Is it possible to prevent the TAB key from accepting autocomplete suggestions in Excel?

Question

I have a large Excel file containing biographical entries of persons in a particular profession. When I create a new row I typically type across the sheet without actually looking at the screen, using the TAB key to advance to the next cell.

The problem is that for the Firstname and Lastname columns, what I enter is often expanded by Excel's AutoComplete function to a longer name (e.g., Anton to Antonia or Roberts to Robertson), which I only tend to notice when I've finished keying the data for that row, so I then have to go back and manually reverse the AutoCompletion in the affected name column.

I don't want to disable this function because it sometimes saves me from having to type a long or difficult name. e.g., one with accented characters (assuming that name is already somewhere in the file).

Is it possible to tweak the operation of the TAB key so that it only accepts what I've explicitly typed rather than the AutoCompleted name?

If so, then I could use the ENTER key when I actually want to accept a longer name that Excel AutoCompletes for me.

Answer 1

Currently, Excel does not provide a built-in option to modify the behavior of the TAB key specifically to prevent it from accepting autocomplete suggestions while still allowing it to function normally for navigation. However, there are a couple of workarounds you might consider:

1. Use the ESC Key: If you notice that Excel has auto-completed a name incorrectly, you can press the ESC key immediately after pressing TAB. This will cancel the autocomplete suggestion and retain what you originally typed.
2. Use the Enter Key for Confirmation: As you suggested, you can use the ENTER key to confirm the autocomplete suggestion when you want to accept it. This way, you can control when to accept the autocomplete suggestions versus when to keep your original input.
3. Adjusting AutoComplete Settings: While you mentioned you don't want to disable the autocomplete feature entirely, you can consider adjusting your typing habits by being more aware of the suggestions that appear and using the ESC key to dismiss them when necessary.

Unfortunately, there is no direct way to tweak the TAB key's functionality in Excel to achieve the desired behavior without using additional software or macros, which may require more advanced customization.