Others

How to Fix Missing Letters in Excel for iPad After iOS Update

Rana Garcia Oct 16, 2026 870 views

Question details

Users are unable to type letters or formulas in Excel for iPad using the alphabetic keyboard after a system update, although numeric input continues to work.

How to Fix Missing Letters in Excel for iPad After an iOS Update

Product: Microsoft Excel for iPad
Device & OS: iPadOS (iOS 15.7.5 and older iPad models)
Scenario: Entering text or formulas into spreadsheet cells using the standard on-screen iPad keyboard.
Observed behavior: Numbers typed on the numeric keyboard appear normally, but letters entered using the alphabetic keyboard fail to display inside the selected cell.

Before you start

Ensure your iPad's touch screen is fully responsive and save any currently open workbooks to prevent data loss before adjusting system keyboard settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Toggle the iPad Keyboard Layout

Switching your iPad's keyboard layout is a highly proven workaround to refresh text input recognition in Excel and resolve the missing letters bug.

This bug is often triggered by a compatibility glitch between Excel and older iPadOS keyboard drivers. By adding a slightly different layout (like QWERTZ) and forcing Excel to use it, the app re-initializes text input.

Access Keyboard Settings

Go to your iPad home screen, open the Settings app, tap on General, and then select Keyboard.

Add a New Layout

Tap on Keyboards, select Add New Keyboard, and choose English (QWERTZ) from the list.

Test Input in Excel

Open the Excel app and tap an empty cell. Use the globe icon on your on-screen keyboard to switch to the new QWERTZ layout, and try typing letters.

Revert to Default

Once the letters successfully appear in the cell, tap the globe icon again to switch back to your standard QWERTY keyboard. Text input should now function normally.

Verified Workaround: Multiple users have confirmed that momentarily switching to the QWERTZ layout immediately restores alphabetical input capabilities in Excel for iPad.

Solution 2

Restart and Reinstall Excel

If changing the keyboard layout does not restore text input, clearing temporary app cache by restarting or reinstalling Excel can help resolve persistent glitches.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Flawless Spreadsheet Editing on iPad

If you are tired of keyboard glitches and input bugs in Microsoft Excel on older iPads, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for seamless spreadsheet editing without needing expensive subscription plans.

1. Install the App: Search for WPS Office in the Apple App Store and install it on your iPad for free.
2. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Excel documents without any format conversions.
3. Edit Without Glitches: Tap on any cell and seamlessly use your standard iPad keyboard to enter text, numbers, and formulas.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel file formats (.xlsx, .xls, .csv)Smooth, glitch-free keyboard input and formula support on all iPadOS versionsLightweight architecture that runs flawlessly even on older iPad modelsFamiliar user interface ensuring an effortless and immediate transition

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel on my iPad only type numbers and not letters?

This is typically caused by a compatibility bug between the Excel app and the iPadOS keyboard layout after a recent system update. The application fails to recognize alphabetic inputs while numeric keyboard entries remain unaffected.

Will updating my iPad to the latest iOS fix the Excel keyboard issue?

It often helps. Apple and Microsoft frequently release patches to fix known bugs. If your iPad model supports newer updates, navigating to Settings > General > Software Update and installing the latest version is highly recommended.

Is there a permanent fix for the missing letters bug if my iPad is outdated?

If your device cannot upgrade past a certain version (such as the iPad Air 2 on iOS 15.7.5), you may need to wait for a specific app update from Microsoft. In the meantime, using the keyboard layout workaround or switching to an alternative suite like WPS Office offers the best immediate solution.

Office Quick Solutions