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Why Excel Screen Tips Are Missing When Hovering Over Icons
Question details
The user is unable to view descriptive screen tips when hovering over ribbon icons and cannot find the options menu to enable them.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- Mac / Web Browser
- Scenario
- Attempting to view tooltips by hovering over icons in the ribbon, and trying to locate the settings via the File > Options menu.
- Observed behavior
- Screen tips do not appear on hover. Additionally, the File > Options menu is entirely missing in the Mac and Web versions.
Verify whether you are using the Excel desktop application or the free Excel web version through your browser, as feature availability differs significantly.
Switch from Excel for the Web to the Desktop Application
Screen tips are limited or unavailable in the free Excel web app. Switching to the desktop application restores full interface functionality.
Excel for the web is a lightweight, browser-based version of the desktop application. Because it operates within a browser environment, certain UI elements like detailed ribbon screen tips and the comprehensive Options menu are restricted or missing entirely.
Look at the top of your screen. If you are working within a web browser window (such as Chrome or Safari) and logged into OneDrive or your Microsoft work account, you are using the web version.
Click the 'Viewing' or 'Editing' button on the top ribbon menu, and select 'Open in Desktop App' to launch the full version of Excel on your computer.
Once the desktop application opens, hover your mouse cursor over any ribbon icon to verify that the descriptive screen tips now appear.
Access Preferences in Excel for Mac
Mac users cannot find the 'File > Options' menu because macOS uses a centralized interface for application settings.
Experience Full Desktop Features with WPS Office
If you are frustrated by the missing features in Excel for the web or the interface differences on Mac, consider switching to WPS Office. It delivers a complete, lightweight desktop experience with full ribbon tooltips, intuitive settings, and familiar menus across all platforms for free.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free desktop application for your Mac or Windows PC.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing .xlsx files directly without any conversion.
- 3. Enjoy Full Features: Hover over any ribbon icon to instantly view detailed screen tips and access advanced configuration settings under the familiar Menu > Options tab.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable screen tips in Excel for the web?
No. Excel for the web is a simplified version of the software. Detailed ribbon screen tips and the advanced options menu required to configure them are not currently supported in web browsers.
Why can't I find File > Options in Excel on my Mac?
Applications on macOS use a centralized preferences system. Instead of navigating to File > Options like on a Windows PC, you must click on 'Excel' in the top Mac menu bar and select 'Preferences'.
How do I turn on screen tips in the Windows Excel desktop app?
On a Windows PC, navigate to File > Options > General. Under the 'User Interface options' section, locate the 'ScreenTip style' dropdown, select 'Show feature descriptions in ScreenTips', and click OK.
