Office Settings & Configuration

Fix Excel Touchpad Scrolling for Worksheet Tabs Not Working

Adam Davis Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is unable to scroll through Excel worksheet tabs using two-finger touchpad scrolling after a recent Microsoft Office update.

How to Fix Excel Touchpad Scrolling for Worksheet Tabs Not Working

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Navigating between multiple worksheet tabs using a laptop touchpad.
Observed behavior: Two-finger scrolling works normally inside the worksheet grid, but scrolling horizontally through the bottom worksheet tabs no longer functions.

Before you start

Verify that your laptop touchpad drivers are fully up to date and that two-finger scrolling functions correctly in other applications to rule out hardware issues.

Solution 1Recommended

Roll Back Microsoft Office to a Previous Version

Downgrade your Office installation to an earlier build (such as version 2109) where the touchpad tab scrolling feature functioned correctly.

Testing indicates that this scrolling bug was introduced in recent updates (e.g., version 2405). Rolling back your Office installation via the Click-to-Run command will restore the missing functionality until Microsoft releases an official patch.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator

Search for 'cmd' or 'Command Prompt' in your system search bar, right-click the application, and select 'Run as administrator'.

Execute the Click-to-Run Command

Type the appropriate Click-to-Run update command pointing to the desired earlier Office version (like version 2109) and press Enter to initiate the rollback process.

Test Touchpad Scrolling in Excel

Once the downgrade is complete, open Microsoft Excel, create multiple worksheet tabs, and verify that two-finger touchpad scrolling works again.

Temporarily Disable Office Updates

In Excel, navigate to File > Account > Update Options and select 'Disable Updates' so the software does not automatically reinstall the problematic update.

Roll Back Microsoft Office to a Previous Version

Submit Feedback: After fixing the issue, use the File > Feedback option in Excel to report the bug to Microsoft so they can address it in future builds.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Spreadsheet Navigation

If frequent Microsoft Excel updates disrupt your workflow with frustrating bugs like broken touchpad scrolling, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a stable, highly compatible, and user-friendly spreadsheet environment.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
2. Open WPS Spreadsheets: Launch the application and select 'Spreadsheets' from the main dashboard.
3. Import Your Excel Files: Open your existing .xlsx files directly in WPS Office and experience flawless touchpad scrolling across all your worksheet tabs.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel formats including .xlsx, .xls, and .csvStable and intuitive interface with full support for touchpad navigation gesturesLightweight software that runs smoothly on almost any device without consuming massive system resourcesFree to download and use with a highly familiar user interface requiring zero learning curve

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did touchpad scrolling for Excel tabs suddenly stop working?

This issue is typically caused by bugs introduced in recent Microsoft Office updates, which inadvertently break specific touchpad gesture recognition for the bottom worksheet tab bar.

Does this update bug affect all scrolling in Excel?

No. Users report that while horizontal scrolling through the bottom worksheet tabs is broken, standard two-finger scrolling within the actual worksheet grid continues to function normally.

How do I stop Excel from automatically updating and breaking features again?

You can prevent automatic updates by opening Excel, navigating to File > Account, clicking the Update Options button, and selecting 'Disable Updates' from the dropdown menu.

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