Tab Key Jumps a Screen at a Time

In Excel, different keys have different purposes when it comes to navigating around your worksheet. Normally, when you press the Tab key you will notice that Excel moves the cell cursor one column to the right. Not all spreadsheet programs behave this way, however. For instance, when you press the Tab key in Lotus 1-2-3, the cell cursor jumps a full screen to the right, instead of a single column.

Excel, in its efforts to make life easier on people who are just changing to the program, will emulate the navigation keys used by Lotus 1-2-3. If you press the Tab key in Excel, and the cell cursor jumps one screen to the right, then your system is using the navigation emulator instead of the native Excel navigation keys. To change back to the Excel defaults, follow these steps:

1. Click the Office button and then click Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
2. At the left side of the dialog box click Advanced.
3. Scroll through the list of available options until you see the Lotus Compatibility options.
4. Clear the Transition Navigation Keys check box.
5. Click on OK.

If you are using a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007, follow these steps instead:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Transition tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Clear the Transition Navigation Keys check box.
4. Click on OK.

That's it. Your Tab key should now work as expected, moving one column to the right each time you press it.