I cannot type or paste into any Excel document on my MacBook Pro

Question

I am able to format cells, and save formatting changes.

I can copy but not paste.

I can't click in any cell or in the formula bar to get a cursor.

This is happening with all documents, old and new.

I'm running the latest OS.

I've reinstalled Excel several times.

Answer 1

Hi, Ann

Because formatting still works and the problem affects every workbook, this appears to be an Excel input issue rather than damaged files or a keyboard problem.

Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

Open Excel > About Microsoft Excel and check the version. If it is 16.111.x, temporarily roll Excel back to 16.110.3. In matching cases, this restored typing and pasting when reinstalling the current version did not. Remove only Excel from Applications, then install 16.110.3 from the Office for Mac update history. Temporarily turn off automatic updates so it is not immediately replaced.

If the version is different, reset Excel’s preference file. In Finder, select Go > Go to Folder, enter ~/Library/Preferences, and move com.microsoft.Excel.plist to the Desktop. Reopen Excel and test a blank workbook. Excel will create a fresh preference file, while your workbooks remain untouched.

If rolling back fixes it, use Help > Feedback to report the affected version before re-enabling updates.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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Answer 2

I had this issue as well, on Mac, with version 16.112. I installed 16.114.26090140 from the Beta channel (in Microsoft Autoupdate) and that resolved the issue.

Answer 3

Upgrading to beta version solved the issue for me as well!

I had other issues with this version (16.112) of MS Office, such as login failing with unknown error. A clean reinstall helped with all other issues except for MS Excel.

Answer 4

Since this affects all workbooks, including new ones, and reinstalling Excel did not help, this points to a Mac-specific Excel state or permission issue rather than file corruption.

Try these steps in order:

1. Quit Excel completely.
   • Use Excel > Quit Excel or press Command+Q.
2. Check macOS file permissions for Excel.
   • Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files and Folders.
   • Find Microsoft Excel and expand it.
   • Turn on access to available locations, especially Documents, Desktop, and Downloads.
   • If access is already on, turn one permission off and back on to refresh it.
   • Restart the Mac and test a blank workbook.
   • If Excel is not listed there, open a workbook from Documents or Desktop and allow the macOS permission prompt.
3. Test paste by keyboard.
   • Try Cmd+V.
   • In Excel for Mac, paste is Cmd+V or Ctrl+V, and Paste Special is Cmd+Ctrl+V, Ctrl+Option+V, or Cmd+Option+V.
4. Make sure Excel is not stuck in an edit/copy state.
   • Press Esc.
   • Copy again.
   • Select the destination cell with a single click, then paste.
   • If Excel thinks a cell is being edited, paste controls can be unavailable.
5. Reset Excel ribbon customizations.
   • Go to Excel > Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar.
   • Reset the ribbon/customizations.
   • Fully quit Excel and reopen it.
6. Test in a new macOS user account.
   • If Excel works there, the issue is likely in the current macOS user profile or Excel preferences rather than the workbook files.

If the problem started after a recent update, there are also documented Excel for Mac issues where copy/paste behavior was fixed in later builds, including a Beta Channel fix for text being cut off during copy/paste and another fix for paste while editing a comment.

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References:

• Everything works except Excel will not let me type anything in it - Microsoft Q&A
• Excel 2024 Home ribbon paste function grays out after use - Microsoft Q&A
• Keyboard shortcuts in Excel
• Excel for Mac - Release notes for Beta Channel builds