How can I stop Excel from opening a second blank window when opening a file from Explorer?

Question

I have tried multiple suggestions I have read about to avoid this issue that just started happening. I click to open an excel file. It opens, but also opens a blank Excel document. I have gone to File>Options>Add-Ins but no add-ins are showing.

Answer 1

Hi @Clint Holden

Could you please tell us which version of Office are you running?

> I have gone to File>Options>Add-Ins but no add-ins are showing

Do you mean that you do not tick any boxes of Excel Add-ins or COM Add-ins like following images?

Currently, I suggest you try to open your workbooks via right-clicking them to choose "Open".

Besides, it's recommended to search: %Appdata%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\ , then open the Excel startup folder, check whether there is any subfolder or file.
If yes, please move them to other location temporarily for a test.

Then you could go to Windows Explorer > View tab, make suer the Preview pane is note selected.

Any updates, you could post back.

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