While working in Microsoft Excel, you will find the Page Layout tab in the ribbon that is in the menu bar of a worksheet. This tab provides you with various themes, gives access to change the orientation and margins of your current worksheet and so more. But sometimes you can find this tab greyed out. In this article, I will show you the solution to the Excel page layout being greyed out.
4 Simple Solutions for Excel Page Layout Being Greyed Out Problem
In this article, you will find four hand solutions to the Excel page layout greyed out. You may find this problem in your workbook based on different occurrences. So, instead of giving one solution to this problem, I will try to solve this issue from various angles.
To demonstrate the solutions, I will use the following sample data set.
Solution 1: Exit Cell Editing Mode
The first solution suggests you exit the cell editing mode as a solution to the greyed-out problem. While editing a cell or inserting a formula or value, you will not be able to use the Page Layout tab simultaneously. See the details in the following steps.
Steps:
- First of all, see the following image where I am editing cell D5 and the Page Layout tab in the ribbon is greyed out.
- Secondly, if I press Enter and exit the cell editing mode then the problem will disappear and all the menus from the tab will be visible and you can use them now.
Read More: [Fixed!] Merge Cells Button Is Greyed Out in Excel
Solution 2: Ungroup Worksheets
The second solution to this problem requires the ungrouping of your worksheets. If you group two or all of your worksheets, you might find some commands from the Page Layout tab greyed out. See the following steps to solve this issue.
Steps:
- Firstly, see in the following image that after grouping two or more sheets, you cannot access or use some of the menus from the tab.
- Secondly, to solve this right-click on the sheet and select Ungroup Sheets from the context menu.
- Finally, by ungrouping the sheets, you will be able to solve the problem.
Read More: [Solved]: If Macro Settings Is Greyed out in Excel
Solution 3: Unprotect Worksheet
You may find some of the commands from the Page Layout tab greyed out if you are working in a protected worksheet. To solve this you have to unprotect the specific worksheet. You can follow the following steps for a better understanding.
Steps:
- Firstly, see the following image, where a protected sheet will not give you access to all the commands in the menu bar or tabs.
- In order to solve this go to the Review tab of the ribbon.
- Then, under the Protect group, select Unprotect Sheet.
- Afterward, a dialog box will pop up, and in there provide the password that you created while protecting the sheet.
- Lastly, click OK.
- Finally, after following the previous actions, you can solve the greyed out issue.
Read More: [Fixed!] Unshare Workbook Greyed Out in Excel
Solution 4: Edit Excel Advanced Option
If any of the above solutions do not solve your issue, then you can follow this last method to solve your issue. By editing some alternatives or choices from the Advanced options of Excel, you can solve this problem. To do that, follow the following steps.
Steps:
- Firstly, see the greyed-out tab in the following image.
- Secondly, to fix this, go to the File tab of the ribbon.
- Then, click on Options in the Home window of Excel.
- After that, you will see the Excel Options window.
- Then, click on the Advanced tab in the window.
- Afterward, scroll down a little bit, and you will see an option Display options for this workbook.
- Then, select All under the For objects show
- Lastly, click OK.
- Finally, all the menus or commands will be visible to you after performing the above steps.
Read More: Excel Data Validation Greyed OutÂ
Download Practice Workbook
You can download the free Excel workbook here and practice on your own.
Conclusion
That’s the end of this article. I hope you find this article helpful. After reading the above description, you will be able to solve the Excel page layout being greyed out. Please share any further queries or recommendations with us in the comments section below.
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