How to keep already-opened workbooks minimized from restoring when opening another workbook?

Question

(Excel 2016 on Windows 10)

Suppose one or more workbooks are open, but they have been minimized. When I open another workbook, for example by double-clicking on it in Explorer, one of the minimized workbook window always restores (pops up) before the newly-opened workbook is displayed. The formerly-minimized workbook remains open and visible, behind the one I've just opened. This behavior interferes with my work, as I often have many windows (not just Excel) open at once, and switch between them frequently.

Does anybody know why this behavior exists? Excel 2007 did not work this way under Windows 7. More importantly, how can I prevent this annoying behavior?

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 12 '20 at 13:48

1

This works for me:

Update the following registry:

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\command (Default)

By default, should look something like: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\excel.exe" "%1"

Add the /e switch, eg. "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\excel.exe" /e "%1"

Restart your computer

The /e switch "Prevents the Excel startup screen from appearing and a new blank workbook from opening."

Microsoft Office Switch Reference

How to keep already-opened workbooks minimized from restoring when opening another workbook?

1 Answers1