Can’t Type in Microsoft Excel? 6 Fixes to Try
You’ll be up and running again in no time
If you useMicrosoft Excelfrequently, you might have run into the error where you can’t type anything into an Excel sheet. Luckily, this is a pretty common problem—alongside otherExcel responsiveness issues—and there are several ways to solve the issue.
If you’re wondering, “Why can’t I type in Excel?” We’ve got six fixes to try.
1. Enable Editing
If you’ve opened a spreadsheet that you didn’t create — i.e., one that has been sent to you by somebody else or downloaded from the web — you may find it’s protected. You’ll know as when you open the file, you’ll find you’re unable to enter any text into cells. So how do you fix this issue?
2. Unprotect Your Sheet or Workbook
It might be that the sheet or workbook you’re trying to type in is protected. If this is the case, Excel won’t let you type any data into the sheet and will display a message letting you know. It’s easy to unprotect a sheet or workbook so you can enter data, although if the sheet or workbook is password protected, you’ll need the password from whoever created it.
3. Disable NumLock
It might sound obvious, but are you trying to type numbers into an Excel sheet or workbook using the separate numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard? If this is the case and you can’t enter any numbers, it might be that NumLock is on.
Here’s how to disable it.
Note:Many modern keyboards don’t have a separate numeric keypad, therefore won’t have a NumLock key.
4. Clear Data Validation Rules
Data validation rules can restrict what values users can input — for example, you can provide a range of specified values, such as whole numbers from 0 to 100. If you try to type in any other value, this will result in an error message.
There are two options here: Either you can stick to the data validation restrictions or contact the sheet creator if you’re not sure what input value is required. Or you can remove the data validation restrictions. Here’s how to do that.
5. Disable Add-Ins
If you’ve recently installed new add-ins in Excel, this could be the reason you can’t type in Excel. By launching Excel in safe mode, you can figure out if an add-in is causing this problem. Launching Excel in safe mode is also a good solution ifExcel is not responding.
Here’s how to launch Excel in safe mode.
Still can’t type in Excel? Now you know that an add-in is causing the problem, the only question is, how do you know which add-in is the culprit?
First, you’ll need to identify which add-in is the problem, then remove it. Here’s how to do that.
6. Adjust Editing Options
If a formula is applied to a cell, you can usually double-click that cell or press the F2 key to view the formula — and edit it. If you press F2 or double-click a cell and are unable to edit the formula or type in the cell, you need to adjust your editing options. Here’s how to do that.
As you can see, there are a number of things that could be causing the issue if you can’t type in Excel. Luckily, there are also a number of quick and easy fixes to try if you’re experiencing this problem, so you should be up and running again in no time.
Paula Beaton is a freelance technology and food writer based in Scotland. Before making the move to writing, Paula worked as a call handler for the police, served refreshments on trains, and even trained as a nursery nurse. Since she became a writer in 2012, Paula has written everything from how-to guides to reviews, specialising in Android, Windows, and gaming. She’s also a foodie fascinated by food history and culture.Read Paula’s Full Bio
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