MacBook how to disable horizontal scroll bar in Excel 365 for Mac

Question

I do not want the horizontal scroll to be operational as my worksheets float back and forth every time I scroll vertically. The instructions I find say it's under File > Options > Advanced, but I do not have Options under File. Nor is it under Excel > Preferences. thanks!

Answer 1

Neither Horizontal scrolling nor the scroll bar can be disabled.

If you have a problem with going off-axis when scrolling vertically one alternative is to use the Vertical scroll bar rather than the 2-finger swipe on a trackpad or comparable technique if using a mouse.

Another method is to use fn**+↑** & fn**+↓** [aka, Page Up/Page Down] for vertical scrolling one screen at a time or repeatedly pressing the ↑↓ keys to scroll shorter distances.

Answer 2

Hi Lisa L,

Good day. I'm Jhun an independent advisor. In regards with your request to disable the horizontal scroll bar, unfortunately Excel for Mac does not have a built in setting to do it. However we can do some workarounds. Just choose whatever will suit to your liking.

A. Turn off horizontal scrolling in macOS through your Trackpad settings. Your worksheet floating left and right usually happens because of trackpad gestures.

1. Click Apple menu.
2. Go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
3. Click Trackpad.
4. Select Scroll & Zoom.
5. Turn OFF: Scroll direction: Natural. Or reduce sensitivity. Or disable “Swipe between pages” if enabled.
6. For Mouse, go to Mouse.
7. Disable horizontal swipe gestures.

B. Freeze panes to stop sideway drifts. If the sheet moves while scrolling vertically.

1. Go to View
2. Click Freeze Panes
3. Choose: Freeze Top Row or Freeze First Column
4. Freezing the first column often prevents that floating feeling.

C. Adjust zoom. This reduces sideway movements. If your sheet is wider than the screen, lower the zoom to 80–90% or resize columns so everything fits onscreen. When everything fits horizontally, Excel won’t scroll sideways.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Jhun

Answer 3

Unfortunately, there is no specific information in the provided context regarding how to disable the horizontal scroll bar in Excel 365 for Mac. It appears that the instructions you found may not apply to the Mac version of Excel, as the options and menus can differ from the Windows version.

You may want to explore the Excel preferences further or consult the official Microsoft support documentation for more detailed guidance on managing scroll bars in Excel for Mac.

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References:

• Excel for Mac error: "The application Microsoft Excel quit unexpectedly"
• "Microsoft Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close" when starting Excel for Mac
• Deploy Office for Mac from the Mac App Store
• About Scroll Bars
• idMSOs supported in Excel for Mac
• Support and feedback