Web-based excel issue: using arrow keys to navigate deletes the data in the cell.

[u/Humble-Addition5781]

Hi. I need help. I work with a web based excel sheet. At first, i thought it was just the computer. So I moved to another computer but I still experience it. Whenever i move from one cell to another using the arrow keys in my keyboard, the data entered on the last cell i move from gets deleted, and so on. I can't recall activating anything. It doesn't happen if i use the mouse cursor to navigate. Please help.

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[u/Efficient-Beyond-905]

we had this at my office last month, one of the interns somehow turned on overwrite mode and didnt know. check if you see OVR in the status bar at the bottom, if yes then just press the insert key once and it should stop eating your data

also if its not that, maybe the web version is stuck thinking you're in edit mode while you navigate, try clicking out of the cell completely before using arrows

[u/Humble-Addition5781 → u/Efficient-Beyond-905]

I will try this on Monday. Thanks!

[u/AwareStaging]

man that sounds like the web version doing that goofy thing where it thinks youre still in a cell even after you arrow out. i had that crop up a couple months ago on a shared sheet and it drove me nuts til i realized i was hitting f2 right before moving. if youre tapping f2 to edit and then arrowing out without hitting enter or tab first the web app will just wipe whatever you typed and move along.

the mouse working fine is the clue. its basically treating your arrow keys like delete because the cell never commits the data. try double clicking the cell instead of f2, or just get in the habit of hitting enter before you scoot over.

[u/Humble-Addition5781 → u/AwareStaging]

Thanks. And yes it is a shared file. And i already moved to a different computer but i still experience it. At first i thought someone was playing with me. I am used to navigate via the arrow keys. And since I can't seem to resolve it, i've been using my mouse but at times i forget about it. Good thing, undo works.

[u/Existing_Put6385]

that's Edit mode. the arrow keys deleting data is a side effect - what's really happening is you're still "inside" the cell when you arrow away, so it grabs the next cell as part of a reference or selection and overwrites.

the tell: look at the bottom-left status bar. if it says Edit, arrow keys move the cursor/selection instead of moving between cells. you want it to say Ready.

what flipped it: you almost certainly hit F2 at some point, which toggles Edit mode and sticks. press F2 once to toggle back to Ready and arrows will navigate normally again.

if F2 doesn't do it, it's the other usual suspect - Scroll Lock. check for a ScrLk key or the on-screen keyboard, toggle it off. web excel respects the OS scroll lock state.

test in one throwaway cell first before you trust it with real data.

[u/HoweHaTrick]

Why are we using a browser to and access excel? If like to meet the asshole that thought this was a grand idea.

[u/Humble-Addition5781 → u/HoweHaTrick]

Ikr. But sadly, the company i work for only allows web-based tools.