Fix Excel Freezing When Resizing Rows or Columns with Shift or Ctrl
Question details
Users experience Microsoft Excel freezing or becoming unresponsive when attempting to adjust row heights or column widths using the mouse and keyboard modifiers.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Selecting the boundary of a row or column and dragging it to resize while holding down the Shift or Ctrl key.
- Observed behavior
- Excel freezes entirely and stops responding to any input. This behavior is specifically triggered when a language input method editor (IME), such as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, is active.
Ensure you have saved all open workbooks to prevent data loss, as fixing this issue requires adjusting Windows system settings and restarting Microsoft Excel.
Enable the Previous Version of Microsoft IME in Windows Settings
This solution directly addresses the compatibility conflict between the modern Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) and Excel's resizing functionality.
The freezing issue is a known compatibility bug that occurs when Excel's layout adjustments interact with newer versions of Microsoft IMEs (such as Korean, Japanese, or Chinese). Reverting the IME to its previous stable version resolves the conflict without affecting your ability to type in your preferred language.
Press the Windows key + I to open the Windows Settings app. Navigate to 'Time & Language' and click on 'Language & Region'.
Find your installed language that uses an IME (e.g., Korean, Japanese, or Chinese) in the list. Click the three dots next to the language name and select 'Language options'.
Scroll down to the 'Keyboards' section, click on your Microsoft IME keyboard, and select 'Keyboard options'.
Click on 'General'. Scroll down to the 'Compatibility' section and toggle on the switch for 'Use previous version of Microsoft IME'.
Close Microsoft Excel entirely and reopen it. Open your spreadsheet and test resizing the rows or columns while holding Shift or Ctrl to confirm the application no longer freezes.
Experience Freeze-Free Spreadsheets with WPS Office
Tired of troubleshooting system settings just to stop Excel from crashing? WPS Office provides a highly stable, lightweight, and completely free alternative that handles complex formatting and multiple input languages effortlessly without freezing.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for Windows.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and instantly open your existing Excel workbooks without losing any formatting.
- 3. Work Without Interruptions: Resize rows and columns freely using Shift or Ctrl. WPS handles IME inputs natively, keeping your workflow completely freeze-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel freeze only when using Shift or Ctrl to resize?
Holding Shift or Ctrl while resizing changes how Excel processes the layout adjustments. When this complex action is combined with an active modern Microsoft IME, it creates a background processing conflict that causes the application to lock up or stop responding.
Will enabling the previous version of Microsoft IME affect my typing?
No, you will still be able to type in your selected language normally. The 'previous version' setting simply rolls back the background mechanics of the IME to an older, more stable architecture that is highly compatible with traditional desktop software like Microsoft Office.
Are there other ways to resize rows and columns in Excel without freezing?
Yes. Instead of dragging the boundaries with modifier keys, you can right-click the specific row or column header and select 'Row Height' or 'Column Width'. You can then type the exact numerical dimension you need, which bypasses the bug completely.
