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Fix Spacebar Not Working in Word or Excel on Parallels
Question details
Users are unable to use the spacebar when typing in Microsoft Word or Excel running on a Windows virtual machine via Parallels Desktop on a Mac.
- Product
- Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Parallels Desktop
- Device & OS
- Mac, Windows
- Scenario
- Typing text in documents or entering data in spreadsheets using Microsoft Office applications inside a Parallels Windows virtual machine.
- Observed behavior
- Pressing the spacebar yields no input or action within Microsoft Word and Excel, despite the spacebar functioning normally in the macOS host system.
Ensure that your Mac's keyboard is functioning correctly in native macOS applications and save any open documents in your Parallels Windows virtual machine before restarting.
Disable Full Keyboard Access on Mac
This is the primary solution. macOS accessibility settings can intercept spacebar inputs, preventing them from reaching the Parallels virtual machine.
The 'Full Keyboard Access' feature in macOS allows you to control the computer using the keyboard instead of a mouse. When enabled, the spacebar is often reserved for clicking buttons and navigating menus on the Mac host, which stops the keystroke from registering in Microsoft Office applications running inside Parallels.
On your Mac, click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
Scroll down the left sidebar and click on Accessibility, then locate and click on Keyboard in the main panel.
Find the toggle switch labeled 'Enable Full Keyboard Access' and turn it off. If it is already off, try toggling it on and back off again to reset the preference.
Return to your Parallels virtual machine, open Microsoft Word or Excel, and press the spacebar to confirm the issue is resolved.
Verify Keyboard Layouts and Restart Virtual Machine
Use this method if modifying the Mac accessibility settings did not resolve the problem, as mismatched keyboard layouts can also cause input failures.
Use WPS Office Natively on Your Mac
Avoid virtual machine keyboard glitches and high resource usage by running your office suite natively. WPS Office is fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, offering a lightweight and free alternative directly on macOS.
- 1. Download the macOS installer: Visit the official WPS website and download the native macOS installer for WPS Office.
- 2. Install the application: Open the downloaded package and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open files natively: Double-click your existing Microsoft Word or Excel files to open and edit them seamlessly on your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the spacebar work in macOS but not in Parallels Windows applications?
This happens when macOS intercepts the spacebar keystroke for system-level navigation (like 'Full Keyboard Access') before it can be sent to the Parallels virtual machine. Disabling this feature in Mac System Settings resolves the conflict.
Do I need to reinstall Microsoft Office to fix the spacebar issue in Parallels?
No, reinstalling Office is rarely necessary for this specific issue. The problem almost always stems from Mac accessibility settings or virtual machine keyboard mapping, not a corrupted Microsoft Office installation.
How do I know if the issue is with Parallels or Microsoft Office?
Open a built-in Windows application like Notepad within your Parallels environment and test the spacebar. If it fails in Notepad as well, the issue lies with Parallels or your Mac keyboard settings. If it only fails in Word or Excel, it may be an Office-specific shortcut interference.
Will disabling Full Keyboard Access affect my normal Mac usage?
Unless you specifically rely on using the Tab and Space keys to navigate macOS dialog boxes and menus without a mouse, disabling Full Keyboard Access will not negatively impact your daily Mac usage.
