Microsoft Excel is the most popular and demanded program in the world, which is installed on the PC of almost all users. It doesn’t matter who you are, an accountant, an economist, a politician, a statistician, a psychologist, a sociologist or a simple teacher - with using Excel you can not only calculate data, sum up monthly and annual results, but also build graphs, charts and other useful visual elements.
However, users of Office 2003 and earlier versions, having received an xlsx file, often ask themselves the question: what format is it and how to open xlsx?
Files with the designation xlsx are spreadsheets, graphs, mathematical functions and formulas that are created in Microsoft program Excel 2007-2013 using the OpenXML standard. To open such a file, you need to do a number of simple operations.
How to open xlsx in excel 2003
First option how to open xlsx or how to open xlsx in excel 2003. If you have Microsoft Excel 2003 installed and the xlsx format is not readable, download the Compatibility Pack from the Internet. On the Microsoft website in the "Support" section there is necessary software to read new formats (link to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924074/en). By downloading and installing extensions for Office 2003, you can view information not only from Excel 2007-2013, but also from Word, Publisher, PowerPoint.
Second option suitable for those who are unable to download the Microsoft Compatibility Pack or do not have administrative rights to do so (work computer). In this case, you need to create an account on the google.ru service and open xlsx online. Next, upload the xlsx file to Google Docs. Open it from a browser window and save it in Excel 2003 format.
We go to the site https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/ and create a new document. Next, open the document for this, go to File and Open.
Everything can now work with the file, then don't forget to save it to your computer.
Convert xlsx to doc online
Third option open xlsx online using online converter. There are many sites on the Internet where you can convert a file from one format to another. In this case, you do not need to register and create an account. It is enough to open the page in the browser, specify the file and its storage location, click start, and when the conversion is completed, click "Save as ..". The file is ready in just a couple of seconds.
For example, you can use the wonderful online-convert.com service. And so we go to the site and look for the Document Converter item. Select the desired format from the list and click Start.
After the file conversion process is over, it will download itself to your computer.
Remember that when you save and send documents from newer versions of Microsoft Office to users whose software version you don't know, it's best to save files in common 97-2003 file formats. So, you will save time and save nerves not only to the addressee, but also to yourself.
xlsx file is a spreadsheet document Excel programs 2007. Documents with this extension appeared with the release office suite Microsoft office 2007 and came to replace the old xls format.
Electronic Excel tables are used mainly at workplaces by accountants, analysts, marketers, directors of various levels, in contrast to documents text editor Word, the use of which is widespread both at home and, especially, by students in their studies. The transition to the new xls format brought with it a lot of inconsistencies in the work of companies. Excel 2003 version could not open xlsx documents sent by business partners.
How to open xlsx
Microsoft was reluctant to distribute solutions to this problem, hoping to get more profit by switching users to the new version of Microsoft Office 2007. But, nevertheless, there is a solution at no cost. If you have Office 2003 or XP installed, then to open xlsx files in it, do the following:
After the xlsx, docx and pptx file converter is installed, you can open xlsx files in Excel 2003 and earlier versions of the program.
Alternative Solutions
If the download and installation of the converter fails, then all that remains is to ask the creator of the xlsx file to re-save it in the old xls format and send it to you again. To save in xls format, do the following:
The file will be saved in the old xls format, which can be opened by everyone Microsoft versions excel. The operation of saving to a compatible Excel format is very simple, but in the course of work, users constantly forget to do this and “automatically” click on the floppy disk - the save icon. To work around this forgetfulness, you can set Excel 2007 to save all of its workbooks in the default Excel 2003 format.
- Click on the round "Office" button and select "Excel Options" in the menu that opens.
- In the window Excel Options on the left, switch to the "Save" item.
- On the right side of the window, in the "Save Workbooks" area, set the "Save files in the following format" option to "Excel 97-2003 Workbook". Then click OK.
Video - Change the default save format in Excel 2007
Let's first understand the difference between these two formats:
- XLS is a file format created in Microsoft Excel. It was used up to Excel 2003. The format is outdated and does not support many of the features of modern Excel;
- XLSX- updated version format Excel files, it appeared along with the Microsoft Office 2007 package.
Currently, Excel since version 2007 can open both XLSX and XLS files. Excel version 2003 and below, by default, can only work with XLS files.
How to open an XLSX file in Excel 2003 (or older)
There are three main ways, we will consider them in order of priority.
Install the service pack for your version of Office. This method is the most correct, because once you install the update, you can easily open XLSX files in your old Excel. You can download the package absolutely free of charge and without registration on the official Microsoft website.
Resaving a file in Excel 2007 or higher. Suitable if you rarely need to open such files and if you have another computer with a relatively new version of Office on hand. To change the file format from XLSX to XLS, open in a new new version Excel and go to the menu "File" -\u003e "Save As":
In the File Type field, select Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls)) and click Save. Please note that functionality may be partially lost:
Use of Third Party Online Services. You can easily find websites on the Internet where automatic mode you can change the file format. For example, you can use Google service Docs.
If you have any questions - or write in the comments to this question, we are always happy to help you!
XLSX is a file format designed for spreadsheets. Currently, it is one of the most common formats of this direction. Therefore, quite often users are faced with the need to open a file with the specified extension. Let's see what software can be used to do this and how.
An .xlsx file is a type of zip archive containing a spreadsheet. It belongs to the series open formats Office Open XML. This format is the main one for the Excel program, starting from the version of Excel 2007. In the internal interface of the specified application, it appears as such - “Excel Book”. It is natural that Excel can open and work with XLSX files. A number of other spreadsheet processors can also work with them. Let's look at how to open XLSX in various programs.
Method 1: Microsoft Excel
Opening a format in Excel, starting with Microsoft Excel 2007, is quite simple and intuitive.
If you are using a version of the program before Excel 2007, then by default this application won't open XLSX books. This is due to the fact that the indicated versions were released earlier than given format. But owners of Excel 2003 and earlier programs will still be able to open XLSX workbooks if they install a patch that is specifically designed to perform this operation. After that, it will be possible to run documents of the named format in a standard way via menu item "File".
Method 2: Apache OpenOffice Calc
In addition, XLSX documents can be opened using Apache OpenOffice Calc, which is a free alternative to Excel. Unlike Excel, Calc does not have the XLSX format as the main one, but, nevertheless, the program copes with its opening successfully, although it does not know how to save books in this extension.
There is also an alternative opening.
Method 3: LibreOffice Calc
Another free alternative to Excel is LibreOffice Calc. This program also does not have XLSX as the main format, but unlike OpenOffice, it can not only open and edit files in the specified format, but also save them with this extension.
In addition, there is another option to launch an XLSX document directly through the LibreOffice main window interface without first switching to Calc.
Method 4: File Viewer Plus
File Viewer Plus is specially designed to view files of various formats. But documents with the XLSX extension, it allows not only viewing, but also editing and saving. True, you should not flatter yourself, since the editing capabilities of this application are still significantly reduced in comparison with previous programs. Therefore, it is better to use it only for viewing. It should also be said that the free period of using File Viewer is limited to 10 days.
There is a simpler and fast way launching the file in this application. You need to select the name of the file in Windows Explorer , hold down the left mouse button and simply drag it into the File Viewer application window. The file will be opened immediately.
Among all the options for launching files with the XLSX extension, the most optimal is to open it in Microsoft Excel. This is due to the fact that this application is "native" for specified type files. But if for some reason you don't have Microsoft package Office, you can use free analogues: OpenOffice or LibreOffice. In functionality, they almost do not lose. At the very least, help the program will come File Viewer Plus, but it is desirable to use it only for viewing, not editing.
