Simple Steps to Open XLS File – Microsoft Excel File

The XLS and XLSX are similar kinds of Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet file formats that are widely used for storing financial-related data and building mathematical models as well.

The primary action of these files is to store the data into the worksheets that hold onto cells arranged in the form of columns and rows.

Excel spreadsheets have a wide range of mathematical functions, charts, and other types of cell formatting functionalities. The spreadsheets are commonly used within business contexts to collect and store financial data and for performing mathematical computations too. To open the XLS file, you need to either follow any one of the below-mentioned methods.

The XLS and XLSX formats do have their differences in terms of accessibility and functionality it tends to be saved by Excel. The XLSX file makes use of the latest file format and can be accessed using Microsoft Excel 2007 and later, while the XLS files make use of proprietary binary form and can be accessed using Microsoft Excel 97 or 2003 released version.

If you have received a spreadsheet that has been saved as XLS format, then you can convert it to XLSX format to let the data stored intact by opening it up in Microsoft Excel 2007. If you have backup of these files in BAK format then you can open BAK file using the required software or you can using the windows notepad application to open JSON file in windows.

Open XLS files using Microsoft Office Excel Application

If you have downloaded and installed the Microsoft Office Pack 2007, 2010, or 2013 on your laptop or personal computer, then you can make use of the Excel application to open the received XLS file.

  1. Launch the Microsoft Office Excel application by either double-clicking its icon present in the desktop or by launching it from the Start Menu.Open XLS File
  2. Once the Excel application opens up, click upon the ‘File’ button that can be found on the top portion of the loaded Excel application screen.Open XLS File
  3. Navigate to ‘Open’ to load a window showcasing the files and folder stored on your system.Open XLS File
  4. Ensure the ‘All Excel Files’ option has been selected from the drop-down menu that can be found next to the ‘File name’. (Excel might not display the desired XLS file if at all another file format has been selected in default).
    Open XLS File
  5. Now, you need to navigate towards the folder that holds onto the XLS file through the built-in browser
  6. Select upon the file and then click upon the ‘Open’ button to start accessing it using the Excel application.

Open XLS file using Google Documents

Google Documents is one of the widely used online applications that allows its users to access Google Docs, Excel, Forms, and Slides under one roof. To import XLS saved spreadsheet into Google Documents, you need to follow up on the below-mentioned steps.

  1. To import the XLS files, open up ‘Google Chrome’ or ‘Firefox’ or ‘Safari’ web browser
  2. Visit www.docs.google.com/spreadsheet
  3. Login using your existing Google account to access and store the XLS files into them
  4. From the loaded page, make sure to navigate towards the Excel page, by clicking upon the Main Menu button
  5. If at all the XLS file has been shared with your Google Drive account, then it will be showcased directly on the screen
  6. If the file has not been sent to your Google Drive account, and you have it stored into a folder, then you need to click upon the ‘Blank’ button.Open XLS File
  7. A blank XL sheet shall load within the browser tab itself
  8. Open XLS file by either pressing the ‘Ctrl’ and ‘O’ button together or by navigating towards the ‘File’ menu and then click upon ‘Open’
  9. From the popped-up box, you need to navigate to the ‘Upload’ section.Open XLS File
  10. You can either drag and drop the XLS file into the popped-up menu or open them by clicking upon ‘Select a file from your device’ option
  11. Once the importing process gets completed, the file is now ready to access under Google Sheets.

Opening XLS file using OneDrive

OneDrive is a popular file hosting service designed and developed by Microsoft to lets its users access their videos, documents, and photos on the go. This particular online hosting service can also be used to open XLS files that you have either received in a mail or said to be stored in your laptop, personal computer, tablet or on a mobile phone. The following is a step by step instruction that you need to follow carefully to open up the XLS files through OneDrive.

  1. Open up any web browser that you have been conveniently using to access the internet
  2. Type ‘OneDrive’ in Google or Yahoo search engine’s search box
  3. Open up the OneDrive live link and then sign in to your Microsoft account.Open XLS File
  4. Once you have successfully signed in, you need to upload the XLS file into it to access it online
  5. Click upon the ‘Upload’ button and then navigate to ‘Files’.Open XLS File
  6. From the popped up menu, you need to visit the folder that holds onto the saved XLS file.Open XLS File
  7. Open it up, and then the file shall be imported under the ‘Files’ section
  8. Click upon the desired XLS file by clicking on it, and select Excel Online as the option to view and access them within the web browser itself.
  9. Using the above-mentioned steps, you get to open, edit and send an XLS file without having to download Microsoft Office application on your laptop or PC.

Opening the XLS file through Microsoft Office Online application

  1. Open up a web browser and visit https://office.live.com/start/Excel.aspx
  2. You need to sign in using your existing Microsoft account or create one to access the XLS files online.Open XLS File
  3. After signing in, click upon ‘New blank workbook’.Open XLS File
  4. A brand new workbook shall be loaded on your screen.
  5. Now, you need to open up the XLS by clicking upon the ‘File’ button.
    Open XLS File
  6. Navigate to the ‘Open’ menu and then upload the XLS file by clicking upon ‘More on OneDrive’ option.
    Open XLS File
  7. You will be redirected to the OneDrive page, where you can instantly upload and open XLS file 
  8. This way, you can safely sign in to your Microsoft account and upload the XLS file directly on Microsoft’s file hosting service ‘OneDriver’, and start editing them as per your convenience.

Steps to Open XLS files on Android running Smartphone or Tablet

Microsoft has solely developed an app named ‘Microsoft Excel’ for android users. It can be wisely used to view, create and edit both XLS and XLSX saved spreadsheets. If you are in a need to open XLS file using an android running tablet or smartphone, then you need to follow the below-mentioned steps.

  1. Visit the ‘Google Play Store’.
  2. Search ‘Microsoft Excel’ from the opened Play Store app.Open XLS File
  3. Click upon the ‘Install’ button to download and install the Excel application straight into the android running device.Open XLS File
  4. The application is free to download
  5. Once the app has been installed successfully, open it up and then sign in to your Microsoft account

You can either open up the XLS file that has been stored to the memory card or in-built storage space of your android device or access them directly from Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive, in which the client has forwarded the XLS files to.

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