Excel showing symbols instead of letters when typing

Question

I seem to have pressed something by accident when leaving paperwork on my keyboard as when I type symbols are displaying instead of letters on excel only.

Answer 1

Hello @Chris Garnett,  

Good day! Thank you for posting your valuable question on Microsoft Q&A forum.   

Based on your description and the submitted tag, I understand that you’re experiencing an issue where Excel displays symbols instead of letters when typing on a Windows device. Please let me know if I misunderstood any part of your situation or you have any additional information to share. 

Here are a few steps you may want to try to check for your issue: 

Check the Font 

• Select the affected cells in Excel. 
• Go to the Home tab and look at the Font box. 
• If the font is set to Wingdings, Webdings, or another symbol font, change it to Calibri or Arial. 
• Test typing again. 

Verify Keyboard Layout 

• Press Win + Space or Alt + Shift to cycle through keyboard layouts. 
• Make sure your keyboard is set to the correct language (e.g., English), not a language that displays symbols. 

Release Stuck Modifier Keys and Exit Formula Mode 

• Tap Shift, Ctrl, and Alt once to release any stuck keys. 
• Check if Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock are enabled and turn them off if not needed. 
• If you accidentally pressed = or +, Excel expects a formula, press Esc to exit formula entry mode. 

Restart Excel 

• Save your work and Close Excel completely. 
• Reopen Excel and check if the issue persists. 
• If it still happens, restart your computer. 

If the problem continues, please confirm: 

• Does this happen in all Excel files or just one? 
• Are other applications affected (like Word, OneNote,...)? 
• Which version of Excel are you using? 
• What is your current operating system(Windows, MacOS,...)?

This will help us provide more targeted guidance. Thank you for reaching out! 

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