problem when switching "bold" on and off

Question

Hey,
I'm using excel on Mac, and recently I've started to experience issues when switching "bold" on and off.
For instance, when switching to bold while writing in any language that isn't english - the first letter would be english and then the rest in the language I choose.
And the same happens when switching bold off, the first letter will be english and only then in the language I choose.
It never happend to me before. anyone have an idea how can I solve it?
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hi Yonatan, 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum! 

Have a good day and I hope you're doing well!  

I completely understand how frustrating this must be having the first character switch to English (ABC) right after toggling Bold can really disrupt your workflow, especially when working with non-English languages. 

To provide the most accurate guidance, could you please share a few details? 

1. The exact version of Excel for Mac you're using, including the build number and update channel dnd your macOS version. 
2. Does this occur with both the Cmd+B shortcut and the Bold button on the Ribbon? Does it also happen in other apps like Word or PowerPoint? 

A detailed screenshot or short screen recording showing the behavior:  

• Enable the input source icon in the macOS menu bar (System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources > check "Show Input menu in menu bar"). 
• Demonstrate typing in your non-English language, toggling Bold on/off, and then typing the next character(s). 
• Test it both while editing directly in the cell and on the Formula Bar. 

If this behavior started after a recent update, we can explore temporarily reverting to a previous version to see if it resolves things. I'll guide you through that below. 

These can help you continue working without interruptions while we investigate further: 

1. Format before or after typing: Select the cell, apply Bold first (via Cmd+B or the Ribbon), then enter your text. Alternatively, type everything and apply Bold afterward. This avoids triggering the input switch mid-entry. 

2. Use an alternative method to toggle Bold: Try the Bold button on the Ribbon instead of Cmd+B (or vice versa), or go to Format > Cells > Font tab and check Bold. 

3. Edit on the Formula Bar: Click the cell and type in the Formula Bar at the top instead of directly in the cell. (If needed, go to Excel > Preferences > Edit and uncheck "Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop" to focus there.) 

 4.Disable automatic input source switching in macOS: Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources and uncheck "Automatically switch to a document’s input source." This can prevent macOS from overriding your selected language. (More details: Apple Support - Use input sources on Mac) 

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. These sites are not controlled by Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks before using any suggestions from the above link.

5. Temporarily remove the "ABC/English" input source: If you don't need English for this task, remove it from System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources. You can add it back later. 

6. Test with add-ins disabled: Go to Tools > Excel Add-ins (or COM Add-ins) and uncheck any active ones, then restart Excel. 

7. Switch to a standard font: Try using something like Arial or Calibri to rule out font-specific issues. 

Temporarily downgrade if tied to a recent update: If the issue began after updating, reverting to an earlier build can help confirm and work around it. Use Microsoft's official update history page to select and download the installer for a previous version: Update history for Office for Mac 

Test in Safe Mode or a new user account: Restart your Mac in Safe Mode (hold Shift during startup) or create a new macOS user to check for system-level conflicts. 

I hope the information I've provided will be at least partially helpful in addressing this input switching issue with Bold toggling in Excel. If you have any concerns or questions, or if I've misunderstood something or anything is unclear, feel free to reach out. I'm here to refine the advice based on more details from you. 

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