How to View Two Excel Workbooks Side by Side for Comparison

You often need to compare data between two separate Excel files. Opening them in separate windows makes manual switching slow and error-prone. Excel provides built-in features to arrange workbook windows for direct visual comparison. This article explains the steps to view two workbooks side by side, both manually and using the View Side by Side command.

Excel’s Window Management Features for Comparison

Excel treats each open file as a separate window within the application. To compare them, you must first open both workbooks. The primary tools for comparison are found on the View tab in the Window group. The View Side by Side feature is designed specifically for comparing two files. It automatically arranges the windows and can link their scrolling. For comparing more than two files or using a different layout, the Arrange All command offers more control.

A prerequisite is that each workbook must be in its own window. In some versions of Excel, files may open in the same window, requiring you to instruct Excel to open a new instance. You can also use standard Windows snapping features, especially in Windows 11, to quickly position the Excel application windows yourself.

Steps to Arrange Two Workbooks for Comparison

Follow these methods to set up your workbooks for an effective side-by-side view.

Method 1: Use the View Side by Side Command

This is the fastest way to compare two workbooks with synchronized scrolling.

1. Open both workbooks
   Launch Excel and open the two files you want to compare. Ensure both are open in the same Excel application instance.
2. Activate the View Side by Side mode
   Go to the View tab. In the Window group, click the View Side by Side button. Excel will automatically arrange the two workbook windows vertically.
3. Enable Synchronous Scrolling
   In the same Window group on the View tab, click the Synchronous Scrolling button to turn it on. Now, when you scroll in one window, the other will scroll in the same direction.
4. Reset window position if needed
   If the windows are not aligned well, click the Reset Window Position button in the Window group. This re-tiles them to share the screen equally.

Method 2: Manually Arrange Workbook Windows

Use this method for more than two workbooks or to choose a specific layout like horizontal tiling.

1. Open all workbooks for comparison
   Open every Excel file you need to view.
2. Select the Arrange All command
   On the View tab, in the Window group, click Arrange All.
3. Choose an arrangement style
   In the Arrange Windows dialog box, select an option. For two workbooks, choose Vertical to place them side-by-side or Horizontal to stack them. Click OK.
4. Resize windows manually
   After arranging, you can click and drag any window border to adjust the viewable area for each workbook.

Method 3: Use Windows Snap Assist

This Windows feature works independently of Excel’s commands and is useful for placing Excel next to another application.

1. Ensure workbooks are in separate Excel windows
   In Excel, go to File > Options > Advanced. Under Display, check the box for ‘Show all windows in the Taskbar’. This helps Windows treat them separately.
2. Snap the first window
   Click and hold the title bar of the first Excel workbook window. Drag it to the left edge of your screen until a translucent outline appears, then release the mouse. The window will snap to fill the left half of the screen.
3. Snap the second window
   Windows will show thumbnails of other open windows on the right side. Click the thumbnail of the second Excel workbook to snap it to the right half of the screen.

Common Mistakes and Limitations to Avoid

View Side by Side Button is Grayed Out

This happens if only one workbook window is open. The command requires at least two workbooks to be open in the same instance of the Excel application. Open a second file to activate the button.

Synchronous Scrolling Does Not Work

Synchronous Scrolling only functions when View Side by Side is active. First, click View Side by Side, then ensure the Synchronous Scrolling button is highlighted. Also, check that the workbooks are in similar views, like both in Normal view or both in Page Layout view.

Workbooks Open in the Same Window Tab

By default, Excel may open files as tabs within one window. To force a new window, open the first workbook, then launch Excel again from the Start menu or taskbar to open the second file in a separate application instance. You can then use Windows Snap Assist to arrange them.

Comparing Specific Ranges or Sheets

The side-by-side view shows the entire workbook window. To compare two specific cells on different sheets, consider using a formula or the Watch Window feature instead of window arrangement.

Comparison of Window Arrangement Methods

Item	View Side by Side	Arrange All (Vertical)	Windows Snap Assist
Primary use	Quick comparison of two workbooks	Manual control for two or more workbooks	Placing Excel next to any other app
Synchronous scrolling	Yes, built-in toggle	No	No
Number of windows	Exactly two	Two or more	Any two application windows
Layout control	Automatic vertical only	Choice of vertical, horizontal, tiled, or cascade	Manual left/right or quadrants
Best for	Comparing similar sheets line-by-line	Reviewing multiple reports at once	Comparing Excel data with a Word document or web page

You can now efficiently compare data between two Excel files. Use View Side by Side with Synchronous Scrolling for reviewing long lists. Try the Watch Window feature under Formulas > Formula Auditing to monitor specific cells from different files without arranging windows. For advanced comparisons, explore the Spreadsheet Compare tool included with certain Microsoft 365 subscriptions.