Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Specifying the Behavior of the Enter Key.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 26, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365
When you type information into a cell, it is normal to press the Enter key at the end of your entry. Excel allows you to specify exactly what should happen after you press Enter. Basically, you can specify that nothing happen (the cell into which you entered information remains the currently selected cell) or that a different, adjacent cell is automatically selected.
To make your specification, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.
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2022-09-29 10:31:42
J. Woolley
@Al dTrain
You evidently have the option set as in the Tip's figure: After pressing Enter, move selection Down.
For your scenario, use the Tab key instead of Enter for data entry when a range is selected. When you press Tab after editing a cell's value, the selection moves left-to-right first, then down to the start of the range's next row. Otherwise, Tab functions like Enter.
See https://excelribbon.tips.net/T006710_Tab_Key_Jumps_a_Screen_at_a_Time.html
and https://www.theexceladdict.com/_t/t031217.htm
When you change the Enter key's direction, your scenario changes, too. It is interesting to experiment with different choices. See my comment here: https://excelribbon.tips.net/T007220_Choosing_Direction_after_Enter_On_a_Workbook_Basis.html
2022-08-03 04:13:24
Al dTrain
I have not changed and prefer to not change Options > Advanced > Editing Options for the Enter key.
MULTIPLE CELLS SELECTED IN A SINGLE ROW
With cells B3:D3 selected, data entry using Enter as the completion key moves focus from cell-to-cell across the selection from left-to-right just like the tab key would.
MULTIPLE CELLS SELECTED IN MULTIPLE ROWS
With cells B6:D7 selected, data entry using Enter as the completion key moves focus from cell-to-cell in the selection first down down the column, and then over to the next column.
Is there some way to have the behavior of the Enter key with MULTIPLE CELLS SELECTED IN A SINGLE ROW work for MULTIPLE CELLS SELECTED IN MULTIPLE ROWS — without changing the Editing Options for the Enter key?
2021-01-16 10:16:51
J. Woolley
After clicking File on the menu, a new screen should appear and Options should be at the bottom-left corner of that screen.
2021-01-15 06:13:59
David McCarthy
Using Micosoft365. There isn't an Options feature under 'Fie' (that I can See).
What can I o to change behaviour after Enter pressed?
Thanks, David McCarthy (UK, Jan 2021)
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
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