Fix Missing Scroll Bar in Excel: Step-by-Step

If the scroll bar in Excel has disappeared, you can’t move around large worksheets with the mouse, which slows down your work. This guide shows you how to bring it back using Excel’s built-in options, plus what to do if the usual fix doesn’t work. You’ll need a Windows PC or Mac with Excel installed, and a few minutes to check the settings.

What You’ll Need

Excel (2016, 2019, 2021, or Microsoft 365 – the steps are the same for recent versions)
Access to the Excel Options or Preferences dialog (no admin rights required)
Your workbook open (the fix applies to the current file, but you can also set it for all new workbooks)

Step-by-Step

Open the Options dialog. In Excel on Windows, click the File tab in the top-left corner, then select Options at the bottom of the left-hand menu. On a Mac, go to the Excel menu in the top menu bar and choose Preferences.
Find the scroll bar setting. In the Excel Options window (Windows), click Advanced in the left sidebar. On a Mac, in the Preferences dialog, click View (under Authoring).
Enable the scroll bar. On Windows, scroll down to the Display options for this workbook section. You’ll see two checkboxes: Show horizontal scroll bar and Show vertical scroll bar. Make sure both are checked. On a Mac, look for the Show scroll bars option and select Always (or check the box for horizontal/vertical if shown separately).
Apply the setting. Click OK (Windows) or close the Preferences window (Mac). The scroll bars should reappear immediately. If they don’t, proceed to the next steps.
Check workbook display options. Sometimes the scroll bar is hidden for a specific workbook. In Windows, while in the Advanced options, confirm the dropdown next to Display options for this workbook shows the correct file name (the one you have open). On a Mac, the setting applies to all workbooks by default, so this step is less relevant.
Unhide the scroll bar if it’s frozen. If the scroll bar area is there but greyed out or not responding, it might be because the worksheet is protected or the window is split. Go to the View tab and check if Split or Freeze Panes is active. If so, click Unfreeze Panes or Remove Split to restore normal scrolling.
Restart Excel. After changing settings, close Excel completely and reopen your workbook. This ensures the changes take effect, especially on older versions.

Common Mistakes

Changing the wrong workbook setting. On Windows, the scroll bar option is per-workbook. If you have multiple workbooks open, you might be editing the setting for a different file. Always verify the workbook name in the dropdown.
Overlooking the horizontal scroll bar. Some users only notice the vertical bar is missing, but both checkboxes need to be enabled. If the horizontal bar is missing, the vertical one might still be there, but the issue is the same.
Assuming it’s a display setting when it’s a window issue. If the scroll bar is missing only when the window is maximized, it could be a Windows display scaling problem. Try restoring the window down (click the restore button) and see if the bar appears.

Tips

Use keyboard shortcuts as a temporary workaround. While the scroll bar is missing, you can still navigate with arrow keys, Page Up/Down, and Ctrl+Arrow to jump to data edges.
Set the default for all new workbooks. On Windows, after enabling the scroll bar for the current workbook, you can also change the setting for the default workbook by selecting Workbook in the dropdown and checking the boxes. This way, new files will have scroll bars from the start.
Check if the scroll bar is just hidden by the ribbon. If you’re in full-screen mode (Ctrl+Shift+F1), the ribbon and scroll bars might be hidden. Press the same shortcut to exit full-screen.
Update Excel. Occasionally, a bug in an older version can cause UI elements to disappear. Installing the latest updates often resolves such glitches.

Troubleshooting

If the scroll bar still doesn’t appear after following the steps, try these additional checks:

Check if the workbook is in Compatibility Mode. If the file is saved as an older .xls format, some features might behave differently. Go to File > Info and click Convert to update it to the current format, then re-check the scroll bar.
Repair Office. On Windows, go to Control Panel > Programs > Microsoft Office > Change and choose Quick Repair. This can fix corrupted settings that prevent the scroll bar from showing.
Reset Excel settings. If you’ve tried everything and the scroll bar is still missing, you can reset Excel to its default settings. On Windows, close Excel, then press Win+R, type excel /safe and press Enter. This opens Excel in Safe Mode. If the scroll bar appears there, a third-party add-in is causing the issue. Disable add-ins via File > Options > Add-ins.
Check for screen resolution issues. On a laptop with a very high resolution and scaling set above 100%, some UI elements can be cut off. Right-click on the desktop, select Display settings, and try setting scaling to 100% temporarily to see if the scroll bar appears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my scroll bar disappear in Excel?

The most common reason is that the “Show horizontal/vertical scroll bar” option was unchecked in Excel Options. This can happen accidentally, or after a settings reset. It can also occur if the workbook is in a view that hides them, like Page Break Preview.

How do I restore the scroll bar in Excel on a Mac?

Go to Excel > Preferences > View, and under “Show in Workbook,” check the boxes for horizontal and vertical scroll bars. If they’re already checked, try toggling them off and on, then restart Excel.

Can I hide the scroll bar for a specific sheet only?

No, the scroll bar setting in Excel Options applies to the entire workbook, not individual sheets. You can’t hide it for one sheet and show it for another within the same file.

Why is my scroll bar greyed out?

A greyed-out scroll bar usually means the worksheet is protected. Go to the Review tab and click Unprotect Sheet. If it’s still grey, check if the workbook is shared (Review > Share Workbook) – shared workbooks have limited scrolling features.

Does the scroll bar missing issue affect Excel Online?

Excel Online (in a browser) doesn’t have a scroll bar toggle – it always shows scroll bars when the content overflows. If you don’t see them, try refreshing the page or using a different browser.

I enabled the scroll bar, but it only shows when I scroll with the mouse. Is that normal?

Yes, in newer versions of Excel, the scroll bar may auto-hide when you’re not scrolling, especially on touch-enabled devices. This is a system setting. On Windows, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > “Automatically hide scroll bars” and turn it off to keep them always visible.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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