In this article, you will discover how to display two or more windows side by side in Excel 365, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010.

When it’s about comparing worksheets in Excel, placing tabs beside each other is the most straightforward approach. Fortunately, it’s just as simple as it sounds :) Simply pick the method that suits your needs:

Let’s start with the most typical scenario. If the sheets you wish to compare are within the same workbook, follow these steps to position them side by side:

1. On the View tab, in the Window group, press New Window. This will launch another window of the same workbook.
2. On the View tab, in the Window group, press View Side by Side.
3. In each window, click the desired sheet tab. Done!

The image below illustrates the default horizontal layout. For a vertical arrangement, utilize the Arrange All feature.

How to open two Excel files side by side

To view two sheets in different workbooks side by side, do the following:

1. Open the desired files.
2. On the View tab, in the Window group, press View Side by Side.
3. In each workbook window, click the tab you want to compare.

If more than two files are open, the Compare Side by Side dialog box will appear, prompting you to select the workbook to compare with the active one.

How to organize sheets side-by-side vertically

When using the View Side by Side feature, Excel places two windows horizontally by default. To modify this setup, click the Arrange All button on the View tab.

In the Arrange Windows dialog box, select Vertical to align the sheets next to each other.

Alternatively, opt for another configuration that works best for you:

• Tiled - windows are arranged as equally sized squares in the sequence you opened them.
• Horizontal - windows are stacked one below another.
• Cascade - windows overlap one another from top to bottom.

Excel will retain your selected arrangement and apply it the next time.

Synchronized scrolling

Another useful feature you might appreciate is Synchronized Scrolling. As its name implies, it enables scrolling both sheets simultaneously. The option is located on the View tab, directly beneath View Side by Side, and activates automatically with the latter. To deactivate synchronized scrolling, simply click this button to toggle it off.

How to view multiple sheets at once

The methods outlined above work for 2 sheets. To view all sheets at once, proceed as follows:

1. Open all the workbooks of interest.
2. If the sheets are in the same workbook, click the target tab, and then click View tab > New Window. Repeat this step for each worksheet you wish to view. If the sheets are in different files, skip this step.
3. On the View tab, in the Window group, press Arrange All.
4. In the dialog box that appears, choose the desired arrangement. Once done, click OK to show all open Excel windows as per your choice. If you’re only interested in the tabs of the current workbook, check the Windows of active workbook box.

Side-by-side viewing not working

If the View Side by Side button is disabled, it means you have only one Excel window open. To enable it, open another file or another window of the same workbook.

If the View side by Side button is active, but no action occurs when clicked, press the Reset Window Position button on the View tab, in the Windows group.

If resetting the position doesn’t resolve the issue, try this workaround:

1. Open your first worksheet as usual.
2. Press CTRL N to open a new Excel window.
3. In the new window, click File > Open and select your second file.
4. Press the View Side by Side button.

Helpful tips

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning a couple of practical pointers:

• To restore a workbook window to its full size, click the Maximize button

  in the upper-right corner.

• If you resized a workbook window or altered the windows arrangement, and then wished to revert to the default settings, press the Reset Window Position button on the View tab.

These are the quickest ways to view Excel tabs side by side. I thank you for reading and look forward to seeing you on our blog next week!

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