Office Settings & Configuration

How to Display an Excel Image on Hover Over a Cell on Mac

Kushani Nimanthika Sep 28, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user wants an image to appear exclusively when the mouse pointer hovers over a specific cell in Excel on a Mac.

How to Display an Excel Image When Hovering Over a Cell on Mac

Product: Excel
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Creating interactive spreadsheets or dashboards where space is limited and images should only appear dynamically on demand.
Observed behavior: Excel does not offer a native built-in command to trigger image visibility purely on mouse hover, requiring workarounds like Notes or VBA scripts.

Before you start

Ensure you have the target image saved locally on your Mac. If you choose the VBA method, confirm that macros are enabled in your Excel security preferences.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a Cell Note to Display an Image on Hover

The easiest built-in workaround is to insert an image into the background of an Excel Note. The image will automatically pop up when your pointer hovers over the cell.

This method relies on Excel's legacy 'Notes' (formerly Comments) feature, which supports filling the note background with an image.

Insert a Note

Right-click the target cell and select 'New Note' from the context menu. Clear any default text inside the note box.

Access Format Comment

Carefully right-click on the exact outer edge or border of the note box (not inside the text area) and select 'Format Comment'.

Open Fill Effects

In the Format Comment dialog, navigate to the 'Colors and Lines' tab. Click the 'Color' dropdown menu and select 'Fill Effects'.

Insert the Picture

Go to the 'Picture' tab within Fill Effects, click 'Select Picture', and choose the image from your Mac. Click 'OK' on all dialog boxes to apply.

Use a Cell Note to Display an Image on Hover

Aspect Ratio Tip: To prevent your image from looking distorted, check the 'Lock picture aspect ratio' box before confirming your picture selection.

Solution 2

Use VBA Macro for Dynamic Selection

For advanced users needing a more dynamic interaction, a VBA macro can show or hide shapes based on the active cell selection.

WPS Spreadsheet Solution

Easily Create Hover-Activated Images with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet provides a highly compatible and user-friendly interface. You can apply the exact same cell note workaround in WPS to display images on hover, ensuring seamless integration with your Microsoft Excel files.

1. Insert a Comment: Select the target cell in WPS Spreadsheet, right-click, and choose 'Insert Comment'.
2. Format the Comment Box: Right-click the border of the newly created comment box and click 'Format Comment'.
3. Apply Fill Effects: Under the 'Colors and Lines' tab, click the Color dropdown, select 'Fill Effects', and go to the 'Picture' tab.
4. Select and Save: Click 'Select Picture' to upload your image, check the aspect ratio box, and click 'OK' to finish.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx and .xlsm) formatsIntuitive menus for formatting comments and cell shapesFree, lightweight, and fast performance on MacFeature-rich alternative for data visualization and dashboards

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Format Comment' option missing the Colors and Lines tab?

This happens if you right-click inside the text area of the note instead of its outer border. Ensure your cursor is positioned exactly on the dashed border of the note box before right-clicking to see the full formatting options.

Can I use Office Scripts instead of VBA for hover effects on Mac?

Office Scripts are primarily designed for automating tasks on Excel for the Web and newer desktop versions, but they do not currently support triggering actions strictly via mouse-hover events. Notes or VBA remain the best solutions.

Will this hover effect work when saving as a PDF?

No. Hover interactions and cell notes are dynamic software features and will not function in static exported formats like PDF or printed documents.

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