Troubleshooting Navigation issues
Microsoft Excel
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Microsoft Knowledge base article 307812
This article was previously published under Q307812
Symptoms
In Microsoft Excel, when you use the mouse or the keyboard to move the cell pointer from one cell to another, the cell pointer may not move as expected. You may experience one of the following symptoms:
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You may unintentionally highlight a cell range instead of selecting a different individual cell.
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The worksheet may scroll when you click the arrow keys on your keyboard.
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The cell pointer may move to an unexpected location when you click the arrow keys on your keyboard.
Cause
Unexpected changes to the navigation functionality may indicate that one of several keyboard settings or Excel settings are turned on without your knowledge. Or, that you have a malfunctioning keyboard or a mouse driver. Additionally, this problem may indicate that the hardware is malfunctioning.
Resolution
To troubleshoot navigation issues, try the following methods in the order that they appear.
Method 1: click each mouse button
Click the left mouse button, the middle mouse button, and the right mouse button to see whether this resolves the issue.
Method 2: Check for extended-selection mode
The extend-selection option changes mouse and arrow key functionality in the following manner. If you use the mouse to click a cell, all the cells between the previously selected cell and the cell that you are currently trying to click are now selected. If you press an arrow key, the previously selected cell and the adjacent cell in the direction of the arrow key are now selected. If you are seeing this behavior and EXT is shown in the Excel status bar, you can press the F8 key to turn off the extend-selection option.
Method 3: Check for SCROLL LOCK
When SCROLL LOCK is on, "SCRL" appears in the Excel status bar. If you press the arrow keys when SCROLL LOCK is on, you scroll one row up or one row down. Or, you scroll one column to the left or one column to the right. to use the arrow keys to move between cells, you must turn SCROLL LOCK off.
Method 4: Check that a SHIFT or Control (CTRL) key is not stuck
Keyboard keys can sometimes get stuck in the "Down" position. If one of the Shift keys is stuck in the "down" position, the same symptoms occur when the extend-selection option is selected. If you notice this behavior, but you do not see the "EXT" status in the status bar, one of the Shift keys may be stuck on your keyboard. Press each Shift key a couple of times to see if you can resolve this issue. If the issue is not resolved, your keyboard may be damaged. If that is the case, follow the steps in Method 6 to troubleshoot further.
If one of the Ctrl keys is stuck and you use the mouse to click a different individual cell, the previously selected cell and the cell that you are currently clicking are now selected. However, the cells in between are not selected. If you press an arrow key, the cell pointer moves in any direction more than one cell. The cell pointer may move toward the direction of the arrow keys. This frequently occurs when the cell pointer is moving toward the end of the row or column. To resolve this problem, press each Ctrl key a couple of times. If this still does not resolve the issue, we recommend that you follow the steps in Method 6 because your keyboard may be damaged.
Method 5: Reboot your computer
To shut down and then restart your computer, follow these steps:
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Quit your programs.
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Click Start
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Click Shut Down
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In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Shut Down
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Click OK
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Make sure that you completely turn off your computer, and then wait at least one minute.
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Turn the computer back on. Then, restart the computer
The mouse drives should load back into memory.
Method 6: Remove and reinstall the hardware driver for the mouse or keyboard
Some third-party hardware producers include
additional software with the hardware packages, such as installation
files for hardware drivers. If your mouse or keyboard has additional
software included, go to Control Panel,
choose Add or remove programs, and
then click to select the software from the list of installed
programs. Click the Remove button
and uninstall the software. After you uninstall the software, shut
down your computer. Then, restart your computer. The operating
system should detect the hardware again, and the operating system
should load the standard drivers or the default drivers.
Test the functionality of the hardware by using the default driver
that was provided by the operating system. If the hardware works as
expected using the default driver that was provided by the operating
system, there may be a problem with the manufacturer's software.
Sometimes, when you remove and then reinstall the software, you can
resolve the issue. However, you should check the manufacturer's Web
site for an updated version of the software or driver, or both, for
your hardware, and then install the latest version that is
available.
If your hardware did not include additional software, follow the
instructions in this section based on your operating system.
Microsoft Windows Millennium, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 95
To remove and reinstall the mouse driver, follow these steps
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Access Device Manager (Hyperlink will open in a separate window)
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In the System properties dialog box, click the plus sign next to Mouse or Keyboard on the Device Manager tab.
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Select the hardware that is not functioning properly
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Click Remove
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In the Confirm Device Removal dialog box, click OK
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In the System Properties box, click Close
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Click Start
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Click Shut Down
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In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart
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Click OK
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Allow your computer to locate the hardware
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In the System Settings Change dialog box, click Yes to restart your computer
This procedure will reinstall your hardware driver
Microsoft Windows NT 4, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows XP
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Access Device Manager (Hyperlink will open in a separate window)
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In the System Properties dialog box, Click Device manager on the Hardware tab
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In the Device manager dialog box, click the plus sign next to Mice and other pointing devices for the mouse, or click the plus sign next to Keyboard for the keyboard.
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Select the hardware that is not functioning properly.
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On the Action menu, click Uninstall.
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In the Confirm Device Removal dialog box, click OK
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Click Start
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Click Shut Down
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In the Shut Down dialog box, Select Restart from the drop down list
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Click OK
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Allow your computer to locate the mouse.
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In the System Settings Change dialog box, Click Yes to restart your computer.
Method 7: Change the problem hardware or the hardware driver for the mouse or keyboard
If you have another mouse or keyboard that is available to test, shut down your computer. Then, replace the existing hardware with another mouse or keyboard. Boot your computer, start Excel, and then test the functionality.