Excel Extensions

Extension File (Table of Contents)

• Extensions of Excel
• How to Change the Excel file format or Extension?

Extensions of Excel

A file extension comes at the end of the file which helps to identify the type of file in the operating system. In Microsoft Windows, the file extension is a period that is often followed by one, two, three or four characters long.

For example, the filename “XYZ.doc” has an extension of “.doc” which is a file extension associated with the document file.

Excel file extensions can be of various types. Here we will cover the most common file type:

• XLS – Excel file extension

This extension is the most common and default type in the spreadsheet generated by Microsoft office. Prior to Excel 2007, the file extension was XLS. This extension refers to a file which contains all type of information including data, formats, graphics etc. The operating system recognizes the file type with the help of extension and operates this file using the Excel application.

The XLS is the default file type for Excel version 2.0 to Excel 2003.

• XLSX – Excel file extension

This extension is used by the spreadsheet files generated with the Excel version 2007 onwards. For an Excel file, the current default file extension is XLSX.

XSLX is an XML based file format. With the use of this technology, the file with XSLX format is very less in weight or size and as compared to the XLS file format, this leads directly to saving space. It requires less time to download or upload excel documents.

Only one disadvantage of this XSLX extension is that this version is incompatible to run the files prior to Excel 2007.

• XLSM – Excel file extension

This extension file type is generated by the spreadsheet with the excel version 2007 onwards including Excel macros.

With the help of an extension, it’s easy to understand that the file contains a macro. Because of the security reasons and for protecting a file with computer viruses, malicious macros, infecting computers, etc, this version comes into existence.

This file extension is very reliable in terms of macros and for security reasons.

• XLSB – Excel file extension

If excel files contain a large amount of data or information, this file extension type fully supports in the compression process, saving, opening, etc.

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An excel file which contains a large amount of data takes a lot of time in opening, in processing that file. Sometimes while opening it gets hanged and frequent crash.

How to Change the Excel file format or Extension?

For changing the file extension, follow the below steps:

• Open the workbook for which you want to change the format.
• Go to the FILE tab.

• It will open a left pane window. There are a lot of options available in this pane. Refer below screenshot.

• Click on Save As option as shown below.

• It will open a dialog box as shown below.

• Now you need to select where you want to save the file in the system. Refer below screenshot.

• I have selected the Desktop for saving this file as a destination.

• Under File name field, give the file name for the workbook.

• Under Save as type field, we need to choose the file format.
• Click on Save as type filed, it will open a list of format as shown in below screenshot.

• Choose the file format and click on the Save button for saving the file.

• It will save the file with the extension.

How to know the file type of saved file?

For this follow below steps:

• Select the file for which you want to know the file format.
• Right click on that file.
• It will open a drop-down list of options.
• Click on Properties option from the list. Refer below screenshot.

• It will open a Properties window.
• Under Type of file option, you can see the file type or extension of the file. Refer below screenshot.

Things to Remember about Excel File Formats

• All file format doesn’t support all the features of excel like formulas etc, then it will display an alert message box.
• Then you can change the file format again.

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This has been a guide to Extensions of Excel. Here we discuss how to Change the Excel file format or Extension along with practical examples and downloadable excel template. You can also go through our other suggested articles –

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