Excel does not allow inserting additional columns and rows [FIXED]

Excel doesn't allow you to insert additional columns or rows, so you can't continue editing your document? TipsMake has found the cause and has a detailed fix in the article for your reference.

Those who have been using Excel will definitely know. Inserting additional columns or rows during spreadsheet creation is unavoidable. And of course, Excel also supports us to perform this operation simply and quickly. However, many people encounter the situation where Excel does not allow additional columns and rows to be inserted . So what is the cause and how to fix this problem? Let's find out with TipsMake in the article below!

The reason why Excel does not allow inserting additional columns and rows

Excel does not allow additional columns to be inserted. Also known as the error of not being able to insert a row in Excel. This is a fairly common situation, and for those who do not have much experience with Excel, it is very difficult to handle. Some main reasons for this problem can be listed as:

1. 1: The user is using formatting for entire rows or columns in Excel. These formats can be background colors, borders, etc.
2. 2: Although it rarely happens, if you run out of rows or columns of data in Excel. At this point, it will no longer be possible to add columns or rows. Excel's maximum input limit is 65,000 lines.
3. 3: The situation where Excel does not allow additional lines to be inserted may also be because the Excel file has been locked. Usually this situation occurs when others do not want you to modify the content in the Excel file.
4. 4: Microsoft Excel cannot insert new cells because it would push non-empty error can also come from Excel itself. This can happen when you have installed and used a 'pirated' copy of Excel. Or sometimes there is a software problem on the computer.

How to fix when unable to add rows and columns in Excel

When you encounter the error Microsoft Excel can't insert new cells, there is no need to worry too much. Usually this error is quite easy to fix. Try the following measures to see if the situation gets better or not!

Solution 1

Check if Excel is locked or not. To do this, we just need to click on the ' sheet ' section. Then if you see the text ' unprotect sheet… ' then Excel is now locked. To unlock, you just need to click on ' unprotect sheet. ' then enter the correct password.

Solution 2

If the Excel file is not locked, check to see if the file is completely formatted. You can also perform a full erase of the fill formatting to try to fix it. To do this, first we will press ctrl+End , then press ctrl+A to select all content.

Next click on the Home tab and select clear . Finally, click clear format to delete the colored format. After completing this step, we can now add columns or rows in Excel.

Solution 3

If you have tried the 2 methods above but it still doesn't work. Try deleting and reinstalling Excel on your computer. Please use Excel with full copyright. This will help you avoid errors that arise during use.

You should also check the software and operating system on your computer. If in doubt, try checking and scanning your computer for viruses. The last resort is to reinstall Windows and software. This will take quite a while. In particular, it can cause data loss, so consider carefully before doing so.

So above is a summary of the causes and solutions when Excel does not allow additional columns and rows to be inserted. Hope you can fix this annoying error quickly and effectively. Thanks for your interest and following.

Marvin Fry

Update 08 December 2023