Unable to Open Two Excel Files at the Same Time (13 Probable Solutions)

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In this article, we will discuss 12 probable solutions when we are unable to open two Excel files at the same time.


What to Do If You’re Unable to Open Two Excel Files at the Same Time: 13 Possible Solutions

1. Update Office and Windows Version

One of the reasons for this problem is the older version of Microsoft Office and Windows version. Update the Microsoft Office to the latest version.

Steps:

  • Press the File tab from the worksheet.
  • Now, click on the Account option.

  • Press the Update Options field.
  • Then, choose the Update Now option.

If this process does not work, please go to the following link and follow the instructions: Install Office Updates.


2. Repair Office Application

If there is an error in an MS Office file, we will be unable to open two Excel files at the same time. We can run a Quick Repair tool to solve this problem.

Steps:

  • Right-click on the Windows sign on the left bottom corner of the display.
  • We will get a list of options. Select Apps and Features from the list.

  • Find out the installed Office application. Now, click on the Modify option.

Repair Office Application to open two Excel files at the same time

  • Then, the Click-to_run option appears.
  • Click on OK on that window. Select Online Repair from the Repair menu.
  • Now, follow the instructions shown on the screen to complete the repair. If this repair tool does not work properly, then follow the link: Repair Office Application.

3. Switch Windows User Profile

We may solve this problem by changing the windows user. Use another user profile and see whether the problem solves or not.

Read More: [Solved] Excel Files Not Opening in Separate Windows


4. Turn off Cortana

The Cortana application slows down the performance of Excel. Now, turn off the Cortana application from the taskbar, and reboot the PC. Hope so, this problem will be solved by this process.


5. Reopen All Office Applications and Default Printer

This problem may happen due to Excel not being able to access the default printer. So, close all office applications and change the default printer.

Steps:

  • First, close all the office applications. Now, change the default printer option. Click on the Windows sign at the bottom left corner of the screen and press the right button of the mouse.
  • Choose the Devices and Printer option from the list.
  • The Device Manager window will appear.

  • Choose the Printer queues option.
  • There are some options like Microsoft Print to PDF, OneNote, etc.
  • Update the options from the internet.

Open two Excel files at the same time by reopening All Office Applications and Default Printer

Read More: [Fixed!] Why Is My Excel Not Opening Files?


6. Uninstall Third Party Applications

Any third-party application can stop opening two Excel files at the same time. Apps like: Kaspersky, Abby Finereader, Tuneup Utilities, etc. If any of these applications are installed, uninstall them one by one and see whether the problem solve or not.


7. Disable Add-Ins

Sometimes, due to add-ins, we can not open two Excel files at the same time. To determine this problem, open the Excel in safe mood and see if the problem exists or not. If the problem is gone, open the Excel file normally and disable all the add-ins one by one and start the Excel file to identify the exact add-ins.


8. Solve Problems with Protected View

We also may face this problem in protected-view. Follow the steps below to get rid of this.

Steps:

  • Press on the File tab, then click on Options.
  • The Excel Options window will appear. Choose the Trust Center option from the list.
  • Click on the Trust Center Settings now.

  • Choose Protected View and File Block Settings from the Trust Center window and unmark all the options.

Read More: [Fixed!] Unable to Open Excel Files Directly by Clicking on the File Icon


9. Disable Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)

Disabling Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is another possible option to solve this problem.

  • We will get this option from the File>Options>Advanced.
  • Then, go to the General tab and will find Ignore Other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) option.
  • Check this option and close the Excel window.
  • Again, open the Excel file and unmark this Ignore Other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) option and close the window. Now, we will see the mentioned problem has been solved.

Disable Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) opens two Excel files in the same time


10. Disable ‘Run this program as an administrator’ Feature

The Run this Program as an Administrator feature may be a reason for this problem. Follow the steps below for this solution.

Steps:

  • Find the EXCEL.EXE file from your computer or go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16.
  • Now, right-click the mouse. Choose the Properties from the Context Menu.
  • Check the Run this program as an administrator from the Compatibility And close the Excel.
  • Again, follow this process and unmark the Run this program as an administrator We will not see errors anymore.

Disable Run this Program as an Administrator Feature to open two Excel files


11. Make Excel Folder Blank

This is one of the ways to solve the mentioned problem. Follow the steps mentioned here.

Steps:

  • Go to C:\Users\User_Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel. Or put this link on the File Explorer address bar %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel\.
  • We will see some files and folders here. Move those files into another location and make this folder blank.

Hope so, we will be able to open two Excel files at the same time.

Read More: Excel Files Not Opening from File Explorer


12. Reinstall the Office Application

If any of the above-mentioned solutions do not solve your problem, then remove the MS Office completely, and then reinstall the Office application.


Conclusion

In this article, we showed 12 solutions when unable to open two Excel files at the same time. I hope this will satisfy your needs. Please feel free to ask any questions regarding this article and give your suggestions in the comment box.


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Alok Paul
Alok Paul

Alok Paul has completed his B.Sc. in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from East West University. He has been working on the ExcelDemy project for more than 2 years. He has written 220+ articles and replied to numerous comments. He is experienced in Microsoft Office, especially in Excel. He also led some teams on Excel and VBA content development. He has a keen interest in Advanced Excel, Data analysis, Excel Pivot Table, Charts, and Dashboard. He loves to research... Read Full Bio

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