2016 Excel opens two windows when opening file

Anonymous
2017-10-24T21:36:41+00:00

When I open an Excel file from Explorer by clicking on the file, two windows open: the spreadsheet AND a second Excel window, no spreadsheet open--just a blank Excel Window.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2018-01-19T18:57:25+00:00

Your 'c' option fixed this issue for me.   I recently installed MySQL on my laptop and that was the COM Add-in that triggered a secondary 'blank' spreadsheet.   As soon as I unchecked 'MySQL for Excel' under COM Add-ins, I only open the spreadsheet I desired.

Thanks

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Anonymous
2018-07-04T03:07:13+00:00

I disabled the solver add-ins and no more second sheet (blank) : options --> Add-ins --> Manage Excel Add-ins  (bottom) --> Go...

Unchecked Solver Add-in box and it worked.

I may need later to re-enable the Solver Add-in but at least I have a way to disable that second annoying window. Hope this helps.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-10-26T20:54:46+00:00

    Have you checked the other options in my first post and could you let us know the outcome?

    1.Disable preview pane in File Explorer.- YES

    2.Is there any files in this folder C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART?- NO

    When I selected Ignore other application that use DDE and then attempted to open an excel file from file explorer it ONLY opened a blank excel screen, but if I go to open> and choose the workbook it then opens.

    See screen shots below, this has been happening to most of our workstations throughout the office for some time now. I would estimate 6 months or longer. Some are not bothered by it while others are.

    ***PII masked by forum moderator***

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-10-27T06:50:33+00:00

    Hi Dionna,

    Thanks for your reply.

    From the screenshots you provided, I can see the workbook is opened in Compatibility mode. Please try re-saving the workbook in .xlsx format, then double-clicking on the document to see the outcome.

    In the meantime, please try the followings to check the result:

    1.Please open Excel and go to file tab->Options->Save->Save workbooks, make sure you are saving workbook in .xlsx format.

    2.Please try creating a new workbook and double-click it in file explorer to see the outcome.

    3.Please try right-clicking on a document and select Open to see fi it opens an another blank window.

    4.Please try quitting all other applications, holding ctrl key when you double-click on a document to launch Excel in safe mode to see the result.

    Besides, to narrow down the issue, please help confirm these things:

    1.Does it exhibit same behavior no matter you open a document from a folder on your local drive or from OneDrive or SharePoint local synced folder?

    2.Does it open a additional blank window when you double-clicking on a different type of document such as a Word document or a PowerPoint document?

    3.I notice the issue exists for 6 months or longer, so it doesn't have the issue previously? If so, can you remember what changes did make to your Office or computer before the sudden change?

    Regards,

    Joanne

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-10-30T17:59:46+00:00

    Hi Joanne, I apologize I was out of the office Friday. 

    In the meantime, please try the followings to check the result:

    1.Please open Excel and go to file tab->Options->Save->Save workbooks, make sure you are saving workbook in .xlsx format. current setting already

    2.Please try creating a new workbook and double-click it in file explorer to see the outcome. created test workbook, saved in xlsx format. Opened by double-click in file explorer and it opened in two windows.

    3.Please try right-clicking on a document and select Open to see fi it opens an another blank window. Opens two windows

    4.Please try quitting all other applications, holding ctrl key when you double-click on a document to launch Excel in safe mode to see the result. Only opened a blank window- workbook does not open.

    Besides, to narrow down the issue, please help confirm these things:

    1.Does it exhibit same behavior no matter you open a document from a folder on your local drive or from OneDrive or SharePoint local synced folder? YES

    2.Does it open a additional blank window when you double-clicking on a different type of document such as a Word document or a PowerPoint document? No, only experience this with Excel

    3.I notice the issue exists for 6 months or longer, so it doesn't have the issue previously? If so, can you remember what changes did make to your Office or computer before the sudden change? I honestly do not recall exactly when it started happening, could it be from a product update or other windows update??? We changed over to windows 10 and O365 over a year ago and do not recall it happening at initial install, no other changes to our systems have happen over the last 6 months.

    Thanks,

    Dionna McNellis

    Tim Ryan Construction

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