In Numbers a formula turns into copy paste

> Formula is (A2:A5) Trying to add the cells, but it just copies the numbers.

That is exactly what that formula is supposed to do. Please re-read my original reply.

Additionally, that is not the formula you posted in your original post.

=SUM(A2:A5) => adds all the values in cells A2 through A5

=(A2:A5) => Copies the cells A2:A5 and overflows/spills them across adjacent cells



This is behavior that changed in Numbers 14.4, released mid-2025

Is that the exact formula you're using?

Does the 'row of numbers copied' display the copies in green-tinted cells?

I suspect the latter is true, meaning that Numbers interpreted the formula as an array referencing the targeted cells (e.g. if the formula was '=A1:A5' that would copy those 5 cells, not add them.

Support for arrays was added in Numbers 14.4. Previous versions of Numbers may have interpreted that formula differently.

So please confirm the actual formula you're using. A screenshot might also help.

> I hit shift =, and fill in the formula. It then copies the numbers in the row instead of adding them

What formula? specifically?

> I hit shift =

shift = inserts a + sign. Not sure that's what you mean.