Office Settings & Configuration

How to View and Switch Between Multiple Excel Workbooks

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to efficiently navigate between open Excel workbooks or display multiple workbooks together on the screen.

How to View and Switch Between Multiple Excel Workbooks

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Comparing data across multiple spreadsheet files or multitasking within the application.
Observed behavior: Looking for the proper shortcuts or menu commands to toggle between windows or tile them for simultaneous viewing.

Before you start

Ensure that you have at least two Excel workbooks open so you can successfully test switching and arranging the windows.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Switch Workbooks

Keyboard shortcuts provide the fastest method to toggle between open workbooks without moving your hands from the keyboard.

If you frequently work with multiple files, memorizing these simple key combinations will significantly improve your productivity by eliminating the need to search for the right window with your mouse.

Cycle forward through workbooks

Press and hold the 'Ctrl' key, then press 'Tab' (Ctrl+Tab) or 'F6' (Ctrl+F6) to switch to the next open Excel workbook.

Cycle backward through workbooks

Press 'Ctrl+Shift+Tab' or 'Ctrl+Shift+F6' to switch to the previously viewed Excel workbook.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Switch Workbooks

Pro Tip: Using Ctrl+Tab will cycle through your open Excel workbooks, whereas using Alt+Tab will cycle through all open applications on your Windows computer.

Solution 2

Switch and Arrange Workbooks via the View Tab

Use the built-in commands on the Excel ribbon to switch between specific files or arrange them side-by-side.

Solution 3

Switch Workbooks Using the Windows Taskbar

A straightforward visual method using your computer's taskbar to select the exact file you need.

Seamless Workbook Management

Easily Manage Multiple Workbooks with WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet modernizes data management by opening multiple Excel files in intuitive, browser-like tabs within a single application window. This eliminates desktop clutter and makes switching between workbooks as simple as browsing the web.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office on your computer and open your desired spreadsheet files.
2. Navigate via File Tabs: Simply click on the file tabs located at the very top of the interface to instantly switch between different open workbooks.
3. Arrange and Compare Windows: Go to the 'View' tab and click 'Arrange All', or drag a file tab downwards to split the screen and view two sheets side-by-side.

Manage multiple workbooks in a single window with intuitive file tabs100% format compatibility with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .csv)Free, lightweight, and easy to navigate interfaceEffortlessly drag and drop tabs to split screens for data comparison

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Arrange All' option grayed out in Excel?

The 'Arrange All' option will be disabled if you only have one workbook open, or if you are currently actively editing a cell. Press 'Enter' or 'Esc' to exit cell editing mode and ensure you have at least two files open.

How do I view two different sheets from the exact same workbook at once?

To view two sheets from the same file, go to the 'View' tab and click 'New Window'. This opens a second view of your current workbook. Then, click 'Arrange All' and select 'Vertical' or 'Horizontal' to display them together. Changes made in one window will reflect in both.

Can I open multiple instances of Excel in entirely separate application windows?

Yes. If you want a completely separate Excel application window (rather than just opening a file in the existing one), hold down the 'Alt' key while right-clicking the Excel icon on your taskbar and selecting 'Excel'. Keep holding 'Alt' until a prompt asks if you want to start a new instance, then click 'Yes'.

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