Do unwanted files open automatically when Excel starts? Perhaps something changed in your computer, and Excel files are opening automatically, and you want to get rid of them. Keep reading, to see where those files might be located, and how to stop them from opening.
Stop Unwanted Files Open Automatically
To stop files that automatically open in Excel 2007 and Excel 2010, you can remove a folder name in the Excel options:
- Click the Office Button, then click Excel Options (In Excel 2010, click the File tab, then click Options)
- Click the Advanced category, and scroll down to the General section.
- In the box for ‘At startup, open all files in’, you might see the name of a folder, and its path
- Clear the folder information from that box (or go to that folder and remove the unwanted files).
- Click OK, to close the Excel Options dialog box.
Check the XLSTARTUP Folders
If there was nothing listed in the Startup box, the unwanted files might have been accidentally saved to one of the XLSTART folders.
- C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12XLSTART (for Excel 2007)
- C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14XLSTART (for Excel 2010)
- C:Documents and SettingsUser nameApplication DataMicrosoftExcelXLSTART
In Windows Explorer, go to those folders, and remove the unwanted files, to prevent them from opening automatically when Excel starts.
Check for Add-Ins
Thanks to Sarah, who commented below. She discovered that her unwanted file had been installed as an add-in. Here’s how she fixed it:
“When I moved the file to a different folder, it wouldn’t open but I would get an error every time I opened Excel saying that if couldn’t find that file.
I finally fixed it by going to Options -> Add-Ins -> Manage (Go…) and I saw that file had been created as an add in. From here, I deleted it, and it’s working perfectly.”
Excel 2003 and earlier versions
For earlier versions of Excel, there are instructions in the Contextures Excel FAQs: When I start Excel, why do a million files open up automatically?
More Ways to Prevent Files from Opening
You can also use a command-line switch, or the Esc key, to stop files from opening automatically.
For more details on how to block files from opening automatically, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article: How to prevent files from opening automatically in Excel.
For help with troubleshooting other problems when starting Excel, see Jan Karel Pieterse’s article: Startup Problems.
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Issue:- when I open excel it is opening with 3 different files.
I have tried with the steps mentioned above, I found there is no files mentioned either in startup files in excel advance option or in the XLSTART folder the folder is empty, how to handle this issue further?
1. Open the files in Excel. To find out which folder they are stored in:
2. Try to save one of the files not as save but as ‘SAVE AS’, then choose your computer, the Save As program will show the path where this file is and what folder it is stored in.
3. Close this file and using File Explorer go to the folder indicated above.
4. Move the unwanted files out of this folder and to better folders or if you do not want them, delete them. This worked for me.
Excellent. It worked for me
Many thanks — this worked for me
The above did not work, but i solved this the following way. Open a new Excel. From the unwanted file, select File > Save As> take note of the file location. Use Windows Explorer to locate the file and either delete it or move it to a different location. From this method I identified another location similar to those listed above: C:Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\
Brilliant, pcavers! That was exactly where my ‘ghosts’ were hiding and they’ve now been exorcised. Thank you!
That was exactly what I needed, simple but brilliant solution, thanks for improving a complete strangers life!!!
Thank you!!!
Thank you so much..
Fantastic, binesh! 🙂
Great fix. I tried to use the other suggested fix in Excel 2010, and could not find the box that gave the option to “Open file at startup…” Your solution worked, quickly and simply.
Thanks!
Thank you SOOO much for the App Data solution!! I was able to put those rarely used documents into another folder. I open excel several times a week, and have had to close several files each time. Thanks for making my life so much happier!!!I will seriously send gratitude your way every time I open excel for at least the next few weeks!!!
@Teah, you’re welcome, and I’m glad it helped!
@pcavers … thanks, that did it.
This fixed my issue as well! Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
Have a great day! 🙂
Made my day. Thank you.
This one worked, great, thank you
Thank you very much!!!
C:Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\
This is how I finally got rid of the files that were driving me crazy!!!!
Thanks it worked
Got that, but once I locate the file, HOW do I either delete it or move it to a different location?
Please help
pcavers
I don’t know whether you will ever see this – I write in August 2019 – but your advice worked for me after months of frustration with ghost files.
Thank you indeed
Alan
Thank you, this fixed my issue ….
I found that same path, but the folder is empty. Every suggestion that I’ve found has not worked. There are no files where someone says to delete files. So why does Excel open a blank document? It doesn’t even open the last one that I used, which would be more practical!
PCSAVERS Solution worked. My xlstart folder was in this location. I have Excel 2007.
C:UsersyournameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftExcelXLSTART.
So if all else fails or even if it does not you can find this folder by doing the file/save as function.
thanks bro, it worked 🙂