After Last Update Scroll Inactive Windows Doesn't Work With Excel 2016

If anybody on the net is still looking for a way to get this done, I suggest a free software that's allowed me to do exactly this: scroll on inactive windows even if excel is the current active window. I was fed-up with my decreased efficiency with workbooks.

The app is called WizMouse. You download it at your own risk. It's the first result when you do a quick web search. I'm sure this will help some of you. 

The only drawback I've noticed is that this is limited to scrolling only. If for example, Excel is the inactive window, you will need to actually click on the workbook itself once before you can highlight a cell. The reverse is not true (Excel being the active window will still allow you to click hyperlinks on inactive Chrome with a single click e.g.) so I'd still consider this an upgrade.

Hope this helps.

@ Shirlen Agu

I don't think this is a problem of Excel !

I believe this is a problem in Windows 10, the module that is managing all the windows required to realize a function like scrolling inactive windows.

Why is it Windows 10 rather than Excel?

1. This specific problem occurred with a Windows 10 update
2. This specific problem disappears when you copy/rename excel.exe
3. When you check Resourcemonitor you will find within one active windows very strange behaviour of the subwindows and I believe the same module that realizes scrolling of inactive window is also used to realize the different subwindows within the active window
4. Before this problem specific by Excel + another program window occurred there existed already a problem when 2 or more Excel windows are open

However there must be also some difference in the way Excel interacts with Windows 10 for this function, because also MacOS users found, while scrolling around Word was OK, scrolling around Excel was not working as it should have.

I believe there is not only 1 problem in this Windows 10 module, but rather a multitude.

When I interpret Wayne's information correct, in case of a touchbar Chrome behaves strange.

And I could add another problem (but of neglectable nature) when checking an active Word window for all its subwindows. Also there I found effects which should normally not be there.

Hi Michelle & Shirlen,

Exact same problem here, with Excel 2016 16.0.4498.1000 (64-bit) on Windows 10 (64-bit) 14393.693.

Please help, as this becomes very frustrating and totally unproductive.

As for Shirlen's suggestion, I already left feedback in Excel uservoice.... but unless Microsoft recognizes this as a problem, we will never get a resolution, regardless of any feedback!

BR. Dimitri

FWIW, I have the problem also. 

Restating the general problem:  When "Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them" is set to On in Windows Settings / Mouse, Excel fails to follow this setting, and requires its window to be selected before it will scroll.

My configuration:

• Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit OS and processor.
• Windows Version 1607, OS Build 14393.693.
• Synaptics PS/2 Port Touchpad, with gestures (scrolling) disabled
• HID-compliant mouse:  Logitech Mx Master
• "Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them" is set to On in Windows Settings / Mouse

How the problem appears on my computer:

I have four applications open in the same external display monitor, operating in extended desktop mode:

• Microsoft Word 14.0.7177.5000 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Excel 14.0.7177.5000 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Money Plus Home and Business 17.0.150.3817
• Google Chrome 56.0.2924.87 (64-bit)

Behavior matrix, stating which window scrolls under each of these 16 conditions when one window is active, the mouse is hovered over it or another window, and the scrolling action is performed using the mouse:

Using Logitech mouse	Active Window: <br><br>Word	Active Window: <br><br>Excel	Active Window: <br><br>Money	Active Window: <br><br>Chrome
Hovering over: <br><br>Word	Word	Excel	Word	Word
Hovering over: <br><br>Excel	No window scrolls	Excel	No window scrolls	No window scrolls
Hovering over: <br><br>Money	Money	Excel	Money	Money
Hovering over: <br><br>Chrome	Chrome	Excel	Chrome	Chrome

 The behavior I observed with the mouse is consistent with the problem statement.

However, the Synaptics Touchpad has a different behavior.  If I enable scrolling gestures on the touchpad, and perform a 2-finger vertical scroll, the active window, if not Chrome, will always scroll, regardless of cursor position.  If the active window is Chrome, scrolling will occur only when the cursor is hovering over Chrome:

Using Synaptics Touchpad	Active Window: <br><br>Word	Active Window: <br><br>Excel	Active Window: <br><br>Money	Active Window: <br><br>Chrome
Hovering over: <br><br>Word	Word	Excel	Money	No window scrolls
Hovering over: <br><br>Excel	Word	Excel	Money	No window scrolls
Hovering over: <br><br>Money	Word	Excel	Money	No window scrolls
Hovering over: <br><br>Chrome	Word	Excel	Money	Chrome

Hi Wayne and All,

Kindly visit this topic in Excel uservoice. You may raise your feedback about this behavior in Excel.

Thanks.

FWIW, I have the problem also. 

Restating the general problem:  When "Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them" is set to On in Windows Settings / Mouse, Excel fails to follow this setting, and requires its window to be selected before it will scroll.

My configuration:

• Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit OS and processor.
• Windows Version 1607, OS Build 14393.693.
• Synaptics PS/2 Port Touchpad, with gestures (scrolling) disabled
• HID-compliant mouse:  Logitech Mx Master
• "Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them" is set to On in Windows Settings / Mouse

How the problem appears on my computer:

I have four applications open in the same external display monitor, operating in extended desktop mode:

• Microsoft Word 14.0.7177.5000 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Excel 14.0.7177.5000 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Money Plus Home and Business 17.0.150.3817
• Google Chrome 56.0.2924.87 (64-bit)

Behavior matrix, stating which window scrolls under each of these 16 conditions when one window is active, the mouse is hovered over it or another window, and the scrolling action is performed using the mouse:

 The behavior I observed with the mouse is consistent with the problem statement.

However, the Synaptics Touchpad has a different behavior.  If I enable scrolling gestures on the touchpad, and perform a 2-finger vertical scroll, the active window, if not Chrome, will always scroll, regardless of cursor position.  If the active window is Chrome, scrolling will occur only when the cursor is hovering over Chrome: