How to Disable Formula Suggestions and ScreenTips in Excel
Question details
The user wants to stop the application from automatically displaying formula suggestions and Insert Formulas tooltips when typing an equals sign.

- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Entering data or formulas into spreadsheet cells without unwanted auto-complete interruptions.
- Observed behavior
- Excel automatically shows function ScreenTips and a Formula AutoComplete drop-down list as soon as an equals sign is typed.
Ensure you have your spreadsheet application open on your desktop, as these adjustments must be made within the global options menu.
Turn Off Formula AutoComplete and Function ScreenTips
Modify the advanced settings to prevent formula suggestions and tooltips from appearing when typing.
By adjusting the built-in Display and Formula settings, you can completely disable the pop-ups that appear when you start typing an equation.
Launch Microsoft Excel, click on the File tab located in the top-left corner of the ribbon, and select Options at the bottom of the menu.
In the Options dialog box that appears, click on Advanced in the left-hand navigation pane.
Scroll down the right pane until you find the Display section. Uncheck the box labeled Show function ScreenTips.
Scroll to the Formulas section and uncheck the Formula AutoComplete option. Click OK at the bottom to save your changes and return to your worksheet.

Switch to WPS Office for a Streamlined Spreadsheet Experience
If you are looking for a highly customizable and cost-effective spreadsheet tool, WPS Office is the perfect choice. It offers a lightweight, easy-to-use interface with seamless format compatibility for all your spreadsheet files.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and click the download button to get the free installer.
- 2. Install the Application: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up the software.
- 3. Open Your Files Seamlessly: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing Excel documents directly without losing any formatting or data.

Frequently Asked Questions
Why do formula suggestions appear when I type an equals sign?
By default, spreadsheet applications use a feature called Formula AutoComplete to help users quickly find and insert the correct functions. This feature triggers automatically as soon as it detects an equals sign, which indicates the start of a formula.
Will disabling Formula AutoComplete stop my formulas from calculating?
No, disabling Formula AutoComplete only hides the drop-down suggestion list while you type. As long as you type the formulas correctly, they will continue to calculate normally.
How do I turn Formula AutoComplete back on?
You can easily re-enable it by navigating back to File > Options > Advanced, and checking the Formula AutoComplete box under the Formulas section, as well as the Show function ScreenTips box under the Display section.




