How to Open Excel Files in Separate Windows by Default (4 Methods)

Get FREE Advanced Excel Exercises with Solutions!

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet that organizes numbers and data with formulas and functions. Excel analysis is used all over the world for financial analysis of all types of business. If you use Excel for personal or professional uses you might feel the need to use two spreadsheets at the same time. In this article, I am going to show you some easy processes to open Excel files in separate windows by default. So that, you don’t have to open files in a similar window.


Today I am explaining 4 suitable methods to open Excel files in separate windows by default. Stay tuned to learn the simple methods.

Suppose we have two Excel spreadsheets containing data on sales of two Shops. One is the Sales of Fruits and the other is the Sales of Groceries.

Open Excel Files in Separate Windows

Let’s open these datasets on our PC. As you can see, both files are opened in the same window. Now, we will apply some techniques so that they open in different windows.

Open Excel Files in Separate Windows


1. Using Office Tab to Open Excel files in Separate Windows by Default

If you want to open two Excel spreadsheets in two separate windows without any hesitation then you are in the perfect place for your solution. Utilizing the office tab we can get our precious result. Hope you have the “Office Tab” installed on your PC. If not, don’t forget to check the “Things to Remember” portion at the end of this article. Stay tuned and follow the steps-

Step 1:

  • Firstly, open a spreadsheet. Here I have opened the file “Sales of Fruits”.

Utilize Office Tab to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Go to “File” to open options.

Utilize Office Tab to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Choose “Tabs for Excel Options” from the “Office Tab”.

Step 2:

  • From the new window uncheck the “Single-window Mode”.
  • Press OK to continue.

  • Hereby unchecking the option we have successfully reached our destination. Now open both Excel files and you will see both of them will open in a separate window.

2. Opening Excel files in Separate Windows with Registry Editor

In the previous method, we used a built-in feature of Excel to do so. Now let’s use “Registry Editor” to open Excel files in two separate windows. Follow the steps carefully and patiently to get your precious result.

Step 1:

  • Click on the “Search” option from your taskbar.
  • Type “Registry Editor” to search from your computer.
  • Now choose “Registry Editor” from your search result and click on it to open.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • From the left column press onto “Excel.CSV”.
  • Again click on the “Open” option and select “ddeexec”.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Right-click on the “ddeexc” file and rename the file.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Now go to the “Command” option and choose “Default” from the right column.
  • While selecting the “Default” right-click the mouse button and press “Modify”.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • A new window will open named “Edit String”.
  • Here you have to edit the string. At the end of the string type- /e”%1”
  • Press OK to change the string.

Now we will do the same steps in a new file from the left column.

Step 2:

  • Go to Sheet.12 > Shell > Open > ddeexec.
  • Selecting “ddeexec” click on the right button of the mouse and from the options choose “Rename”.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Here I have renamed the file to “7”.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Now we will head towards the “Command” point.
  • After selecting the “Command” point from the left column a new option will appear in the right side column.
  • Press the “Default” option and click the right button on the mouse to open options.
  • From the options, select modify to edit the string.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • At the end of the string type- /e”%1”
  • Click OK.

Use Registry Editor to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Now close the “Registry Editor” file.

  • Let’s open the Excel files. You will see the Excel files will open in two separate windows.


3. Creating Custom Excel Shortcut to Open Files in Separate Windows

By creating a shortcut in your window, you can open an Excel file in Separate windows, too. Follow my steps-

Step1:

  • Click the right button on the mouse selecting the “Excel” shortcut from your window.

Create a Custom Excel Shortcut to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Options will pop up. From the options choose “Properties”.

Create a Custom Excel Shortcut to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • A new window will appear named “Excel Properties”.
  • Click the “Shortcut” and copy the location from the “Target” option.

Create a Custom Excel Shortcut to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Now go to your window and again click the right button on the mouse to get some new options.
  • Select “Shortcut” from option “New”.

Create a Custom Excel Shortcut to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

Step 2:

  • In the “Create Shortcut” window paste by pressing Ctrl+V from your keyboard in the “Type the location of the item” cell.
  • At the end of the string type- “ /x”.
  • To continue click “Next”.

Create a Custom Excel Shortcut to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • Now, name your Excel file. Here, I have named the file “Excel (2)”.
  • Complete the process by pressing “Finish”.

  • Now you will get a new Excel shortcut icon in the window. With the previous icon, you can open a file and with the new icon, you can also open a new file in a separate window every time you click on it. It’s that easy.


4. Searching in Windows to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

Let’s move to our last step. In this method, I will show you some simple and quick steps so that you can open Excel files in a separate window at a glance.

Steps:

  • Firstly, open an Excel file.
  • While it’s opened, go to your “Search” option from the taskbar and type “Excel”.
  • Choose the “Excel” app from the search results.

Search in Windows to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • From the “Home” option click on the icon from the right column to view files.
  • Now select another file and press on it to open.

Search in Windows to Open Excel files in Separate Windows

  • This time this will open in a new and separate window. Thus you will get your two different files opened in two different windows every time using this method.


Things to Remember

If you don’t have the “Office Tab” installed on your PC. Go to the browser and search “Office Tab”. Then download the file and install it. After completing the installation of the file, open your Excel file to enjoy the “Office Tab”.


Download Practice Workbooks

Download these practice workbooks to exercise while you are reading this article.


Conclusion

In this article, I have tried to cover the simple and quickest ways to open Excel files in separate windows by default. Take a tour of the practice workbook and download the file to practice by yourself. Hope you find it useful. Please inform us in the comment section about your experience.


Related Articles


<< Go Back to Open Excel Files | Excel FilesLearn Excel

What is ExcelDemy?

ExcelDemy - Learn Excel & Get Excel Solutions Center provides online Excel training , Excel consultancy services , free Excel tutorials, free support , and free Excel Templates for Excel professionals and businesses. Feel free to contact us with your Excel problems.
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram holds a BSc degree in Industrial and Production Engineering from Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology. Over the past 2 years, he has been actively contributing to the ExcelDemy project, where he has authored more than 150 articles. Now, he is working as an Excel VBA and Content Developer. He likes learning new things about Microsoft Office, especially Excel VBA, Power Query, Data Analysis, and Excel Statistics. He is also very interested in machine learning and... Read Full Bio

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

Leave a reply

Advanced Excel Exercises with Solutions PDF

 

 

ExcelDemy
Logo