Excel 2011 problem: windows resize automatically when switching between workbooks

You might try asking on the Office for Mac forums located here http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mac

I have a similar problem with Excel 2011 (even after today's update to 14.4.7 and using OS 10.10.1). Sometimes (not always) when I open up an Excel workbook with multiple tabs, the bottom part of the worksheet with the tabs is off the bottom of the screen. I can click the Green dot of the Excel window and I go to full screen mode and can see the tabs. However, when I hold the option (alt) key and click on the green dot (to resize the window) NOTHING happens. I've deselected "Double-click a window's title bar to minimize" in the Dock Preferences. I should be able to double click on the title bar now to resize the window but nothing happens when I do so.

I did not have this problem on this computer (MacBook Pro Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) when I was using OS 10.9 so I believe it is a Yosemite/Excel incompatibility issue. My work around is to change the screen display resolution in Preferences to 'Scaled - more space' and then back. This shrinks all the windows and I can then grab the lower right corner to resize the window.

Ask on the MIcrosoft forums as previously linked.

I went to the Microsoft Forums and I find 'work arounds' like I have found. The issue is why does this now occur in Yosemite and had not occurred in Mavericks? The issue is why, when I click on a window resize button (the green dot with the 'option' (alt) key pressed, nothing happens. This is a Finder/Window (and not the Microsoft OS type) issue. Probably a compatibility issue between Yosemite and MS Excel 2011. What changed, since it worked in Mavericks? The only change on my computer was I updated my OS to Yosemite. Excel was on the computer before I updated to Yosemite.

3/1//2015

Hello. Thank you for posting your questions. I followed the suggestions and found that nothing worked on my computer. So I tried clicking around and found 2 solutions.

1. On the top tool bar, Click on "View" and scroll down to " Enter Full Screen". The tabs were easily accessible.

My Favorite now:

2. On the top tool bar, Clck on "Window" and scroll down to "New Window". This will duplicate your desired window in a "complete with tabs- window". I then Exited/Clicked out of the "offending" window.

I think clicked back in the "good" window and clicked "Save".

I was able to close out the document and re-enter it from my Finder Window.

Problem Fixed.

I hope those of you out there can have this work on your machines.

I am running OS X Yosemite 10.10.2 on a Mid 2014.

Use Split Screen, it is now free for limited time only

https://itunes.apple.com/nl/app/split-screen/id453757310?mt=12

Try this: Manually resize the workbook to the desired size by dragging from the bottom and from the side (but NOT from the bottom right corner). Then save. Magic — just like the old days (i.e. Mavericks, sigh): workbooks stay at the "right" size, whether you open them or cycle between them.

Does that work for you?

This worked for what I wanted - I have 2 Excel workbooks that I use at the same time. I wanted to have them open at the correct size, and in the correct location every time I opened them - so that I can see both without having to reposition, or move them around so I can see the tabs, etc.

I found that I had to do each one separately - meaning I had to open one, resize using the top, bottom and side, NOT the resize tool in the lower right corner. Then I positioned it where I wanted it, saved it, and closed it. Then I did the same thing to the second one. It was a pain to try and get the second one lined up without having the first one visible as a reference - but I got what I wanted!

Will it still be there tomorrow? Or after my next reboot? We will see...

This seems to work and continued working after quitting excel. We will see if it still works tomorrow.