In Excel, the arrow keys are used to move the cursor around the worksheet. You can use the up-arrow key to move the cursor up one cell, the down-arrow key to move the cursor down one cell, the left arrow key to move the cursor left one cell, and the right arrow key to move the cursor right one cell. But what if the arrow keys lock up and become inoperable? I understand that it can be really annoying, however, this article will explain how to unlock arrow keys in Excel. So, continue reading the article to know how you can fix arrow keys not working in Excel.

How to Unlock Arrow Keys in Excel

Here, we have explained how to unlock arrow keys in Microsoft Excel.

Contents

  • How to Unlock Arrow Keys in Excel
  • Reasons for Arrow Keys Getting Locked in Excel
  • Method 1: Use Scroll Lock Key
  • Method 2: Use On-screen Keyboard
  • Method 3: Use Sticky Keys
  • Method 4: Disable Add-ins
  • Method 5: Using Customized Status Bar to Unlock the Arrow Keys in Excel

Reasons for Arrow Keys Getting Locked in Excel

There could be several reasons why the arrow keys on your keyboard might be locked in Excel. Here are a few potential explanations:

  • Num Lock: If the Num Lock key on your keyboard is turned on, it can cause the arrow keys to behave differently than usual. Try pressing the Num Lock key to turn it off and see if that helps.
  • Scroll Lock: The Scroll Lock key can also affect the behavior of the arrow keys in Excel. Try pressing the Scroll Lock key to turn it off and see if that fixes the problem.
  • Stuck keys: Sometimes, keys on the keyboard can become stuck due to dirt, debris, or wear and tear. If one or more of the arrow keys is stuck, it could cause them to become locked.
  • Keyboard settings: Depending on your operating system and the type of keyboard you are using, there may be settings that can affect the behavior of the arrow keys. You may want to check your keyboard settings to see if there are any options that could be causing the arrow keys to become locked.
  • Excel settings: Finally, it’s possible that there may be a setting within Excel itself that is causing the arrow keys to become locked. You may want to check your Excel settings to see if there is anything that could be causing the problem.

Method 1: Use Scroll Lock Key

By pressing the scroll lock key on your keyboard, you can unlock the arrow keys, just press on it, and you are done.

Method 2: Use On-screen Keyboard

In case, you do not have the scroll lock key in your physical keyboard then you have to follow the steps below to fix arrow keys not working in Excel.

  1. Press the Windows key, type On-screen Keyboard, and click on Open.

  2. Now, click on ScrLK.

Doing this can easily unlock the arrow keys in excel.

Also Read: Fix Excel Has Run Into an Error

Method 3: Use Sticky Keys

You can use the sticky keys as another option to unlock the arrow keys

  1. Hit the Windows key, type Control Panel, then click on Open.

  2. Click on Ease of Access.

  3. Now, click on change how your Keyboard works.

  4. Click on the turn-on sticky keys and select Apply.

Method 4: Disable Add-ins

In Excel, an add-in is a supplemental program that adds additional features and functionality to the Excel application. And disabling is another option to unlock arrow keys. You can do so by following these steps:

  1. Click on File at the top left corner side.

  2. Then, click on Options.

  3. Now, click on Add-ins.

  4. Now click on Go… beside the excel add-ins in the Manage bar at the bottom.

  5. Uncheck all the add-ins boxes and click Ok.

Method 5: Using Customized Status Bar to Unlock the Arrow Keys in Excel

If all of the above options don’t suit you, the last option is to use the customized status bar to unlock the arrow keys.

  1. Right-click on the Status bar at the bottom of your Excel worksheet.

  2. If the status of Scroll Lock is ON, then click to turn it OFF.

This will fix arrow keys not working in Excel issue.

Also Read: How to Lock or Unlock Cells in Excel

Q1. How do I make my arrow keys work again?

Ans. There are a few potential reasons why your arrow keys might not be working correctly, but turning off the Scroll Lock from your keyboard can fix the problem.

Q2. What keys disable Scroll Lock?

Ans. The Scroll Lock key is usually labeled ScrLk or Scroll Lock. To disable Scroll Lock, you can press the Scroll Lock key on your keyboard. If you do not have a Scroll Lock key on your keyboard, you can disable Scroll Lock by using the on-screen keyboard.

Q3. How do I know if Scroll Lock is on?

Ans. There are a few ways to check if the Scroll Lock key is on. You may look for a light on your keyboard, and check on the status bar in Excel if it is displayed as Scroll Lock On. You can even look for the Scroll Lock key on the on-screen keyboard if it’s highlighted or appears to be pressed in.

Q4. Which function key is Scroll Lock?

Ans. The Scroll Lock key is usually located in the top right corner of the keyboard, near the Print Screen and Pause/Break keys. It is often labeled ScrLk or something similar and is usually located between the F12 and = keys. It is sometimes labeled as Slk or SLK or Scroll. On some laptop keyboards, it may be located on the top row of the keyboard, to the right of the F12 key.

Q5. How do I lock cells when scrolling in Excel?

Ans. To lock cells in Excel when scrolling, you can use the Freeze Panes option in the View tab.

Q6. What are the positive and negative tend arrows in Excel?

Ans. In Microsoft Excel, positive and negative trend arrows are symbols that can be used to indicate whether a value is increasing or decreasing. Positive trend arrows are typically green and point upwards, while negative trend arrows are red and point downwards. These arrows are often used in financial or data analysis applications to show the direction of a trend, such as the performance of a stock over time or the sales fluctuation from one month to the next.

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We hope that after going through every method above for how to unlock the arrow keys in excel, your troubleshooting concerns are now resolved. Additionally, as it applies to all versions of Excel, this post would be beneficial to anyone who uses it. In the comments box below, kindly let us know if you tried any of the strategies and they were successful for you.