When a spreadsheet is downloaded from the internet, Excel opens it in "Protected view" so that macros and other potentially malicious content cannot be run. The workbook is also read only.

If you move to any cell in the workbook and type text, Excel ignores it - the original content of the cell is retained and visually, it never appears to go into edit mode (typed characters never appear anywhere).

With "speak typed characters" on, NVDA reads any characters typed twice. With "speak typed words" on, NVDA, when spacebar is pressed, NVDA reads the word that was typed as individual letters. For instance, type:

The

With speak typed characters on, NVDA reads:

T t h h e e

as you type. When you press space, if speak typed characters is on, NVDA reads:

tthhee space space

With speak typed characters off, text is not read as you type it (but the "word" is still read if speak typed words is on).

The expected behaviour should be to alert the user in some manner that the text is not being typed (as a sighted user will see that the text is not being typed).