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How to Fix Excel Ignoring macOS Regional Settings for Number Formatting
Question details
The user needs to correct the number formatting separators in Excel, which are failing to sync with the configured regional system settings on macOS.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- macOS / Windows 11
- Scenario
- Opening or editing spreadsheets on a system with regional formats (e.g., Germany) where a specific language UI (e.g., English) is applied.
- Observed behavior
- Excel defaults to United States number separators (periods for decimals, commas for thousands) and completely ignores the custom regional settings defined in the operating system.
Verify that your operating system (especially if using macOS Ventura or newer) and Microsoft Office applications are updated to the latest builds, as missing updates frequently cause system synchronization bugs.
Manually Set Decimal and Thousands Separators in Excel Preferences
Bypass the system sync issue by manually defining your preferred decimal and thousands separators directly within Excel's settings.
When Excel fails to read macOS system preferences properly, the most reliable workaround is to disable the automatic system separator feature and hardcode your regional preferences into the application.
Launch Microsoft Excel on your Mac. Click on 'Excel' in the top menu bar, then select 'Preferences' from the dropdown menu.
In the Excel Preferences window, locate and click on the 'Edit' icon.
Scroll to the bottom of the Edit options and find the checkbox labeled 'Use system separators'. Uncheck this box to enable manual entry.
In the 'Decimal separator' and 'Thousands separator' fields, type your desired characters (e.g., a comma for decimals and a period for thousands). Close the window to save your changes.
Re-apply macOS Language & Region Settings
Toggle your macOS regional settings to force the operating system to broadcast the correct number formatting parameters to installed applications.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Regional Number Formatting
If Microsoft Excel continues to struggle with macOS regional settings, WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. Its Spreadsheet software seamlessly handles international number formats while keeping the user interface familiar and easy to navigate.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free version for macOS or Windows.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your existing .xlsx files directly without any conversion.
- 3. Enjoy Correct Formatting: View and edit your data with perfectly synced regional number separators right out of the box.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my number separators change after a macOS update?
Major OS updates, such as macOS Ventura, can sometimes disrupt the API connections that Microsoft Office uses to read system preferences. This causes Excel to default to standard US formatting until a patch is released.
Does disabling 'Use system separators' affect other Office apps like Word?
No. The 'Use system separators' setting in Excel's Edit preferences is specific to the Excel application. Other Microsoft Office apps use their own formatting rules or read directly from the OS.
How do I fix number formatting issues if I am using Excel for Windows 11?
On Windows 11, you can also uncheck 'Use system separators' in Excel by going to File > Options > Advanced. From there, you can manually type your preferred decimal and thousands separators.
Can I set different number separators for different workbooks?
No. When you manually assign decimal and thousands separators in Excel Preferences, that change applies application-wide. All workbooks opened on that specific device will display numbers using those exact rules.
