Some but not all Excel workbooks appear in taskbar.

I have for example, five Excel workbooks open, four will appear in the taskbar when I hover over the Excel icon and one will not. This happens pretty much every day and with a wide variety of Excel files, not the same ones. I have not noticed the same issue with other programs but must admit I rarely would have multiple files open from other programs.

I have tried every option suggested on forums that I have read including unticking and reticking the box in Excel advanced options to 'show all windows in taskbar', also right clicking on the taskbar to 'never combine' (and although this is not really what I'm after, the workbook will not show in the taskbar either). None of these make any difference.

I have also tried opening the files from the open button, from the recently used files list and from the folder they are stored in but this makes no difference.

When I 'alt-tab through the open screens, the workbook that I cannot see from the taskbar will always show as the very last item after every other screen from every other program I have open, even when it is the last item I have looked at.

It's driving me mad as in my work I always have to switch back and forth between spreadsheets.
Can anyone help or has anyone else come across the same problem?

ju severn said:

I have for example, five Excel workbooks open, four will appear in the taskbar when I hover over the Excel icon and one will not. This happens pretty much every day and with a wide variety of Excel files, not the same ones. I have not noticed the same issue with other programs but must admit I rarely would have multiple files open from other programs.

"Just upgraded from windows 7 to windows 10 and have a similar problem. In my case, only the active excel window is displayed no matter how many excel files are open. 'Show all windows in the taskbar' is checked in Excel/options/advanced."

I have tried every option suggested on forums that I have read including unticking and reticking the box in Excel advanced options to 'show all windows in taskbar', also right clicking on the taskbar to 'never combine' (and although this is not really what I'm after, the workbook will not show in the taskbar either). None of these make any difference.

I have also tried opening the files from the open button, from the recently used files list and from the folder they are stored in but this makes no difference.

When I 'alt-tab through the open screens, the workbook that I cannot see from the taskbar will always show as the very last item after every other screen from every other program I have open, even when it is the last item I have looked at.

It's driving me mad as in my work I always have to switch back and forth between spreadsheets.
Can anyone help or has anyone else come across the same problem?

"Just upgraded from windows 7 to windows 10 and have a similar problem. In my case, only the active excel window is displayed no matter how many excel files are open. 'Show all windows in the taskbar' is checked in Excel/options/advanced."

HippsieGypsie said:

Welcome to Windows Ten Forums, ju severn and restexas.

Don't know why you're having the issue and I don't have Office installed on my 10, but have in 8.1. I also have not had that many Excel workbooks opened to know if perhaps there's a limit to the list set in Office or in 10. I worked more with seperate sheets in a workbook than separate workbooks. However, for now to keep you working without the distraction, could you open a separate instance of Excel and work with it that way? Somewhat of a PITA I know, but that may work for now until resolved.

"Opening a separate instance of excel worked. Thanks for the tip"

@restexas and @ju severn

You're welcome, restexas.

Here's what I've found for opening separate instances, which they recommend is the best way to work with different workbooks.

Opening workbooks by running separate instances of Excel - Office Blogs

I think that would work.. The problem seems to be the same whether I have two or twenty spreadsheets open and now my colleague has started complaining of the same issue - also on Windows 10, but my laptop started having the problem on windows 8 too.

It's a fix for the time being anyway - have sometimes done this so that I can see two workbooks open at the same time (I use two monitors) but I never thought about it for this instance. Thanks for the tip!

ju severn said:

I think that would work.. The problem seems to be the same whether I have two or twenty spreadsheets open and now my colleague has started complaining of the same issue - also on Windows 10, but my laptop started having the problem on windows 8 too.

It's a fix for the time being anyway - have sometimes done this so that I can see two workbooks open at the same time (I use two monitors) but I never thought about it for this instance. Thanks for the tip!

You're quite welcome. Glad to read that will work for you temporarily.

Retired now, But having owned a construction business I did a lot of work in Office programs for many a year so I know what you all go through.

I'm looking into resolving this. Not sure if it's 10, Office, or the combination of the two. Probably 10 being the culprit as it's new and I'm assuming it worked in previous OSs. Like I stated, though, I worked more with multiple sheets within a book and not various workbooks open within one instance of Excel.

I'll be sure to post anything I find. Please do the same?

Good luck to you both. Again, welcome to the forum. :)

HippsieGypsie said:

You're quite welcome. Glad to read that will work for you temporarily.

Retired now, But having owned a construction business I did a lot of work in Office programs for many a year so I know what you all go through.

I'm looking into resolving this. Not sure if it's 10, Office, or the combination of the two. Probably 10 being the culprit as it's new and I'm assuming it worked in previous OSs. Like I stated, though, I worked more with multiple sheets within a book and not various workbooks open within one instance of Excel.

I'll be sure to post anything I find. Please do the same?

Good luck to you both. Again, welcome to the forum. :)

Hello, I am having the same problem with Excel and so is my boss. Now we are not too clued up about excel and windows 10. Problems started when we moved over to windows 10. I have sometimes numerous workbooks open. have you find a solution for this problem yet? any advice is welcome. I did have a look at how to open 2 excel sheet in separate instances, but that link was for windows 8.. Thanks for any advice!

yfourie7443 said:

Hello, I am having the same problem with Excel and so is my boss. Now we are not too clued up about excel and windows 10. Problems started when we moved over to windows 10. I have sometimes numerous workbooks open. have you find a solution for this problem yet? any advice is welcome. I did have a look at how to open 2 excel sheet in separate instances, but that link was for windows 8.. Thanks for any advice!

Hello, yfourie7443. Welcome to Windows Ten forums.

Thanks for that, Paul! This may finally solve this.

So one must set the Taskbar buttons to "Never combine" in Taskbar properties.

Right click Taskbar > Choose properties on the context menu > Choose "Never combine" > Click "Apply" > Close Properties. You may want to choose "Use small taskbar buttons" as well if things get crowded.

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