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I cannot type in excel for ipad

Gorka Martinez Cano 20 Reputation points
2026-05-12T01:21:49.3+00:00

I tried everything, but even in a new book I cannot type, edit nor delete in the iPad as I’m doing now here.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | iOS

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AI answer

2026-05-12T01:22:01.3266667+00:00

Excel for iPad becoming non‑editable (cannot type, edit, or delete in any workbook, including new ones) is typically caused by either a temporary app glitch, a subscription/activation issue, or a recent update.

Based on similar reported cases, try these steps in order:

  1. Fully close and restart Excel
    • On the iPad, open the App Switcher and swipe Excel up to close it completely.
    • Reopen Excel and test typing in a brand‑new blank workbook.
  2. Restart the iPad
    • Power the iPad off completely, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
    • Open Excel again and test editing. A restart has resolved similar “can’t select or edit cells” issues for other users.
  3. Check subscription and sign‑in
    • Open Excel for iPad.
    • Confirm that it is signed in with the Microsoft account or work/school account that has an active Microsoft 365 subscription (as described in the Office for iPad sign‑in guidance).
    • If needed, sign out and sign back in with the correct account.
  4. Delete and reinstall Excel
    • Press and hold the Excel app icon and delete the app.
    • Go to the App Store on the iPad and reinstall Excel (or the Microsoft 365 app) and sign in again with the subscription account.
    • This step has been confirmed to fix cases where Excel for iPad suddenly stopped allowing edits around subscription renewal.
  5. Install latest updates
    • Ensure iPadOS is up to date in Settings.
    • Ensure Excel (or Microsoft 365) is updated to the latest version from the App Store. In one reported case, a new software update restored full functionality of the Office apps on iPad Pro.

If, after these steps, Excel still will not allow typing or editing in any workbook, contact Microsoft 365 support with details of the device model, iPadOS version, Excel version, and subscription status.

References:

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