split screen

I'm working with two excel files in Mac. Can I split my screen to show the files side by side?

Grab the bottom right hand corner and drag to resize it. You can then place them side by side.

Hmmm. I'll have to try that. I thought it was "one at a time". Is it necessary to open Excel twice? That is, you can't just open two files, you have to open Excel again.

You should be able to keep two files open in Mac Office whether it be Excel, Word, or Powerpoint. You can switch between them using the Command + Tab keys. You do not have to run two instances of the program.

chscag said:

You should be able to keep two files open in Mac Office whether it be Excel, Word, or Powerpoint. You can switch between them using the Command + Tab keys. You do not have to run two instances of the program.

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But the OP wants to see both files at the same time, "split screen".

toMACsh said:

But the OP wants to see both files at the same time, "split screen".

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Then he can use the method that "Vansmith" recommended. I was answering your question about having to run two instances of Excel.

OK, I just tried it on the latest version of Excel. Open two (or more) spreadsheet/workbooks. From the top bar, pick Window/Arrange and then choose whether to view it split horizontally, vertically, cascaded or tiled.

MacInWin said:

OK, I just tried it on the latest version of Excel. Open two (or more) spreadsheet/workbooks. From the top bar, pick Window/Arrange and then choose whether to view it split horizontally, vertically, cascaded or tiled.

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Bingo! While Vansmith's method does work (which I never realized, since I'd never tried it) this is the winner. Funny that I never investigated the possibility, because I do have reasons to use this feature frequently. Now that I've had my eyes opened, I'll make good use of it! One cautionary note: I had a devil of a time getting it to work until I discovered the reason was that one of the files I opened was protected. Changed that, and it worked!

chscag said:

Then he can use the method that "Vansmith" recommended. I was answering your question about having to run two instances of Excel.

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Ok, but my question was in relation to the OP's question. I thought that it might be necessary to open the application again in order to see two files on the screen, because I've always used the method you mention to switch between open files. I was under the mistaken impression that only one window was viewable at a time due to the fact that it fills the screen. I usually don't use full screen mode, but with the "ribbon" I'm forced to if I want to see all the buttons. Lately I've taken to clicking the ribbon "off" or rather to "reduced mode" so I can see more of the file, turning the ribbon back on when I need it.

Lately I've taken to clicking the ribbon "off" or rather to "reduced mode" so I can see more of the file, turning the ribbon back on when I need it.

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I no longer turn off the ribbon because I use Office on a 27" iMac in native resolution which allows me to display three pages of a document side by side. However, when I was using Office on my MacBook, I would turn off the ribbon to gain more space. I don't know what kind of a monitor you're using with your Mini, but nowadays large high resolution monitors are getting less expensive.

I'm limited by my rolltop computer desk to about 18-3/4" in height. My current 21" diagonal monitor is about 15-1/4" high, but I have a webcam mounted on top of it, which adds about 1-1/4" to the height. Width is less of an issue. My monitor is about 18-5/8" wide, and the space for it in the desk is only about 19-7/8", but I could go wider. With today's thin LCD monitors, it could sit out far enough to be wider than the space for it. I'd just have to move the monitor to open drawers on the sides; one side at a time, of course. But, doing that would constrict the height if I wanted to close the top down, which I rarely do.