Excel Performance Problems

How to Fix Excel Worksheets That Overlap or Display Data Incorrectly

Huma Ashraf Ch Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve a visual glitch where parts of one Excel worksheet overlap another when interacting with data.

How to Fix Excel Worksheets That Overlap or Display Data Incorrectly

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Adding new records or opening a name drop-down menu in an Excel macro-enabled workbook.
Observed behavior: Parts of the worksheet visually overlap with another sheet. The display issue temporarily resolves when clicking elsewhere on the screen.

Before you start

Create a backup copy of your macro-enabled workbook before making any structural changes to rows or modifying VBA code.

Solution 1Recommended

Delete Blank Rows to Refresh Worksheet Formatting

Removing unused or blank rows beneath your dataset can clear corrupted formatting and force Excel to correctly render the worksheet display.

In many cases, visual overlap issues are caused by rendering bugs related to empty rows that carry hidden formatting or data validation rules from previously deleted records.

Select the blank rows

Highlight the empty rows immediately following your data or newly created records by clicking and dragging down on the row numbers on the left side.

Delete the selected rows

Right-click the highlighted row headers and select "Delete" from the context menu to completely remove them.

Save and verify

Save the workbook, reopen the drop-down menu, and check if the overlapping display issue is resolved.

Delete Blank Rows to Refresh Worksheet Formatting

Quick Workaround: If the issue happens frequently, simply clicking on a different worksheet tab and then clicking back can temporarily force the screen to refresh.

Solution 2

Test Without Macros to Isolate the Bug

Determine if the overlapping display is being triggered by a specific VBA script interfering with Excel's screen updating.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Experience Bug-Free Spreadsheet Management with WPS Office

If Microsoft Excel continues to experience rendering bugs or overlapping sheets, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a highly stable, lightweight, and compatible environment for viewing and editing complex workbooks.

1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the quick on-screen instructions to set up the software.
3. Open your spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your Excel workbook to enjoy seamless, glitch-free data management.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Excel formats including .xlsx, .xls, and macro-enabled .xlsm files.Stable display rendering engine that helps avoid common overlapping worksheet bugs.Lightweight application with significantly faster loading times for large datasets.Completely free to use with a familiar, easy-to-navigate user interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my Excel worksheets visually overlap when using drop-down lists?

This is typically a visual rendering bug in Excel. It happens when the software's graphics engine fails to properly refresh the screen after an interface element, such as a data validation drop-down list, is activated over a dense dataset.

Can VBA macros cause Excel display issues?

Yes. Macros that manipulate data or formatting in the background can interrupt normal screen updating. Ensuring that your VBA code includes `Application.ScreenUpdating = True` at the end of the script can often resolve screen freezing or overlapping.

How do I manually force my Excel screen to refresh?

You can manually force a visual refresh by scrolling the affected area out of view and back again, switching to another worksheet tab and returning, or by minimizing and restoring the Excel application window.

Excel & Data Problems