Why do Excel 2010 files not open in separate windows? This is very frustrating when I need to open multiple files and compare them side by side or put them on separate monitors. I often work with 20 or more files at one time. In reality Excel isn’t actually maximized in the sense that the Excel window is ‘stuck’ to the edges of our monitors, it is really just stretched across all the available space. If you click on the maximize button at the top left of the Excel window, you’ll see that it snaps to fit the entire primary screen.

You can quickly compare two worksheets in the same workbook or in different workbooks by viewing them side by side. You can also arrange multiple worksheets to view them all at the same time.

How To Open Two Excel Windows On Separate Monitors

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View two worksheets in the same workbook side by side

On the View tab, in the Window group, click New Window.
On the View tab, in the Window group, click View Side by Side .
In each workbook window, click the sheet that you want to compare.
To scroll both worksheets at the same time, click Synchronous Scrolling in the Window group on the View tab.
Note: This option is available only when View Side by Side is turned on.

Tips:

How To Open Two Excel Windows On Separate Monitors 2016

If you resize the workbook windows for optimal viewing, you can click Reset Window Position to return to the original settings.
To restore a workbook window to full size, click Maximize at the upper-right corner of the workbook window.

View two worksheets of different workbooks side by side

Open both of the workbooks that contain the worksheets that you want to compare.
On the View tab, in the Window group, click View Side by Side .
If you have more than two workbooks open, Excel displays the Compare Side by Side dialog box. In this dialog box, under Compare Side by Side with, click the workbook that contains the worksheet that you want to compare with your active worksheet, and then click OK.
In each workbook window, click the sheet that you want to compare.
To scroll both worksheets at the same time, click Synchronous Scrolling in the Window group on the View tab.
Note: This option is available only when View Side by Side is turned on.

Tips:

Beginning with Excel 2013, workbooks that you open in Excel are no longer displayed as multiple workbook windows inside a single Excel window. Instead, they are shown as separate Excel windows. Because workbooks don’t share the same Excel window, they are displayed with their own ribbon, and you can view the open workbooks on different monitors.
If you resize the workbook windows for optimal viewing, you can click Reset Window Position to return to the original settings.
To restore a workbook window to full size, click Maximize at the upper-right corner of the workbook window.

View multiple worksheets at the same time

Open one or more workbooks that contain the worksheets that you want to view at the same time.
Do one of the following:
- If the worksheets that you want to view are in the same workbook, do the following:
  1. Click a worksheet that you want to view.
  2. On the View tab, in the Window group, click New Window.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each sheet that you want to view.
- If the worksheets that you want to view are in different workbooks, continue with step 3.
On the View tab, in the Window group, click Arrange All.
Under Arrange, click the option that you want.
If the sheets that you want to view are all located in the active workbook, select the Windows of active workbook check box.

Tip: To restore a workbook window to full size, click Maximize at the upper-right corner of the workbook window.

This feature is not available in Excel for the web yet.

If you have the Excel desktop application, you can use the Open in Excel button to open the workbook and view multiple worksheets at the same time.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community, get support in the Answers community, or suggest a new feature or improvement on Excel User Voice.

View two worksheets in the same workbook side by side

How To Separate Excel Windows On Monitors For Windows

On the View tab, in the Window group, click New Window.
On the View tab, in the Window group, click View Side by Side .
In each workbook window, click the sheet that you want to compare.
To scroll both worksheets at the same time, click Synchronous Scrolling in the Window group on the View tab.
Note: This option is available only when View Side by Side is turned on.

Tips:

If you resize the workbook windows for optimal viewing, you can click Reset Window Position to return to the original settings.
To restore a workbook window to full size, click Maximize at the upper-right corner of the workbook window.

View two worksheets of different workbooks side by side

Open both of the workbooks that contain the worksheets that you want to compare.
On the View tab, in the Window group, click View Side by Side .
If you have more than two workbooks open, Excel displays the Compare Side by Side dialog box. In this dialog box, under Compare Side by Side with, click the workbook that contains the worksheet that you want to compare with your active worksheet, and then click OK.
In each workbook window, click the sheet that you want to compare.
To scroll both worksheets at the same time, click Synchronous Scrolling in the Window group on the View tab.
Note: This option is available only when View Side by Side is turned on.

Tips:

Beginning with Excel 2013, workbooks that you open in Excel are no longer displayed as multiple workbook windows inside a single Excel window. Instead, they are shown as separate Excel windows. Because workbooks don’t share the same Excel window, they are displayed with their own ribbon, and you can view the open workbooks on different monitors.
If you resize the workbook windows for optimal viewing, you can click Reset Window Position to return to the original settings.
To restore a workbook window to full size, click Maximize at the upper-right corner of the workbook window.

How to open two excel windows on separate monitors windows 7

View multiple worksheets at the same time

Open one or more workbooks that contain the worksheets that you want to view at the same time.
Do one of the following:
- If the worksheets that you want to view are in the same workbook, do the following:
  1. Click a worksheet that you want to view.
  2. On the View tab, in the Window group, click New Window.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each sheet that you want to view.
- If the worksheets that you want to view are in different workbooks, continue with step 3.

How To Open Two Excel Windows On Separate Monitors

View two worksheets in the same workbook side by side

How To Open Two Excel Windows On Separate Monitors 2016

View two worksheets of different workbooks side by side

View multiple worksheets at the same time

Need more help?

See Also

View two worksheets in the same workbook side by side

How To Separate Excel Windows On Monitors For Windows

View two worksheets of different workbooks side by side

View multiple worksheets at the same time