How to Turn Off Scroll Lock
Scroll Lock is a holdover from early PC keyboards that almost nobody uses intentionally. The problem is that it turns on accidentally - usually by pressing Fn + a function key on a laptop - and when it is active in Excel, pressing arrow keys moves the entire spreadsheet instead of the selected cell. Outside of Excel, it is essentially invisible until something feels off.
This guide covers every method to turn Scroll Lock off, including laptops that do not have a dedicated Scroll Lock key.
How to Know Scroll Lock Is On
In Microsoft Excel: look at the bottom status bar. If it says Scroll Lock on the left side, it is active. Outside of Excel, the most reliable indicator is the Scroll Lock LED on keyboards that have one. If your keyboard has no LED and you are not in Excel, you can check through the on-screen keyboard.
Method 1: Press the Scroll Lock Key Directly
If your keyboard has a dedicated Scroll Lock key (usually labeled ScrLk or Scroll Lock), press it once. This toggles it off. Most full-size desktop keyboards and some laptop models include this key, often in the top-right cluster near Print Screen and Pause/Break.
Method 2: Laptop Fn Key Combinations
Most laptop keyboards do not have a dedicated Scroll Lock key. The function is usually mapped to a Fn combination. Common combinations by brand:
| Laptop Brand | Scroll Lock Off Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Most laptops (generic) | Fn + ScrLk (if labeled on a function key) |
| Lenovo ThinkPad | Fn + K |
| HP laptops | Fn + C or Fn + ScrLk |
| Dell laptops | Fn + ScrLk or check Fn + key with lock symbol |
| Asus laptops | Fn + F6 or Fn + ScrLk |
| Samsung laptops | Fn + ScrLk |
| Microsoft Surface | Fn + Shift on the keyboard |
If none of these work, look at your function keys for a small secondary label or icon that resembles a padlock or the letters SL. That key combined with Fn is the Scroll Lock toggle for your laptop.
Method 3: On-Screen Keyboard (Works on All Laptops)
This is the universal method that works on any Windows laptop regardless of keyboard layout.
- Press Windows + Ctrl + O to open the On-Screen Keyboard instantly. Alternatively: Press Windows + R, type
osk, and press Enter. - The On-Screen Keyboard will appear. Click the ScrLk button (you may need to click Options and check Show Number Pad to see all keys, or scroll right).
- On the physical keyboard, Scroll Lock is now off.
- Close the On-Screen Keyboard.
Method 4: Fix Scroll Lock in Microsoft Excel
If you are in Excel and arrow keys are scrolling the sheet instead of moving between cells, Scroll Lock is the cause. The fastest fix without leaving Excel:
- Look at the status bar at the very bottom of the Excel window. If it says Scroll Lock, confirm the key is active.
- Press Fn + C or Fn + ScrLk depending on your laptop. If that does not work, open the On-Screen Keyboard (Windows + Ctrl + O) and click ScrLk there.
- The status bar will no longer show Scroll Lock, and arrow keys will move between cells normally.
Method 5: Accessibility Settings (Windows 10 and 11)
- Open Settings.
- Go to Accessibility (Windows 11) or Ease of Access (Windows 10).
- Click Keyboard.
- Toggle On-Screen Keyboard to On.
- Click ScrLk in the keyboard that appears.