Open XLS and XLSX Files – Microsoft Excel File

A file that has been earlier saved in the XLSX file extension is a zip-compressed and XML type of spreadsheet file.

This type of file format is widely saved using Microsoft Excel software, especially from the version that got released in the year 2007 till now.

If you are struggling to open XLSX file that been shared in an e-mail or found to be lying still in your personal computer, then keep reading to understand the possible ways to open, edit and even convert the corrupted XLSX files without losing the data stored in it.

The file extension XLSX holds onto the data that are fed and stored in the cells that are present within the worksheets. The cells present in the spreadsheet are positioned as rows and columns and have multiple styles, math functions, formatting, and other functionalities done and attached in one way or another. Spreadsheet files that were created and saved in the early version of Excel software get saved as XLS format, while the excel files that tend to support macros save as XLSM file.

Proper ways to open XLSX file using a Software Program

Unless, until you have made efforts to download and install the specified program to run and open xlsx_ file, just double-clicking on them won’t result in any kind of action. You need to install a program that can recognize the XLSX type of file format.

Microsoft Excel 2007 version and the recently released versions are the primarily used software program to open and edit XLSX files. If your computer system has been running an older version of Excel software, then you can still open the XLSX file by downloading and installing the officially released Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack.

• Software program to view the content in an XLSX file

If you are not in a need to edit the found XLSX file, and looking forward to viewing the contents stored in them, then you need to install Microsoft Office Excel Viewer software that is available for free download. This particular viewer software can print and copy the data from the XLSX file if at all you are in a need to perform these actions in the first place.

• Alternate software programs to open XLSX file format

If you are facing errors while downloading and installing Microsoft Excel software or viewer, then alternatively, you can open _xlsx file, edit and save the data present in them using OpenOffice Calc, Kingsoft Spreadsheets or LibreOffice Calc. If you are using a Mac operating system installed iMac or MacBook, then XLSX files get supported with Apple Numbers. All you need to do is to select the default software program to open XLSX file on your Mac as Apple Numbers and start accessing the data present in them at ease.

How to open XLSX file online?

Gone are the days where every file format had to be opened only by downloading relevant software programs. Living in an internet-based generation, you can swiftly open XLSX file online using various reliable sources. The only thing that gets to differ in accessing your file online is that you have to upload the file to the respective website to open them up. Google Sheets, Zoho Docs and Microsoft Excel Online are the three famous and most-used online sources to upload, view, edit and save XLSX files.

• Opening XLSX file online using Google Sheets

Google can convert a saved XLSX file using its Google Sheets program. You get to access the entire file online using a personal computer or laptop and even share it with other people. Below-mentioned is a step-wise guide that can help in uploading the XLSX file to your Google Docs account and access them on-the-go.

1. Open a web browser that you have been making use of to access the internet
2. Visit the official home page of Google Docs, which is https://docs.google.com/
3. Log in using your Google account credentials
4. Once you have completed the log in process, click upon the three lines that can be found on the top left corner of the loaded page.
5. A new slide shall open on the sides showcasing the type of file format that you are about to open online
6. From the provided list, click upon ‘Sheets’ that can be used to open file extension XLSX.
7. A new page shall load up, from which you need to click upon the tile that says ‘Blank’ with an additional symbol present on top of it.
8. This action will open up a new spreadsheet within the browser window itself.
9. To open XLSX file, you need to click upon the ‘File’ action tab.
10. A new drop-down list will get showcased with multiple-options to perform.
11. Select ‘Open’ and locate the drive location in which the XLSX file is said to be present.
12. Alternatively, you can also open _xlsx file by pressing ‘Ctrl’ button along with ‘O’ (Ctrl+O) from your computer system connected keyboard.
13. The time involved in uploading and loading up the data present in the previously saved XLSX file depends upon its file size and the internet connectivity speed.
14. Once the file gets loaded up, you can view through the saved sheets, edit them as per your need and even save by downloading them to a local drive location.
15. Select ‘File’ and then to the ‘Download’ section from the drop-down menu to load up the number of formats in which you can save the XLSX spreadsheet file as.

If you are about to replace the opened XLSX file, then navigate to the exact drive location from which you have previously uploaded the file to Google Docs, select the file and then replace it with it instantly.

• Opening and editing Google Drive stored XLSX file

If at all the XLSX file is said to be present in your Google and not on your computer system’s local drive, then you need to open a new spreadsheet by visiting Google Docs by following the above-mentioned steps and then click upon ‘File’ and then the ‘Import’ button.

A new pop-up shall load within the browser window with the documents that are sent attached through e-mail or saved to your Google Drive.

My Drive, Shared with me, Recent and Upload are the four different sections that can be found in the loaded pop-up window. Make the right choice and then select the XLSX file to load and access it any part of the day, without having to download and install a software program for the same purpose.

• Opening XLSX file, converting and saving it to a different file format

For various purposes, you might have to open XLSX file and convert the data stored in them into a different file format. Other than looking out for a third-party program to convert your XLSX stored data, the same action can be done by opening the Microsoft Excel software program.

1. Once you have opened the XLSX file using Microsoft Excel, finished editing, then click upon the ‘Save As’ option from the ‘File’ Menu
2. A new ‘Save As’ window shall open up asking you to select the drive location, write the file name and also an option to choose the file format to save the XLSX file as.
3. Click upon ‘Save as type’ menu to load a drop-down list consisting of the file formats that you can quickly convert and save your XLSX file.
4. XLS, CSV, XML, and TXT are some of the file formats that you can select to convert and save the data from the opened XLSX file.

If you want to open xlsx_ file and convert it into many different types of file types like JPG, HTML, PNG, ODS, RTF, MDB, XLS, CSV and XML in one roof, then you need to open a reliable online file converter tool that can complete the entire conversion process as a hassle-free one. Zamar is a free online and offline conversion software program that you can access to convert the XLSX files into any desired file format that you need.

Error while opening XLSX file

If at all a warning or error message interrupts while opening up an XLSX file using the suggestions that were mentioned earlier, then there are high chances that it is not an XLSX file in the first place.

You might be confusing the file extension as XLSX, while in the reality it might be an LSX file. Check through the file extension, and it reads as LSX, then it’s a shortcut file for streaming media and has no kind of connection with Excel software program to load them up. You need to use Windows Media Player to open LSX files.

If you are not able to open XLSX file, then make it a point to re-read the file extension and make use of online search engines to find the exact application it can open up.