This user's frustration is entirely understandable, and the fact that it's happening at all points to a deeper problem with how modern spreadsheet software handles basic workflow expectations. When a tool that has defined productivity for decades can't reliably keep multiple files visible and stable on the taskbar, the conversation shifts from "how do I fix this setting" to "why is this still an issue in 2024?"
The user describes a clean divide: at work, Excel opens each workbook in its own window, letting them glance at the taskbar and instantly see every open file. At home, the same software collapses everything into a single window with tabs, and crashes under the load. That's not a preference dispute; it's a reliability failure. For anyone managing several spreadsheets at once, comparing budgets, cross-referencing data, or simply keeping multiple projects live, the single-window model creates friction. You lose visibility, you lose context, and when the application crashes, you lose work. The user's request is simple: give me back the control I had before.
We think this reveals a larger truth about spreadsheet design. Legacy tools were built for a world where one file, one window was the norm. As workflows grew more complex, the software tried to force everything into a single container, tabs, ribbons, shared instances, often at the cost of stability and user autonomy. The user here is not asking for something exotic. They want their operating system to do what it does best: show them what they have open. That's a fundamental expectation, not a niche feature.
The practical takeaway for anyone reading this: if your spreadsheet software is dictating how you organize your work rather than adapting to how you actually work, you have permission to look elsewhere. The user's experience, crashing under multiple files, losing taskbar previews, is a signal that the tool has hit its limit. The solution isn't to hunt through registry keys or forum threads for a hidden toggle. It's to explore an environment built from the ground up to handle modern data workflows without sacrificing visibility or stability. You shouldn't have to fight your software to see your own files.