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Why is the default Excel cursor an arrow for some and a plus sign for others

(Windows 7 Excel 2013) Last night my Excel cursor which has always been an arrow spontaneously changed to a fat plus sign.

My search to find the cause and fix took me through a twilight zone of responses from as far back as Excel 2003 including the following:

  • Thread has been closed (I'm not sure why these were so common, especially with no answers)
  • Drag and Drop Enable (One of the most common responses and valid for a few)
  • F8 (valid fix for some who unknowingly found themselves in the midst of selecting a range)
  • Programming fix (these are really frustrating since the requestor rarely wanted or could execute such a fix)
  • The default Excel Cursor has always been a plus sign (Whaaaaaaaaaaat?)

That last response which was quite common really freaked me out. So I decided to check out some videos and sure enough, sometimes the video does show the cursor as the fat plus sign. But more times than not, it shows the arrow that I'm used to seeing. I even logged onto my Office 365 account and sure enough the arrow is the default cursor!

For others viewing this post or considering a possible answer. There are no issues (as far as I can tell) with this plus sign cursor. Everything works fine. I can seem to do everything I was able to do with the arrow cursor, including moving data from one cell to another and using the cell's lower right corner (where mousing over the dot turns cursor to a skinny plus) to auto-fill contents to other cells. And switching Excel files or creating new ones didn't correct the issue. Rebooting doesn't help either.

So does anyone know why different users see a different default cursor (arrow or plus)? And more importantly would anyone know how to get my arrow back?

Thanks

Larry

The "fat cross" has always been the default mouse pointer (cursor) in Excel when the mouse pointer is over a cell, since at least Excel 95. It changes to an arrow when the mouse pointer is over the ribbon, over the sheet tabs, over a scroll bar or over the status bar.
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Best wishes, HansV
https://www.eileenslounge.com

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The default for years and many versions has been fat white cross.

You can change the behavior via VBA

Run these from Immediate Window to change the cursor.

Application.Cursor = xlNorthwestArrow

Application.Cursor = xlDefault

xLDefault enables the fat white cross and small black drag cross

also the larger 4-headed black move cross when working with cells.

xlNortwestArrow enables large white arrow and removes the three crosses

These do not retain settings when Excel is closed although you could use VBA to change the settings for any workbooks that are opened.

There may be a Registry setting you can change but nothing I can point to.

Gord


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Thanks for your reply but as mentioned, until recently, my default mouse pointer over cells was the arrow and I have found quite a few posts of people expressing the same concern where their arrow inexplicably changed to a "fat cross".  And when I logon to Excel 365, again, it's the pointer not the cross.

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Thanks for your reply but again, I'm not looking for a VBA fix.

I'm just trying to find out if anyone can explain why so many of us have had an arrow as a default pointer, that inexplicably changed to a fat plus sign. I can assure you I never changed mine with VBA.

And the default on my Office 365 Account is the Arrow.

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Good luck on your quest.

I'm happy with my default fat cross<g>

Gord

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I am afraid I have no solution for you. I don't remember ever having seen an arrow as default cursor in Excel...
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Best wishes, HansV
https://www.eileenslounge.com

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Last updated May 30, 2024 Views 14,809 Applies to: