Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Opening a Workbook with Two Windows.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 15, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
If you open a workbook that has been worked on by someone else, you may be surprised when you see not one, but two windows open. If these windows are named (in the title bar) something like MyFile.xls:1 and MyFile.xls:2, then the two windows represent different views of the same worksheet.
To solve this problem, make a change or two somewhere in the worksheet. (Make the change in either window; it doesn't matter.) This change can be as simple as editing a cell or entering something into a blank cell and then deleting it.
Next, close one of the windows by clicking the Close button in the upper-right corner of the window. The window should close, but the other window remains open. Notice, as well, that the :1 or :2 notation should disappear from the remaining window's title bar.
Now save the file and close it. When you later reopen it, the extra window is gone. It was there before because Excel remembers how many windows you have open for any given file. It saves that information with the workbook file itself, and then opens that many windows when the workbook is later opened.
If this doesn't solve the problem, it could be that the workbook being opened has an AutoOpen macro that is running and that the macro is opening the additional window. Changing macro-based behavior like this entails changing the macro or disabling it in some way.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8242) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Opening a Workbook with Two Windows.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Importing a single file is easy. Importing a whole slew of files can be much more of a challenge.
Discover MoreRenaming a workbook from within Excel can seem daunting, but it is actually quite easy. All you need to do is use the ...
Discover MoreWhen dealing with files containing comma-separated values, you want to make sure that what gets imported into Excel ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2019-06-01 10:28:30
Michelle Hintz
I use the multiple windows feature all the time. What you need to be aware of is if you have any special formatting in your file (i.e., print ranges, print formatting such as margin size or shrink to one page, freeze panes, view size), the settings are only saved in the ":1" version. If you remove the ":1" window and save the window that was labeled ":2", you will lose all of the special formatting.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments