Make Excel obey the "scroll inactive windows" setting in Windows 10
Make Excel obey the "scroll inactive windows" setting in Windows 10. Currently Excel will scroll when it is an inactive window, but it will not allow other windows to scroll when it is the active window. This makes transcribing data from a source that needs to be scrolled difficult.

Thanx for creating and voting on this folks!
You should see this issue fixed starting with the latest Windows 10 Preview 17133.73 build update on 4/10 (https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/03/27/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-17133-for-fast/) as well as latest Excel Monthly channel 1803 Build 9126.2152 update on 4/11 (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/mt465751.aspx).
Please let us know if you find this still not fixed with these builds (and later).
thanx,
Prash [MSFT]
99 comments
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PH_CH commented
@Antonio Elinon, @all -@Micro$oft
Congratulations!
That's the hint I'm waiting since October 2017!My configuration: Windows 10 | 20H2 | 19042.630 - Excel 2013 | 15.0.5233.1000
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Antonio Elinon commented
If you open Excel as a separate instance (press and hold ALT then open Excel), inactive scrolling will work.
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Anonymous commented
I have this issue. I am sure it used to work ok but something changed last week. 1 November 2020.
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Aleem commented
I have resubmitted this as a separate issue as it is still present - please vote here.
https://excel.uservoice.com/forums/304921-excel-for-windows-desktop-application/suggestions/41221057-make-excel-obey-the-scroll-inactive-windows-sett
To ensure this link stays visible to visitors on this page, please try to limit comments - just click this link and vote. Thanks! -
Anonymous commented
I just waisted my time to find a solution, but actually it is a bug in Excel. Still not fixed.
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Anonymous commented
Still not fixed!
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Anonymous commented
I just don't get it, on Friday everything works okay and on Monday it doesnt, no updates as far as i can see, please just get this fixed.
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led commented
July 2020. Still not working. I'm speechless
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Anonymous commented
Two years later and clearly not fixed/resolved/working or any other adjective worthy of closing this ticket.
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Brad commented
Not fixed for my org on multiple machines.
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Isabella commented
still not working on 06/18/2020, very irritating!!!! and why is the admin not commenting on any of the posts?
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Thomas commented
STILL NOT FIXED. JUNE 16, 2020!
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Isabella commented
it was working fine few days ago and today suddenly it does not scroll inactive window if I am working with Excel. Today is May 14,2020 and IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED!!!!
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Nick commented
Not working for me. I can background scroll any app except Excel when using any app except Excel. When using Excel, I cannot background scroll any app, and regardless of the location of the mouse cursor, scrolling affects the active Excel window.
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Daniel commented
Excel will allow other inactive program windows to scroll but not inactive excel windows.
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Aleem commented
Please reopen this issue so that people can vote on it.
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PH_CH commented
Hi Prash [MSFT]
Why is this thread marked as completed by you?
==> The problem is not yet solved! <==
I just installed an Office Professional Plus 2019 32-Bit, Build 16.0.12430.20112, on
Windows 10, Version 1909, Build 18363.657 and==> it does not work! <==
The whole thing sucks, the way M$ treats its customers …
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John Kirk commented
Hi Excel Team [MSFT] - Just updated Excel to the latest monthly build -- Version 2001 (Build 12430.20184). Running on Windows 10 Enterprise OS build 18363.628; Version 1909. The scrolling "inactive" windows in Excel is still not working.
I realize my Windows 10 is not an "insider preview" but I would have thought almost 2 years later we would see this function working in the regular OS version.
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[Deleted User] commented
Hey - does anyone else see Excel 16.0.12325.20344 actually allowing non-Excel windows to scroll even with an Excel window above them? Still doesn't work with two Excel windows, though - only the top one scrolls if the mouse is over either one. (I'm sure it will change yet again soon...)
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John K. commented
Same issue --
Windows 10; Version 1909, build 18363.592
Office 365; Excel Version 1910