Ctrl+H for Replace

[maryj]

Excel 2003 - When opening a new session of Excel and I press Ctrl+H it brings
up the Replace dialog box with the cursor blinking in the Find field. When
closing the box and pressing Ctrl+H again, the Replace field is now
highlighted. Once a new instance of Excel is opened, then pressing the Ctrl+H
will place the cursor in the Find field again.

Is this the way Excel was designed to work? If so, is there any way to
change it so that every time the Replace dialog box is brought up the cursor
is in the Find field?

 

[mr tom]

This is because it stores your previous find and replace (within this
session) for your convenience. As such, your last work is automatically
highlighted.

The only way to avoid it would be to clear the fields before closing the
dialog box.

If you're doing loads of find and replace and (as you appear) are a keyboard
fan, then whilst you can't change excel's behaviour in this regard, you can
work around it - you're probably aware that TAB moves forward a field. If
you hold down SHIFT and tap TAB, you'll move back one field. Without miving
the mouse, it's probably your best way around this.

HTH,

Tom.