys aren’t moving cells in Excel, run a quick test to see if they’re working in other programs. If they are, it’s possible that the issue is with Excel itself.
Excel has a baked-in Scroll Lock feature as well. If it’s turned on, it might be the reason why your cursor is not moving in Excel. Thankfully, it’s a pretty easy fix.
Launch Microsoft Excel, and then open a new or existing spreadsheet. Right-click on the Status bar, which is at the bottom of your worksheet. If you’re having trouble finding it, look for features such as the zoom slider and Page Layout. From the Status bar menu, locate Scroll Lock. If the feature has an On status next to it, click on it once to turn it off.
4. Exit Formula Entry Mode
If you find that your cursor is not moving in Excel, you might be in Excel’s formula entry mode. This means you’ve selected a cell, typed =, and then started typing a function. The selected cell in the formula will change if you press the arrow key in this scenario, but the arrow keys will not control the cursor in the worksheet.
To reactivate the arrows, just press Enter and then Ctrl-Z to undo the formula and exit entry mode. While we’re on the subject of formulas, here’s a detailed cheat sheet of useful Microsoft Excel formulas to help you get work done faster.
5. Disable Add-Ins
Excel add-ins are useful, but sometimes, they might cause some setbacks while using the application. You might need to disable any Excel Add-ins that you previously installed to use the Excel arrow key scroll.
You can disable Add-ins in Excel easily by following these steps:
Launch Excel on your computer. Click the File menu and select Options from the left sidebar. Click on Add-ins on the left sidebar to see your Excel Add-ins settings. From the drop-down menu, select Excel Add-ins and click Go. Choose all the Add-ins and click the OK button. Deselect all the add-ins and click on OK. Repeat the above steps for all the options in the drop-down menu in order to disable all your Excel add-ins. Go back to your worksheet and try using your arrow keys.
6. Unfreeze Columns
If you’re looking at cells within a group of frozen rows or columns, you may think the arrow keys have stopped working. But this is not the case, and you don’t have to unfreeze those panes to fix it.
You could just try zooming out to allow the use of the arrow keys. That way, you’ll get a fuller view of the spreadsheet, and you can easily use the arrow keys in unlocked areas.
Overcome Productivity Obstacles in Microsoft Excel
These solutions above should make it easier for you to navigate your Excel sheets. Don’t stop learning new things about Microsoft Excel and how you can use it for more effective productivity.
