Office Settings & Configuration

Stop Excel Windows from Expanding When Opening Another File

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to prevent minimized Excel or Word windows from automatically maximizing or expanding when opening a new document.

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Working with multiple files simultaneously and needing previously opened workbooks to stay minimized in the background.
Observed behavior: Minimized Excel or Word windows automatically expand and interrupt the workspace when another document is opened, requiring users to repeatedly minimize them.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved any active work in your currently open spreadsheets before forcing Excel to open a completely new application instance.

Solution 1Recommended

Open Workbooks in Separate Excel Instances

Use a keyboard shortcut while opening Excel from the taskbar to force a completely new application instance, which isolates the window state behavior of each file.

By default, Excel manages all open workbooks within the same application instance. This shared state often causes minimized windows to expand when a new file is launched. Opening a separate instance completely isolates the new workbook's window behavior, preventing it from affecting your minimized files.

Open and minimize the first workbook

Launch Microsoft Excel, open your first workbook normally, and then minimize its window to the taskbar.

Trigger a new application instance

Press and hold the 'ALT' key on your keyboard, then right-click the Excel icon on your Windows taskbar.

Confirm the new instance

Keep holding the 'ALT' key and click 'Excel' from the pop-up jump list. A prompt will appear asking 'Do you want to start a new instance of Excel?'. Click 'Yes' and release the 'ALT' key.

Load the second file

In the completely new Excel instance that opens, go to 'File' > 'Open' and select your second workbook. Your first workbook will remain minimized in the background without expanding.

Submit Product Feedback: Since this is a temporary workaround for a default application behavior, consider submitting product feedback to the development team to request a permanent setting for window management.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do minimized Excel windows expand when I open a new file?

By default, Excel manages all open workbooks in a single application instance. When opening a new file triggers the application to become active, all windows associated with that instance are often restored or brought to the foreground simultaneously.

Can I make Excel open in separate instances by default?

There is no simple toggle in Excel's standard settings to change this default behavior. You must manually force a new instance using the ALT key method or modify the Windows Registry, which is generally only recommended for advanced technical users.

Does this window expansion issue happen in Microsoft Word as well?

Yes, this behavior can also affect Microsoft Word if multiple documents are opened within the same application instance. You can use the exact same ALT-key taskbar workaround for Word.

Will opening separate Excel instances consume more computer memory?

Yes, running entirely separate instances of Excel requires more system resources (RAM) than opening multiple workbooks within a single instance. Ensure your computer has sufficient memory if you plan to work with many large files simultaneously using this method.

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