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
    2010-12-07T15:03:41+00:00

    The registry settings seem to work...mostly.  There really needs to be a better more comprehensive solution.  One that is accessible/configurable from within the app (not the registry!).

    Anyway, the registry solution doesn't seem to work when opening Excel files from Outlook.  Pretty much my only use of Excel is when people send me files in email and I have to open them to do...well, whatever is needed.

    It is VERY inconvenient not to be able to open these in separate instances to span my multiple monitors.  Even with the registry solution I have to save the attachments to disk and then open them from there - an annoying additional step which I didn't have to do in prior versions of windows.  At least with the registry settings it saves me from having to save the attachments, launch Excel instances separately, and then File-Open each one individually. 

    Get on it MS!

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-11-22T17:55:16+00:00

    So I did end up getting it working.  I continued to tweak the registery settings and now they open in 2 different windows

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-11-22T12:40:48+00:00

    OK, I just read this and this may answer my problem...Ive been trying to view seperate excel files, one on my laptop, and the other on an external screen.  With Vista I can do this, with Win7 it doesnt allow it.  Here's my question before I mess with the registry.  I'm using 2010, should I use Office 12 everywhere or use a combination of Office 12 and Office 8?

    Thanks

    I have Windows 7 and Office 2007. With two monitors set as extended

    To get an excelwindow on each monitor:

    1. open the first excel window on monitor 1
    2. move the first excell window to monitor 2 (by dragging)
    3. rightclick de excel programbutton on monitor 1 and open the second excel window.

        The second excell window opens in the first monitor while the first excell window is on the second monitor

    DONE

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