If the cursor in Excel won’t move between cells, Scroll Lock is the most likely cause. When it’s on, the arrow keys scroll the whole sheet instead of moving the selection, and Scroll Lock appears in the status bar at the bottom of the window. Press the ScrLk key to turn it off. If your keyboard doesn’t have one, open the On-Screen Keyboard (press Windows + Ctrl + O) and click ScrLk.
Applies to: Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows and Mac.
First, check the status bar
Look at the bottom-left of the Excel window. What it shows tells you the cause:
- Scroll Lock: arrow keys scroll the sheet. See Fix 1.
- Extend Selection or Add to Selection: arrow keys select a growing range. See Fix 2.
- Edit or Enter: you’re typing inside a cell. Press Esc or Enter.
If the status bar doesn’t show Scroll Lock even when it’s on, right-click the status bar and tick Scroll Lock.
Fix 1: Turn off Scroll Lock
- Keyboard with a ScrLk key: press it once. On many laptops it’s a second function on another key, used with Fn; look for “ScrLk” printed on a key.
- No ScrLk key: press Windows + Ctrl + O to open the On-Screen Keyboard, or search for On-Screen Keyboard in Start. Click ScrLk so it’s no longer highlighted, then close it.
- Mac: press F14, or Shift + F14 (some setups use Control, Option or Command instead of Shift). Excel for Mac doesn’t show Scroll Lock in the status bar, so test by pressing an arrow key: if the cell address in the Name Box doesn’t change, it’s on. If your keyboard has no F14 key, an external keyboard with one is the simplest fix.
Fix 2: Turn off Extend Selection
If arrow keys keep highlighting more and more cells, you pressed F8 by accident. Press F8 again or Esc. Shift + F8 (Add to Selection) is turned off the same way.
Fix 3: Unprotect the sheet
If you can’t click certain cells at all, the sheet may be protected with locked-cell selection turned off. Go to Review > Unprotect Sheet and enter the password if asked. If you don’t know it, ask the person who sent you the file.
Fix 4: Check frozen panes
With frozen panes, part of the sheet stays still while you scroll, which can look like the cursor is stuck. Go to View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. You can set them up again later by freezing the top row and first column.
Fix 5: The cursor doesn’t move after pressing Enter
Go to File > Options > Advanced and tick After pressing Enter, move selection, with Direction set to Down.
Fix 6: Excel is frozen
If nothing responds, including the ribbon, Excel itself is stuck.
- Wait a minute; a big calculation or save may be running.
- Press Esc to close any hidden dialog box. Check behind the Excel window for an open box.
- Close Excel with Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) if needed.
- Start Excel in safe mode: press Windows + R, type excel /safe and press Enter. If it works there, an add-in is the cause; turn them off in File > Options > Add-ins.
A pane that opens unexpectedly on the right can also take over the keyboard. If that’s the Research pane, turn off Research in Excel.
Fix 7: The mouse pointer is the problem
If the mouse pointer won’t move but the keyboard works, the problem is outside Excel. Check the mouse batteries or connection, and make sure the laptop touchpad isn’t turned off with a function key.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Scroll Lock turn on by itself?
It’s usually pressed by accident, often as part of an Fn combination on a laptop, or by a KVM switch.
Can I make the active cell easier to see?
Yes. A little conditional formatting can highlight the active cell.
Does Scroll Lock affect other programs?
Rarely. Excel is one of the few programs that still uses it, which is why the problem usually shows up only in Excel.
Related: how to press Enter in Excel and stay in the same cell.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.