Calculation Issues

How to Fix Excel Cells Showing Lines When Manual Calculation Is Enabled

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user observes strikethrough-like lines on certain cells when Excel is set to manual or partial calculation, which disappear when switched to automatic calculation.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Working with workbooks that include circular references, iterative calculations, and manual or partial calculation modes.
Observed behavior: Cells display lines resembling strikethrough formatting while manual calculation is active, indicating stale values.

Before you start

Verify whether your workbook strictly requires manual calculation mode and check for any intended circular references before modifying your calculation settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Format Stale Values in Calculation Options

This is the primary method to hide the strikethrough lines that Excel applies to indicate stale values during manual calculation.

In recent versions of Excel, a feature was introduced to visually indicate when a cell's value is out of date because automatic calculation is paused. Disabling this visual indicator removes the lines without forcing a recalculation.

Open Calculation Options

Navigate to the 'Formulas' tab on the Excel ribbon and click on 'Calculation Options'.

Clear the Stale Values setting

Locate and uncheck the 'Format Stale Values' option in the drop-down menu to remove the strikethrough lines from your cells.

Stale Values Indicator: Excel introduces this formatting to warn you that a cell's value might be outdated because automatic recalculation is currently paused.

Solution 2

Enable Automatic Calculation

If manual calculation is not strictly necessary for your workbook, switching to automatic calculation will instantly update the values and resolve the lines.

Solution 3

Resolve Circular References and Force Recalculation

Since the workbook contains circular references, values may remain stale until proper recalculation is forced or the references are actively resolved.

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1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free office suite.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel put a line through my numbers when manual calculation is on?

Excel uses strikethrough-style formatting to indicate 'stale values'. This means the cell contains a formula that has not been recalculated since the underlying data it depends on was changed.

How do I force Excel to recalculate stale values?

You can force a manual recalculation by pressing the F9 key, which updates all stale values across the workbook and removes the strikethrough lines.

Are stale values saved with the strikethrough format?

No, the strikethrough line is only a visual indicator used by the Excel interface during your session. It does not permanently alter the cell's actual formatting or appear when printing.

Where is the Format Stale Values option located?

You can find it by navigating to the Formulas tab on the Ribbon, clicking on Calculation Options, and looking for 'Format Stale Values' in the drop-down menu.

Excel & Data Problems