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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFor a cell-by-cell comparison, use Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare from Inquire > Compare Files—but it is available only in eligible Excel for Windows editions, including Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, and is not supported in Excel for the web. If your edition includes it, open both workbooks, choose which is earlier and which is later, and Excel will display highlighted differences in a comparison report.
Check that Spreadsheet Compare is available
Microsoft documents Spreadsheet Compare for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and equivalent editions, and for Excel for Windows. Excel for the web does not support the Inquire worksheet comparison features. Confirm your edition and platform before looking for the command; availability can vary by license and installation. See Microsoft’s Spreadsheet Compare overview and its Excel for the web service description.
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Compare two files with Inquire
- Open both Excel workbooks in the desktop app.
- Select Inquire > Compare Files.
- In the comparison dialog, choose the earlier workbook under Compare and the other workbook under To.
- Select OK to start the comparison.
Spreadsheet Compare opens a report with the workbooks shown in side-by-side panes and a details pane. The command and workflow are documented in Microsoft’s Spreadsheet Inquire instructions.
Read the highlighted results
The report highlights differences by type; use its color legend rather than assuming a particular color always means a particular change. Spreadsheet Compare can identify differences in cell values, formulas, and formatting. You can choose comparison categories—including formulas, macros, and cell format—so review the selected categories when interpreting a report. Microsoft describes the comparison capabilities in its feature overview and basic tasks guide.
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Hidden worksheets are included in the comparison, so a report may contain differences from sheets that are not visible in the workbook’s normal tab view. If you need to share or retain the audit, export the results to an Excel file or copy them into another program. These options are described in Microsoft’s workbook comparison guide.
If Inquire or Compare Files is missing
- Check your edition and platform. The feature is not present in every Excel license and is not available in Excel for the web.
- Enable the Spreadsheet Inquire add-in. If your eligible desktop edition has the feature but the Inquire tab is absent, enable the add-in, then look for Inquire > Compare Files. Microsoft’s basic tasks guide covers setup options.
- Respond to password prompts. If either workbook is password protected, Excel may ask for its password. Inquire also provides password management for workbooks used in analysis and comparison; see Microsoft’s password and comparison guidance.
Fallbacks for a limited comparison
View workbooks side by side
Opening both files and arranging their windows side by side can help you visually inspect corresponding cells. It is a manual aid, not an automated difference report, so it is easy to miss changes and is unsuitable when you need a reliable audit.
Use conditional formatting only for aligned ranges
Conditional formatting can highlight differences in controlled ranges when the compared cells correspond row by row and column by column. This approach depends on matching layouts and does not establish which records are equivalent if rows have been added, removed, or reordered. It is not a general substitute for workbook comparison across arbitrary files. Microsoft’s web documentation confirms conditional formatting is available in Excel for the web, but does not provide a verified cross-workbook comparison formula; consult the service description for web feature availability.
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