Hello, I have a problem with my Excel 2016 (16.0.10228.20051 32-bit): I have one Excel instance running. (N.B. - the " Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) " checkbox in Advanced Options is NOT checked.) What I need is - for all Excel files that I am about to open to open in my first and only Excel instanc e, always , and regardless of: how many files I open simultaneously, where the files are located (i.e. on local drive or on OneDrive so the system needs to download them before opening) and including when opening Excel files from other Office apps, i.e. Outlook attachments. The behavior that I've been seeing in Excel 2016 is, at best, inconsistent: When opening multiple additional files at once from disk (select multiple files/right-click/Open) - it opens the first n files in the first Excel instance, but then from n +1 file it starts opening them in a new instance. A variation of the above is when in my first and only Excel instance I have a workbook open in XLSTART folder. Then upon opening multiple files at once, when it reaches it's n +1 file and the new instance launches and tries to open the file in XLSTART folder again, but it is already open in the first instance, so the warning message saying " this file is already open " (or something like that) shows up and files n +2, n +3, n +4, etc. till the last one, will all try to open in a separate instance, each triggering the same warning message. I'd like to state at this point that this is not file specific, the file n +1 is usually a different file every time. Also, I am aware of the workaround (i.e. dragging files onto open Excel window) and I am using it - the above is to demonstrate the symptoms I've been experiencing. When generating Excel files by another application (call it AppX) - you might say that this is likely the AppX's issue - I have no means to verify this unfortunately, however, the randomness of the new instances launching in this case is similar to all other scenarios described here, so I doubt the cause is my AppX. Finally, when opening Excel files from Outlook email attachments - i.e. double-clicking an Excel attachment in Outlook's reading pane - it may open it in the first Excel instance, but may also decide to open it in a new one. From my testing, if the Excel's file previewer is disabled at that point (i.e. listed under Options/Add-Ins/Manage - Disabled Items) it will most likely open the attachment in a new instance. So that's my observations, hope it helps to shed some light on the issue. I know how to open files in a new instance if I want it. The problem is, it happens when I don't want it and in some cases, I don't seem to have any control over this. Thanks, J.

Hi Gloria, Yes, I have some of my document libraries synced with OneDrive . It makes no difference though. See the gif below showing the issue affecting files stored locally all the same. Thanks, J.

Hi J, Thanks for your update. According to our test, when we open files which are protected or read-only (in this case because they are locked for editing), they will be opened in new instances. For example, when we open file A, B, C, D, E, file C is read-only, then we will get three instances: file A and B in one instance, file C in one instance, file D and E in one instance. Please let me confirm with you why your files are locked for editing. Is someone else editing them, or are you using something to prevent them from opening in edit mode directly? Best Regards, Gloria

Hi J, Is there any update? Best Regards, Gloria

Hi Gloria, Sorry for this delay. The test files I used to demonstrate the problem were NOT protected, read-only or locked for editing. I believe it should be quite clear from the first gif file I shared on June 29th (second post - i.e. dragging files onto open Excel window). If these files were locked for editing then they would have opened, a) with a yellow bar under formula bar saying that the file is locked, etc., or b) if what you are saying in your post from 3rd July were true, they would have opened in multiple instances - but they didn't. As for any regular, non-test files that I normally work with, they are very rarely read-only or locked for editing, so I am quite sure that the issue is NOT caused by read-only files. Here's another test I've done in the meantime: I have one Excel instance running. In my Outlook, I pick three email messages containing xlsx attachments, none of which is read-only or locked for editing btw. I double-click each of the three attachments allowing a few seconds in between for the file to open. Each of the files opens in my existing Excel instance. I close the three files in Excel and repeat step 3 two to three times, just to be sure this behavior is consistent. I then single-click the attachments so that I get a preview of the file in Outlook's reading pane before double-clicking the attachment again. This time, nothing opens in my 1st Excel instance, instead, a second instance is open with the first file and all three files open in that 2nd instance. Thanks, J.

Hi J, Thanks for your feedback. First we would suggest you update your Office to the latest version: File> Account> Update Options> Update Now. I have done the test as you mentioned, following are the result: (Three emails contain newly-created xlsx files attached and the files are not protected or set to read-only.) Have one instance running first> double click three xlsx files without previewing> When I double click first attachment, there is still one instance, when I double click the second attachment, there are two instances> Finally I get three instances. Double click three attachments directly> I get three instances. Single click the attachments to revert in preview mode> Double click the attachments> I get three instances. Note: When I open the attachments, they are convert to protected view automatically. We can’t confirm the rules that makes Excel open one instance or another instance. We need some time to do some investigations and if there is any update, we will reply to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding. Best Regards, Gloria

Excel 2016 - open all files in ONE instance

Anonymous

Hello,

I have a problem with my Excel 2016 (16.0.10228.20051 32-bit):

I have one Excel instance running. (N.B. - the "Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)" checkbox in Advanced Options is NOT checked.) What I need is - for all Excel files that I am about to open to open in my first and only Excel instanc e, always, and regardless of:

how many files I open simultaneously,
where the files are located (i.e. on local drive or on OneDrive so the system needs to download them before opening)

and including when opening Excel files from other Office apps, i.e. Outlook attachments.

The behavior that I've been seeing in Excel 2016 is, at best, inconsistent:

When opening multiple additional files at once from disk (select multiple files/right-click/Open) - it opens the first n files in the first Excel instance, but then from n+1 file it starts opening them in a new instance.
A variation of the above is when in my first and only Excel instance I have a workbook open in XLSTART folder. Then upon opening multiple files at once, when it reaches it's n+1 file and the new instance launches and tries to open the file in XLSTART folder again, but it is already open in the first instance, so the warning message saying "this file is already open" (or something like that) shows up and files n+2, n+3, n+4, etc. till the last one, will all try to open in a separate instance, each triggering the same warning message.

I'd like to state at this point that this is not file specific, the file n+1 is usually a different file every time.

Also, I am aware of the workaround (i.e. dragging files onto open Excel window) and I am using it - the above is to demonstrate the symptoms I've been experiencing.

When generating Excel files by another application (call it AppX) - you might say that this is likely the AppX's issue - I have no means to verify this unfortunately, however, the randomness of the new instances launching in this case is similar to all other scenarios described here, so I doubt the cause is my AppX.
Finally, when opening Excel files from Outlook email attachments - i.e. double-clicking an Excel attachment in Outlook's reading pane - it may open it in the first Excel instance, but may also decide to open it in a new one. From my testing, if the Excel's file previewer is disabled at that point (i.e. listed under Options/Add-Ins/Manage - Disabled Items) it will most likely open the attachment in a new instance.

So that's my observations, hope it helps to shed some light on the issue. I know how to open files in a new instance if I want it. The problem is, it happens when I don't want it and in some cases, I don't seem to have any control over this.

Thanks,

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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47 answers

Anonymous

2018-06-30T17:51:12+00:00

Hi Gloria,

Yes, I have some of my document libraries synced with OneDrive.

It makes no difference though. See the gif below showing the issue affecting files stored locally all the same.

Thanks,

J.
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Anonymous

2018-07-03T07:33:33+00:00

Hi J,

Thanks for your update.

According to our test, when we open files which are protected or read-only (in this case because they are locked for editing), they will be opened in new instances.

For example, when we open file A, B, C, D, E, file C is read-only, then we will get three instances: file A and B in one instance, file C in one instance, file D and E in one instance.

Please let me confirm with you why your files are locked for editing. Is someone else editing them, or are you using something to prevent them from opening in edit mode directly?

Best Regards,

Gloria
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Anonymous

2018-07-05T07:12:00+00:00

Hi J,

Is there any update?

Best Regards,

Gloria
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Anonymous

2018-07-23T10:08:08+00:00
Hi Gloria,

Sorry for this delay.

The test files I used to demonstrate the problem were NOT protected, read-only or locked for editing. I believe it should be quite clear from the first gif file I shared on June 29th (second post - i.e. dragging files onto open Excel window). If these files were locked for editing then they would have opened, a) with a yellow bar under formula bar saying that the file is locked, etc., or b) if what you are saying in your post from 3rd July were true, they would have opened in multiple instances - but they didn't.

As for any regular, non-test files that I normally work with, they are very rarely read-only or locked for editing, so I am quite sure that the issue is NOT caused by read-only files.

Here's another test I've done in the meantime:
1. I have one Excel instance running.
2. In my Outlook, I pick three email messages containing xlsx attachments, none of which is read-only or locked for editing btw.
3. I double-click each of the three attachments allowing a few seconds in between for the file to open. Each of the files opens in my existing Excel instance.
4. I close the three files in Excel and repeat step 3 two to three times, just to be sure this behavior is consistent.
5. I then single-click the attachments so that I get a preview of the file in Outlook's reading pane before double-clicking the attachment again. This time, nothing opens in my 1st Excel instance, instead, a second instance is open with the first file and all three files open in that 2nd instance.
Thanks,

J.
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Anonymous

2018-07-24T11:38:27+00:00
Hi J,

Thanks for your feedback.

First we would suggest you update your Office to the latest version: File> Account> Update Options> Update Now.

I have done the test as you mentioned, following are the result:

(Three emails contain newly-created xlsx files attached and the files are not protected or set to read-only.)
1. Have one instance running first> double click three xlsx files without previewing> When I double click first attachment, there is still one instance, when I double click the second attachment, there are two instances> Finally I get three instances.
2. Double click three attachments directly> I get three instances.
3. Single click the attachments to revert in preview mode> Double click the attachments> I get three instances.
Note: When I open the attachments, they are convert to protected view automatically.

We can’t confirm the rules that makes Excel open one instance or another instance.

We need some time to do some investigations and if there is any update, we will reply to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for your understanding.

Best Regards,

Gloria
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