Forum Discussion
Excel will not let me click into cells or incorrect cell is selected randomly
Hi,
This is an ongoing issue that I've been having for years across platforms, computers, versions of excel and workbooks.
Basicially, one of two things happen:
1-I click on a cell but nothing happens, the cell is not selected
2-I click on a cell but the wrong cell is selected (Example: Click on cell B2 but excel will select C2)
This will happen as frequently as a few times a day (across multiple workbooks) to every month (again, across multiple workbooks)
In ALL cases cells are NOT protected
Saving the workbook, closing then restarting excel fixes the problem.
As I mentioned before, this has been ongoing for years now across multiple computers, workbooks, operating systems. All systems and versions of excel were fully up to date at the time of the error. Because this is happening over several different workbooks, I do not belive it is a workbook issue (especially when it doesn't happen 100% of the time to ANY workbook)
Systems used:
Macbook Pro (circa 2015), OS up to date - No longer have this computer
Windows 8 (again, old computer)
Windows 10 (old computer
Windows 11 (2 different computers, currently owned)
I have always kept excel and the OS fully up to date and I'm currently using the most recent version of Windows and Excel.
In all cases, I have used built in trackpad and a 3 different wireless mice (with full batteries). Still randomly occurs.
It's really just an annoyance and like I mentioned before, saving the workbook and restarting excel solves the issue... until next time (which could be later that day or a few weeks...It's very random.)
- I'm continuing to quiz MS on this, and they continue to fob me off with "report it to the Feedback Hub". Even their own in-app link to "talk with an agent" directs to the Feedback Hub! Unfathomably disgraceful service.
Is anyone having trouble with Excel on Win 10, or is it just us suckers who upgraded to win11?
it is not you and Windows 11. I am having issues on three differnet computers running Windows 1o and Office 365.
- Same experience this side, it occurred on two Windows 10 machines, so my employer gave me a new one with Windows 11. The problem is even worse (distance between cursor is greater) and it's more difficult to undo the problem and continue working. Also lots of issues with Windows 11 and also with Dell Latitude hardware (always untested, buggy garbage).
MICROSOFT: YOU NEED TO BE REPLYING TO THIS AND RESOLVING THE ISSUE - THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE.
- Over the years I've had this issue on Windows 10, Windows 11 and Mac OSX (don't remember which version). I've had the issue on a clean install on 3 different laptops made by 3 different manufacturers both with and without separate keyboard/mouse installed (including drivers installed and not installed). This sorta rules out, at least in my mind, anything except Excel. I've also done clean installs of excel with no change...
With all this in mind, I did have excel crash about 2 months ago on both of my computers (turns out it was actually a network drive issue but that's neither here nor there). I ended up doing a fresh install of Office 365 from a new download (after doing a standard uninstall) and have not had the issue on either computer since.
So maybe, just maybe there's an update in the full download not included in any incremental update? Your mileage may vary, but may be worth a shot.- Thanks for the suggestions, I've tried regressing to a different Office version and now with the new laptop have all latest builds, I think. So it's really difficult to understand, but in my case this problem started very suddenly a few months ago, so MS obviously did something to cause this.
- This affects both 10 and 11. I've got an entirely new laptop (from my employer) which is 11, my previous one was 10. I've lost over half a day of productivity due to this, entirely with the aim of resolving the issue, and now find it's actually worse on the new laptop (Dell Latitude, which are notoriously terrible for bugs and config issues, so that doesn't help). I am absolutely livid about this.
Spent a few hours today with our I.T. guys, they couldn't solve Microsoft's bug so issued me a new laptop.
After spending some time working with the new unit, I find your Excel bug WORSE than before.
I have wasted hours on this. I am losing productivity. I am tired of your disgusting apathy towards paying customers.
SORT THIS ISSUE OUT IMMEDIATELY.
- The more I look into this, the more it seems to depend on mouse/touchpad/touchscreen drivers, that is why the inconsistency. Also, definitely Windows 11, most likely when using "frozen" columns and headers. I put in a ticket with Microsoft, and when they called back... of course I could not reproduce it on demand, but when it happens, I cannot wait for them to call back.
My suggestion, if you have office 365 subscription, complain to Microsoft! you are paying for a service.
Maybe one of us will get lucky and get Microsoft responding when the issue happens. CPeterson710 I'm having the same issue intermittently. I click in the cell to create a formula, but it goes in the cell above, I then have to use the arrows on the keyboard to get into the cell I want.
- I cannot open my plan than have macro, please help me
- Hello CPeterson710 and All,
By any chance are you using a Wireless mouse/Keyboard combo? If yes it it the Logitech MK series?
Let me know please.Most of my problems are on an LG laptop touchpad, but recently the problem popped up on my Dell desktop with hardwired usb DELL keyboard and mouse. It recently happened on WORD now?
I had an open ticked with Microsoft, but I couldn't get it to reproduce when they called me back. It seems very random.
GeorgieAnne I do use the MX Logitech mouse and keyboard combo. However, I've also had issues on my laptop using the trackpad with no Logitech hardware/software/drivers installed. I also had the issue years ago on a Mac, also with only the trackpad.
- Can someone with this issue please try changing their default printer? (We had a case open with Microsoft where this might have been the workaround.) Even though the issue has nothing to do with printing, this is a possible workaround.
- I'll give it a shot.
- I have had the issue with no printers installed on a fresh Windows 10 and later Windows 11 install.
- This is an utterly disgraceful bug and must be resolved immediately. I've had 5 weeks of disrupted work and lowered efficiency.
- If it happens again, call MSOFT right away. I am waiting where it acts up, and I have time to sit on the phone with them to prove the problem. As is typical, nobody else was complaining about this problem.
- It is absolutely staggering that a bug of this magnitude, which MS knows about, is left unfixed. I am currently working around it by using my laptop touchpad and a quick up/down scroll, which somehow resets the issue (I use my laptop keyboard even working through monitors, for ergonomic reasons). I noted mentions of Logitech so I updated my marble mouse drivers, no change, which is as I expected. This needs resolving with absolute urgency.
I had faced this issue some time back on one of my laptops, and cannot recall, but managed to circumvent it. Have now started facing the same issue since a fortnight on my laptop with Windows 11 and Excel 2019, and it is driving me crazy. Clicking on another window and back into excel works, most often. Clicking on menubar and then into cells also works sometimes. But nothing works consistently, and it is killing my productivity big time. Someone please help!
