You can open XLS files in any version of Microsoft Excel.
The free Excel Viewer from Microsoft can be used if you don’t already have that program.
The online spreadsheet program Google Sheets, which can open, edit, print, and convert XLS files, is your best bet going forward.
There are other free Excel alternatives if you’re not into online apps.
XLS files can also be opened with Gnumeric on Linux and Apple Numbers on macOS.
Another online option is DocsPal, but it’s only a viewer, so editing isn’t permitted.
The simplest way to convert a spreadsheet file is to open it in the spreadsheet program you currently use and then save it in a different format.
Another choice is to use a free document converter if you don’t want to install or don’t have a spreadsheet editor installed.
The DocsPal website functions as well. Converting from XLS to PDF, ODS, HTML, TXT, CSV, and other formats is supported.
The online tool Mr. Data Converter is an excellent choice if your file contains data that you require in an open, structured format.
Let’s get started with the Excel to XLS file conversion.
You can verify whether the files are in the .xls format by looking in Explorer and seeing that the file type is MICROSOFT EXCEL 97 – 2003 WORKSHEET.
Navigate to File > Save As > Browser after opening the workbook to bring up the window below. Verify that you are on the correct route in order to save the workbook. Under SAVE AS TYPE >, SELECT EXCEL WORKBOOK (*.XLSX). Choose SAVE.
To apply the changes, close and reopen the workbook that has been saved (.xlsx). The converted workbook can be found in the same folder as the Microsoft Excel worksheet, as indicated below:
NOTE: The file size has also been reduced by nearly three times compared to the size of the .XLS file.
We must first confirm that the .xls files we are attempting to convert contain macros. Please follow the instructions below to confirm.
Launch the Excel Workbook > Developer Tab. Click the MACROS button as indicated below.
The dialog box opens as seen below. This window will list the names of any macros that are present. The macro that is present in this workbook is called SAVE.
Now let’s get started with opening an XLS file.
Using the Office Editing for Docs, Sheets, & Slides Chrome extension is the first free method of opening XLS and XLSX files.
It’s very simple to use the Office Editing extension itself. To open an XLS or XLSX file in your browser, simply drag and drop it.
Google Sheets is the company’s response to Microsoft Excel. It is a fully cloud-based application that lets you create, modify, and enter data into spreadsheets right from your web browser.
To begin, simply select the FILE heading menu and choose between the OPEN and IMPORT options.
Microsoft Excel can be directly substituted with LibreOffice Calc. The application works very similarly to Excel.
The entire suite of applications offered by Apache OpenOffice is free and open-source. An alternative to Excel for this set of tools is OpenOffice Calc.
With the help of the online tool Aspose Excel Viewer, you can open a wide range of Excel files, including XLS and XLSX files, directly from your web browser.
Let’s investigate why Excel is unable to open an XLS file.
It’s possible that your file is corrupt or that there’s a problem with your Mac, Windows, or Excel application.
There are a few other reasons why your Excel file might not open, but corruption is the most common one.
It’s possible that you’re opening your file with a non-Excel app if your computer has multiple spreadsheet programs installed.
Forcing your system to open your file using the official Excel application will resolve this.
Excel’s enabled DDE feature is one known cause of the issue; try turning it off to see if that resolves it.
You can use Microsoft Excel’s repair function to fix corrupt Excel files before opening them with the application.
Make sure the file has the correct extension. To open the app, your spreadsheet file needs to use an Excel-supported extension.
Try copying the Excel file to your computer and opening the local copy if you’re attempting to open it from an external device, like a USB flash drive.
Excel’s Office Safe Mode on Windows 10 or 11 allows you to launch Excel with just the necessary files and isolate malfunctioning add-ins.
Turning off Excel’s hardware acceleration feature can fix problems with applications crashing or files not opening.
If your Excel file still won’t open, there’s a chance that your Microsoft Office installation is corrupt. You can use Office’s built-in repair tool to fix this.
Try opening your Excel file in a different spreadsheet program if everything else fails.
Your file should open correctly after you’ve resolved the problems with the file, the app, and your system.