I want to open 2 excel files in separate windows to view them side by side... but each time I try, it opens them in the same window

Anonymous
2009-11-14T01:05:58+00:00

I want to open 2 excel files in separate windows to view them side by side... but each time I try, it opens them in the same window.  is there a way around this?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-03-15T22:03:50+00:00

I use Windows 7 and this is what works for me (just figured it out):

1.  Open your first Excel file and place it on the screen you want

2.  Open a new Excel file from the Excel icon

3.  The new file will open on top of the one you have already opened.  Drag it to the other screen

4.  Drag the icon for the second Excel file INTO the new (blank) Excel document

Voila!  Two separate screens.

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Anonymous
2010-04-30T19:36:49+00:00

ok, just because i don't have the petiance to wait for you to answer to my first question about which excel version you'r using i'll just give my solution for all the people who have w7 and office 2007:

the solution involves making little changes in the registry so i recommend making back up for just in case:

strart - run - regedit:

Left column

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/Excel.Sheet.8/shell/Open/commend:

Right column {adding (space)"%1"}

Double Click on (Default) and write - "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"

Right Click on Command – choose "rename" and add something to the name 

  • for example 2 (commend2).

Left column

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/Excel.Sheet.8/shell/Open/ddeexec:

Right Click on the folder ddeexec and choose "rename" and add something to the name 

  • for example 2 (ddeexec2)

Left column

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/Excel.Sheet.12/shell/Open/commend:

Right column {adding (space)"%1"}

Double Click on (Default) and write -****"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"

Right Click on Command – choose "rename" and add something to the name 

  • for example 2 (commend2).

no restart needed

Have Fun

hope i helped

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-11-03T18:36:25+00:00

    I want to open 2 excel files in separate windows to view them side by side... but each time I try, it opens them in the same window.  is there a way around this?

    You have to open the 2nd window from the application (.exe) first (from Start > All Programs or a desktop shortcut for the application--NOT a file shortcut). It will open as a blank new workbook. THEN you can open a file from within the application (i.e., file > open, etc....). If you try to open the 2nd file by  also double-clicking the file icon (or Recent Items, etc.), they will only display within a single workbook window.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-10-28T01:42:59+00:00

    Hello-There is no good reason to run two separate instances of Excel on the same machine (unless you are a developer or just want to mess around??)

    ; this is a waste of resources-Excel is a memory hog to begin with.  Two instances of Excel is a double memory hog :}

    .  Excel will easily handle two separate files within ONE instance inside the one main window.  Just make sure you click the little resize button on the upper right hand side of the visible file window 'frame'; it will be apparent.  Just to qualify this statement, I do this all of the time with a number of different documents-and Excel runs like a champ every time.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-10-28T01:39:42+00:00

    They are opened separately inside the main Excel window.  You need to click the center button on the upper right hand side of the frame of one of the windows to resize them.

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