LanguageXLS
Microsoft Excel 97 to 2003 workbook
File type: Spreadsheet and workbook file, Microsoft Office file
Files with xls extension are best known as spreadsheets from Microsoft Excel. A spreadsheet is basically a grid of cells sorted in rows and columns. Each cell can contain text, numeric or formula data. Excel XLS spreadsheets can be opened in most other similar programs, such as OpenOffice.org Calc.
What is xls file?
File type category:
Spreadsheet and workbook file
Microsoft Office file
Date updated: June 21, 2025
File extension xls is associated with Microsoft Excel, one of the most popular and powerful tool you can use to create format spreadsheets, graphs and much more.
The xls files are used in Microsoft Excel 97 to 2003 for Workbooks, spreadsheet document files. The XLS is Microsoft Excel's proprietary file format for storing its documents.
Microsoft Excel up until 2007 version used a proprietary binary file format called Binary Interchange File Format (BIFF) as its primary format. There are several versions of the format that have been released as it was revised over time.
The latest versions of Microsoft Office use the Open XML file format and the Excel Workbooks are stored in the Microsoft Excel Open XML Workbook files (.xlsx file suffix).
XLS format was also adopted by other programs, such as Microsoft Works. Excel spreadsheets are also generated and exported by various programs. For example SolidWorks uses XLS format to export Bill of Materials templates.
MIME types:
application/excel
application/vnd.ms-excel
application/msexcell
application/x-msexcel
application/x-excel
application/x-msexcel
application/x-dos_ms_excel
application/xls
How to open xls file?
You can open the *.xls in Microsoft Excel or any other application, which can handle the format, such as OpenOffice.org, StarOffice or Ashampoo Office.
If you want only view the *.xls files, you can use Microsoft Excel Viewer, which is free to download from Microsoft's servers.
How to convert xls file?
Microsoft Office Excel also supports other spreadsheet formats. You can save the *.xls file into another format with the save as function.
You can probably convert the *.xls in other suitable applications, which can handle the files, as well.
Suggested software to open xls file:
Associated software actions with the xls file
Software applications that can open xls files:
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Windows)
Corel Quattro Pro (Microsoft Windows)
Numbers for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Microsoft Excel for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) (Multiplatform)
Software applications that can edit xls files:
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Windows)
Corel Quattro Pro (Microsoft Windows)
Numbers for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Microsoft Excel for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) (Multiplatform)
Software capable of saving xls files:
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Windows)
Corel Quattro Pro (Microsoft Windows)
Numbers for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Microsoft Excel for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) (Multiplatform)
Programs for viewing xls files:
Documents To Go (Microsoft Windows)
Microsoft Excel for iOS (Apple iOS)
Microsoft Office Mobile for Android (Google Android)
Software apps that create xls files:
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Windows)
Corel Quattro Pro (Microsoft Windows)
Numbers for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Microsoft Excel for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) (Multiplatform)
Software apps that convert xls files:
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Windows)
Corel Quattro Pro (Microsoft Windows)
Numbers for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Microsoft Excel for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) (Multiplatform)
Software apps that import xls files:
STATISTICA (Microsoft Windows)
WinNonlin (Microsoft Windows)
QuickSurf (Microsoft Windows)
ProperConvert (Microsoft Windows)
SpreadsheetConverter (Microsoft Windows)
Calligra Suite (Multiplatform)
Pyspread (Multiplatform)
2qfx Convert Pro (On-line services)
Software apps that export xls files:
Query and nVision (Microsoft Windows)
SoftSpire vCard Converter (Microsoft Windows)
STATISTICA (Microsoft Windows)
Project Viewer (Microsoft Windows)
Open Contacts (Microsoft Windows)
Cellsheet Converter (Microsoft Windows)
DBF to XLS (Excel) Converter (Multiplatform)
Pyspread (Multiplatform)
Software apps that recover xls files:
Corrupt Office Salvager (Microsoft Windows)
Advanced Excel Repair (Microsoft Windows)
Excel Regenerator (Microsoft Windows)
Software apps that print xls files:
Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Windows)
Corel Quattro Pro (Microsoft Windows)
Numbers for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Microsoft Excel for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) (Multiplatform)
Software applications that handle other tasks involving xls files:
Microsoft Office (Microsoft Windows)
Microsoft Office for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)
Office 365 (Multiplatform)