Turn Off AutoComplete in Excel

If you are entering data into a spreadsheet that contains many duplicates, such as the place names or department titles AutoComplete can help to speed up data entry quite a bit.

If your data doesn't contain any duplicates, then AutoComplete can be more of a bother than a help.

This tip will show you how to turn this sometimes overly helpful feature on or off.

Turn AutoComplete On or Off in Excel 2010

By default, AutoComplete is turned on in Excel. These steps will first show you how to turn it off.

1. Click on the File tab of the ribbon to open the File menu


2. Click on Options to bring up the Excel Options dialog box


3. Click on the Advanced button in the left hand pane


4. Under the Editing Options section


5. Click on the Enable AutoComplete for cell values option box to remove the checkmark


6. Click OK


7. AutoComplete should now be disabled


8. To re-enable AutoComplete, re-check the option box

Turn AutoComplete On or Off in Excel 2007

For help with these steps, see the image above.

1. Click on Office Button > Excel Options to bring up the Excel Options dialog box


2. Click on the Advanced button in the left hand pane


3. Remove the checkmark from the Enable AutoComplete for cell values option box


4. Click OK


5. AutoComplete should now be disabled


6. To re-enable AutoComplete, re-check the option box

Related Tutorials

• Turn Off AutoComplete in Excel 2003
• Entering Data in Excel

• autocomplete
• excel tools and features