When Excel starts, it opens multiple files

Question

<Moved from Windows 7 | Programs to Excel for Mac; guessing at Office 2016>

Every time I start Excel it opens multiple recent files that I've worked on:

• all of them files that I saved and closed before quitting Excel previously
• This means I need to re-close them every time I start Excel.   That's a pain!

Starting Excel by double-clicking an .xlsx file opens multiple recent files and the one I double-clicked

Starting Excel by double-clicking the Excel icon in the Applications folder opens multiple recent files

Starting Excel by clicking the Dock opens multiple recent files

Starting Excel from the Dock > Applications picker opens multiple recent files

How do I fix this?

Answer 1

Start Excel while holding down the shift key. the go to Excel preferences, and clear the value in "on startup open all files in".

Answer 2

The answer does not fit Excel 2016 for Mac

Answer 3

Yes, it most certainly does.

Answer 4

The answer does not fit Excel 2016 for Mac

It does apply.

Excel > Preferences

Click General

Clear edit box labeled: "At startup, open all files in:"

Not sure if the "Start Excel while holding down the shift key." does anything, but the above fixes fix in Excel Preferences fixes my problem.

Answer 5

The sequence you gave was incorrect for Excel 2016 for Mac.  Another user just posted the correct sequence.