How to open a .xls file
Quick, free ways to open XLS on any system.
A .xls file is a Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Spreadsheet. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads XLS yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .xls file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .xls. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc.
- On Mac, use Microsoft Excel or Numbers.
- On Linux, try LibreOffice Calc or OnlyOffice.
- Still stuck? Convert the .xls to xlsx, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .xls files
Windows
- Microsoft Excel
- LibreOffice Calc
- WPS Office
macOS
- Microsoft Excel
- Numbers
- LibreOffice Calc
Linux
- LibreOffice Calc
- OnlyOffice
Web
- Google Sheets
- Microsoft 365 for the web
!
Before you open it: Mostly safe, but .xls can contain macros. Keep macros disabled unless you trust the source; malicious spreadsheet macros are a known attack route.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .xls file?
Almost always because no installed app understands XLS. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
What is the difference between XLS and XLSX?
XLS is the old binary format (Excel 97-2003), capped at 65,536 rows. XLSX, from Excel 2007, is a ZIP of XML with over a million rows and smaller files.
How do I open an .xls file?
Excel, LibreOffice Calc, Google Sheets and Numbers all open .xls, and can convert it to XLSX or CSV.