# Excel 2016 - Additional Spreadsheet Opening By Default



## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

I'm using Office 365 and have just upgraded to Office 2016.

Now, if I double-click on an excel spreadsheet from within Windows explorer, the file opens, but also a second, blank instance of Excel opens (no worksheets, just an instance of Excel)

T


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Double click from file Explorer is the correct method of opening file. Might just be a quirk in your system and might go away, however slowing your mouse "Double Click Speed" might make a difference.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Right click the Excel sheet and click Open. do two Excel sheets open?


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

Hi spunk.funk

Yes - 2 instances open.

I also had "pinned" some of my common files to a shortcut to excel (on my taksbar) and these also open 2 instances of excel. I've had to remove them.

The only way to get a single instance of excel is to open the app first, and then to select the required file from the list of "recent" files (provided it is on the list).

T


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

And if you go to File/Open and choose your file does that work? 
Go to *File/Options/Advanced* on the left panel/*General* on the right panel.
At *Startup, open all files in... *delete the contents this box.


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

Right-click and Open causes 2 instances of Excel

At Startup, open all files in...... the field is blank

T


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## vinod.vanukuru (Sep 29, 2015)

Please follow the below steps and this might work...

1. Please go to C:\Users\$$$$$$$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART - $$$$$$$ is username

2. Right click on the personal.xlsb file and go to Properties. 

3. Check the Hidden option and then apply/ok.

the personal file will be available for you but the second instance would not open

Thanks a ton!


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

Thanks vinod.vanukuru

That has worked, but the "unhide" functionality in "View" tab is now unavailable.

T


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

I have changed the status to "Unsolved" again, as the solution below has an unanticipated consequence.

I am unable to run a macro, which was assigned to "Personal"

T


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

I found the following and would like to try it, but I need step-by-step instructions. Can anyone help?

"This can occur due to corruption in a personal macro workbook (%appData%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\), and removing PERSONAL.XLSB from this folder caused the problem to go away.

I had to export each of my macro modules to another folder, then after removing PERSONAL.XLSB, record a new macro stored in my "Personal Macro Workbook" (which recreated PERSONAL.XLSB), then on the Developer toolbar, click "Visual Basic" and import the macro modules again.

All the shortcut keys and descriptions were maintained, but more importantly, I didn't get a second copy of Excel opening every time I opened a worksheet from Explorer.
"


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## dcowboys20 (Jun 5, 2013)

Thank you tomohawk - I thought I was the only one having this damn issue! It doesn't occur with any other Office software. My computer is less than a week old and people are already saying I have a registry error. I also reinstalled Office after day 2, but to no avail. What the hell Microsoft?

Here's where I originally posted my issue: Excel: Opening Two Files With One Blank | Windows 10 Forums

One of the guys had me editing the registry, but I have no "AltStartup" in the pane.

I've done the appdata, file --> advanced...nothing works! So frustrating. This has never happened with any previous version or computer.

EDIT: There's also some discussion at https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/205890-excel-opens-two-instances-of-file-one-blank, but I haven't received any replies to my latest comment.


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

Hi dcowboys20 

I got onto Microsoft support via a chat session. The "agent" walked me through a re-install of office online (Programs and Features, Right-Click on Office and select "Change"). Of course, he was most likely following a script and the change did *not *solve the problem.

The re-install required a reboot, so he gave me a link to reconnect with him afterwards. Of course the link did not work. The last place you want to go for a solution to a Microsoft problem is, of course, Microsoft!!!

T


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## dcowboys20 (Jun 5, 2013)

Exactly! I'm not reinstalling any Office software again - I did that a few days ago and it did not work either. There's got to be a somewhat simple solution for this - it's such a "minor" bug that I can't imagine there isn't something out there. I guess we will keep looking unless someone else has an idea...


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## tomohawk (Dec 29, 2009)

Hopefully!:banghead:

Happy Christmas to you and to all that have offered their support and advice in 2015.

Tommy


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## dcowboys20 (Jun 5, 2013)

So, maybe because it's Christmas or something...but now it's working. I just opened an Excel file and no blank workbook opened with it. I'm not sure what I did other than run a CCleaner registry check, but I didn't even fix those issues before trying to open the Excel file. Maybe there was a Windows update last night? No idea if this will last, but will keep you updated. Wishing you luck as well.


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## dcowboys20 (Jun 5, 2013)

....and the problem is back! Haha this is getting hilarious now.


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## dcowboys20 (Jun 5, 2013)

So I finally got it fixed again and it was by removing the add-in RegressIt (RegressIt - Free Excel add-in for linear regression). Weird, does that mean it's probably not compatible with Excel 2016? Either way, this appears to be the problem.


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## fiberstorejames (Aug 4, 2014)

that's very strange. better save all your files before you check and do something to fix it. is the second excel blank or with some ads? if there are ads, i think it 's caused by producers. you don't need to care about it.


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## dcowboys20 (Jun 5, 2013)

Nope, no ads. It's a blank "Book1" worksheet. I've contacted the guy who created RegressIt and we're working through it now. Good call!


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