Excel cursor identifying incorrect cell in spreadsheet

Question

Hi, I've a problem with the cursor identifying the wrong cell in Excel. Happens regularly and to resolve it I either have to close/reopen Excel or increase/decrease the zoom. Running Mac10.15.2 [Catalina] and Excel 16.16.17. Have seen this issue flagged before: but I seem to be using the latest iteration of both OS and Excel so updating has not helped. Grateful for any advice which stops this very frustrating issue. Thanks, Rory

Answer 1

Hello Rory

I am V. Arya, Independent Advisor, to work with you on this issue. Are you on Excel 2016? Did this problem happen after update to Catalina?

Answer 2

Hi RoryScoot1,

If this issue can’t resolve after update office for mac to latest version, you can follow those steps as below to check if there is a issue related local environment:

1. Run Excel in safe mode to see if the issue happens.
2. You can also create a new user profile for mac to check the outcome.
3. Go to folder>~/Library/Containers>look for com.microsoft.Excel file>move the file to Desktop>Restart Excel.

Check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, exit Microsoft Excel and then restore the com.microsoft.Excel file to its original location. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the file to the trash.

If the issue persists, we need more information to move further:

1. I noticed that you post a category with Office 365 home but your Excel version is 16.16.17 which is the latest version for Office 2016 for Mac, Could you provide the specific version screenshot of your Office product information?

( open Excel, go to Excel menu, and click About Excel.)

2. when did you experience the problem the first time? Have you made some change before?

3.Could you create a new Excel file  to check if it’s a specific file issue? As a Office 365 home subscriber, Could you repro this issue in Excel for web?

Please have a try and share with me your results.

Regards,

Uniquem

Answer 3

Hi V.Arya,

No not from then, but after a seriously delayed update from the 2016 to 2018 version of Excel.

I just didn't like the newer version and kept the older more familiar Excel going for as long as I could.

Spreadsheets started from scratch in the latter version would appear not to be affected; only those from the previous iteration. Those affected are all continuously added to for professional requirement and are up to 14,000 rows and 25 columns - so restarting from scratch would be a dismal option!

Thanks, Rory

Answer 4

Hi Uniqem,

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ran Excel after safe boot - problem persisted so I took 4 screenshots:

• on opening at 100% zoom selected cell G1423 on spreadsheet, identified as G1425 by excel;
• on increasing zoom to 130% selected cell straddles G1422/3 on spreadsheet, remains identified as G1425 by excel;
• on increasing zoom to 150% selected cell has moved from G1423 to G1425 and is correctly identified by excel;
• on returning to 100% any cell selected is correctly identified by excel!

Created guest user and downloaded file from dropbox problem persisted see below

Interestingly during this exercise I opened the file in MS online - seemed to work well but only tried for a couple of cells.

Executed your direction at 3. and problem persists.

Then proceeded to your second set of 3 points. Unfortunately, I made a basic error: the Excel I was using till last year was the 2011 edition - will need to let V.Arya know see screenshot of each:

So problem existed since I changed late last year from 2011 to 2016. If I open the 2016 file in 2011 - it works perfectly?

I also managed to confuse myself between my subscription to Office 35 with the version of Excel I now use and the file appears to work without any glitches in Excel for web.

Thanks, Rory

PII information is masked by Higgins Meng MSFT

Answer 5

Hi again,

sorry, made an embarassing error: this issue arose after updating from 2011 to 2016 version of Excel!

i'd delayed the update for the reasons stated earlier. 

also added more info in my reply to Uniquen below.

best wishes, Rory