Users often encounter a variety of extensions and formats on the Internet and on their computer. There are a huge number of them. It is simply impossible to remember everything, because most software has its own extensions, which are often not opened by other programs. In this article you can find out how you can open an ODS file.
What is this ODS extension?
The ODS format refers to office programs such as OpenOffice, StarOffice and LibreOffice. Files with this extension are tables in in electronic format. The extension is called OpenDocument Format. These are open-type files designed to store editable data and easily exchange it. Files with the .ods extension can contain electronic drawings, tables, presentations, text data, databases, etc. This format was developed by several organizations and adopted as a document standard. Next, I will tell you how to open ODS with and without programs.
Developed ODS based on XML. In 2015, its version 1.2 was adopted as the standard. Its main advantage over other standardized extensions of this type is its free use and distribution. It is often preferred as an alternative to other popular, but closed and private formats - PowerPoint (ppt), Word (doc), Excel (xls) and others.
OpenDocument is located in a ZIP archive, which arranges files in a specific hierarchy. It contains the main document XML file as well as additional files, for example, images, metadata, graphic thumbnails, etc.
How to open an ODS file in Excel
In order for you to be able to reproduce a document whose name ends with .ods, you need to run the Microsoft program - Excel. The process for opening this extension is the same as any other Excel document for later versions.
The file will open and you can edit it just like files with the .xls extension. After you open it, you can launch it further by double-clicking the mouse. To save a file with the ODS extension, click "File" in the top left and select "Save." Excel will warn you that a file with this extension may lose minor elements of your formatting due to some incompatibilities. If you don't want to risk important files, you can make 2 copies of one file. Save one in Excel with the xls extension, the other - .ods.
For outdated versions Excel may need a special plugin. There are several of them. You can download one of the plugins for opening .ods from the link.
Playing ODS using OpenOffice
OpenOffice is an office software package that is distributed under a free license. This is the main competitor of office Microsoft package Office. Free package was the first to support and open the ODS format. You can download OpenOffice for Windows, Linux, macOS, OpenSolaris, FreeBSD and even Android. To open and edit files with the .ods extension on your device, go to the official OpenOffice website https://www.openoffice.org/ and download the package.
Opening the ODS file is quite simple. The process is similar to the Excel spreadsheet editor. Here you will need to run the program itself:
After changing it, you can also easily save it. This is done in the "File" section. Select the desired item and specify the location where you want to save the file. If the installed office package does not have the Russian language, you can download it as a separate file on the site where you downloaded OpenOffice itself.
How to open .ods without programs
You can open and even edit a file with the .ods extension without installing programs on your PC. But for this you need a Google account to open the file on Google Drive. It has its own document editor, which since 2014 began to support opening and editing documents. To open a document with an ODS extension:
After this, an editor will open where you can edit such a file and save it in the same format. You can create files with this extension yourself here.
Opening a file in Android
The mobile operating system also has several office applications that can work with almost all files, including ODS. But one of them is especially popular -. It became the first office app on Android, and to date the developers are celebrating 3 million downloads. The application allows you to edit, insert, and also export .ods documents to another free platform - OpenOffice.
AndrOpen Office consists of several components:
In addition, the application supports a wide range of formats and also supports more than 20 languages different countries. One of its few drawbacks is that it only supports reading PDF format. You can open data with the .ods extension in the same way as in other editors.
How to set the default program to open an ODS document
In order not to specify a program each time to open an OpenDocument Format document, you can set the default program for it.
When you select an application and save the settings, the file icon will look like the icons for that application. Now every time you open it, you just need to double-click on it with the left mouse button.
Key Benefits of the ODS Extension
When working with this type of file (mostly tables), users avoid the fate of being dependent on one developer (Microsoft). Each user can choose to open this type of any program with which it is convenient for him to work. As we know today, Microsoft products have reached record prices. Therefore, to work with xls files users have to buy expensive software.
There are other reasons to choose such files for work. OpenDocument is a file standard for office applications that has become a standard and has been recognized by an independent committee. You can use this file extension both at home and in your own commercial projects, without fear of violation of property rights by developers.
Until a certain time, tables with this extension could not be used in presentations. Today, in version 1.2, this flaw has been corrected by independent developers. You can open the ODS file with any of the described programs. The list in this article is far from complete.
Today it’s no secret that Windows has a huge variety of different file formats that users encounter in one way or another. You don't need to remember all these formats because most software has its own extensions that are often not opened by other applications. From our article you will learn how to open ODS format files.
The ODS extension presents documents that open in programs like OpenOffice, StarOffice and LibreOffice, presented in spreadsheet format. The full name of the extension is OpenDocument Format. This open files, created to store data with the ability to edit and easily share it. Documents that have the .ods extension include electronic images, tables, presentations, text, databases, and more. This format was created by several companies and adopted as the basis for documents. In our article we will tell you how to launch ODS with and without applications. ODS is based on XML. In 2015, revision 1.2 of this extension became the standard. Its main advantage over other similar standard extensions is that it can be freely used and distributed. It is often chosen as an alternative to other well-known, but closed and private extensions - PowerPoint (ppt), Word (doc), Excel (xls) and others. OpenDocuments are stored in a ZIP archive, distributed in a given order. It stores the main XML file and additional files, for example, images, metadata, graphic thumbnails, etc.
Opening ODS using Excel
To run a document that has a .ods extension, you must run Microsoft Excel application. Opening procedure this file is no different from opening other Excel files for new versions.
Once the file is open, you can edit it in the same way as you do with documents that have the .xls extension. After the initial launch, you can open it by double-clicking. To save a file with an ODS extension, you need to click “File” in the top left and then “Save”. Excel will issue a warning that such a file may lose certain elements your formatting due to some incompatibilities. If you are concerned about the safety of information, you can make 2 copies of one file. Save the first one in Excel as xls, the other as .ods. Older versions of Excel may require a special plugin. There are several of them. You will find one of them.
Opening ODS in OpenOffice
OpenOffice is an office software package that is distributed free of charge. It is the main competitor of Microsoft Office. This application was the first to offer support and opening of the ODS format. OpenOffice is available on Windows, Linux, macOS, OpenSolaris, FreeBSD and even Android. To open and edit files with the .ods extension on your device, go to the official OpenOffice website and download it. The procedure for opening an .ods file is quite simple and similar to the same procedure in Excel. First, open the application itself:
Even if changed, it is also easily preserved. You can do this all in the same “File” menu. Just select the desired item and the location where you want to save. If in installed package there is no Russian language, just download it as a separate file from the site from which you downloaded OpenOffice directly.
Opening .ods without using applications
It is possible to open and edit the .ods file without resorting to installing applications on your computer. All you need is to have a Google account to open the file in Google Drive. It integrates a file editing tool, which in 2014 received the ability to open and edit documents. To open an ODS document:
As a result, an environment opens in which you are able to edit such a file and save it in this format. It is even possible to create a file with this extension yourself.
How to open this format on Android
The mobile OS also has a certain amount office programs, able to work with almost any type of file, including ODS. The most used of them is AndrOpen Office. This is the first office application on Android and has been downloaded 3 million times to date. With it, you can edit, insert and export .ods documents to another free platform - OpenOffice. AndrOpen Office includes several components:
A nice fact is that the program works with most formats in more than 20 languages of different countries. A small drawback of the program is that it can only read PDF format. .ods files open in the same way as in other programs.
Set the default program to open an ODS document
To save yourself from having to constantly specify a program to run OpenDocument Format documents, you can assign it a default program.
After selecting an application and saving the settings, the file icon will change its appearance to match the icon type of the selected program. After these operations, to open a document, you will only need to double-click on it with the left mouse button.
Why ODS is better than its competitors
If you use this extension (mostly tables), you get rid of your dependence on Microsoft. You can choose any program convenient for you to open this type of file. This is especially true today, when prices for Microsoft products are simply sky-high. And users, in order to work with xls, are forced to purchase expensive software. These are the reasons for choosing of this format are not limited. As we have already said, OpenDocument has become the basis for office documents and has received recognition from an independent committee. This extension can be used both at home and for commercial purposes, without fear of violating property rights. Some time ago, it was impossible to use tables of this extension in presentations. But in revision 1.2, independent developers fixed this. Any program described here can open ODS files, but not all are included here.
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Users use files of various formats every day, and from time to time they encounter elements with unknown extensions. Each of the existing formats has its own specifics, features and properties. Thus, files related to certain programs, may often not be viewed using other software. Objects with the *.ods extension are spreadsheets, but unlike *.xls and *.xlsx documents created in Excel, ODS is considered an open format, available for free use without restrictions. However, many users have difficulty opening such documents, especially when the device does not have the necessary software. In this article, we will look at how and how to open the ODS format.
Options for opening a file with the ODS extension.
The ODS (Open Documents System) file format is used in OpenOffice, LibreOffice Suite, StarOffice editors, it can be freely used and distributed. The file content includes tables, images, text, presentations, and other content. The ODS format, developed on the basis of XML, has become a generally accepted and popular standard in the international community, it can easily replace other well-known closed type formats, for example, created by applications from the Microsoft office suite. This type file has advantages over others used in commercial programs due to its open source structure. Objects can be stored, their contents edited, and transferred. Software already installed on the computer can open a file with the *.ods extension. different ways This can be done depending on the tool used, including by converting to the preferred format.
Opening ODS using Excel
Windows OS users, as a rule, use the Microsoft Office software package, which includes Excel, a program that works with tables. Using the software, you can open not only “native” documents, but also ODS type ones. Manipulations in new versions of the software are similar to those for launching other Excel files:
- In the menu, click “Open other books.”
- Click “Browse”, find and select the desired object.
- Confirm the action with the “Open” button.
Once the document is opened, it can be edited exactly like xls and xlsx documents. Starting from the 2010 version of Excel, there should be no difficulties with opening; the manipulations are similar to opening Excel files. Early versions will also be able to open ODS, but this will require performing other steps. For example, Excel 2003 requires the use of a plugin, since this version was created much earlier than the ODS format itself was released (in 2006). At the same time, even in new versions, the correct display of the contents of the document is not guaranteed. In some situations, when editing, not all elements can be imported, then the program will restore the lost data, about which a corresponding message will be displayed, although this will not affect the integrity of the content. Open ODS file in new Excel versions You can either follow the path “File” - “Open”, after which select the required element in the window that appears, or from Explorer. If the object is not displayed in the catalog, switch the format in the same window by setting the desired value.
Another method involves launching an element not from the program, but from Explorer. In the case where OpenOffice Calc is not available on the computer or another application is not specified as a means of working with these documents, they can be launched by double-clicking on the file, Excel will recognize the element as a table and open it. If you have Calc on your device, the document will open in this software. But if there is a need to open the file specifically in Excel, then this can be done by right-clicking on the object and selecting from context menu the “Open with” option, and then from the list – Excel. To always open ODS using the Microsoft tool, you must specify it as the program to open all files of that type. You can set the default application different methods. The easiest way is from the context menu (right-click on the file) to go to the “Open with” – “Select program” option, then in the window select the desired software from the recommended ones and check the box next to “Use the selected program for all files of this type.”
Now let's look at what to do when using an older Office package. So, in Excel 2007, you can start working with a file in the application interface, as in subsequent versions of the software, or by clicking on the shortcut. To use the second option, you need to do the following:
- Launch Excel and go to “Add-Ins”.
- Here we select the appropriate item that allows you to import files in ODF format.
- The same can be done using the File menu, using the option to import a spreadsheet in ODF format.
- In the window that appears, select the required file and open it.
Excel 2003 does not provide support for ODS files, because the program was released earlier than the format, but you can open an element with this extension using the Sun ODF plugin. So, to open objects we perform the following steps:
- Download the plugin (installed as standard).
- After installing it, the Sun ODF Plugin panel appears, where there is a button “Import file in ODF format”, click on it, then on “Import file...”.
- In the window that appears, select an element and click the corresponding button.
Opening ODS in OpenOffice
Office OpenOffice package is freely distributed and can be downloaded for various operating systems(Windows, Linux, macOS and others, including Android). If there is no Russian interface, you can separately download a localizer for it. Let's look at how to open an ODS file using this software. When the program is running, do the following to run the element:
- On top panel click “File”.
- In the menu, select the “Open” option.
- Mark the required *.ods element and click the “Open” button.
The document is available for editing, after which it is saved without problems (the option is in the “File” menu) with the path for saving indicated.
How to open ODS without programs
If you don’t want to bother installing applications, your device doesn’t have the necessary software, and the problem of opening an ODS file is a one-time problem, you can use another method. It is convenient because there is no need to install any programs, but to implement it you will need Google account and internet connection. One of the services of the Good Corporation, namely Google Drive, is equipped with a built-in document editor that supports, among other things, working with ODS. To open a file of this type, you must log in to the service (create account Google in its absence), after which we do the following:
- Upload the file to Google Drive.
- Open it and select “Open in” on the top panel. Google app Tables".
Now you can perform the necessary editing actions on the files, after which the object is saved in the previous format. The built-in editor also allows you to create ODS type elements in it.
How to open this format on Android
Mobile operating systems also support office software. The AndrOpen Office package has become a popular application on Android; it can be used to edit, insert, and export data to OpenOffice. The application supports a wide range of formats. Package includes text editor, a tool for creating graphic presentations, a level editor, graphics editor, notepad and dynamic tables. So, you can open an object of the type in question in the same way as in other programs that support the format.
We've covered enough tools to view and edit ODS data. However, in some cases it is advisable to convert an element into another format, for example XLS, CSV or HTML, using the tools LibreOffice Calc, IBM Lotus Symphony, Google Sheets or other converters, including online services that allow you to instantly convert a document to the desired format .
Announcement
ODS Spreadsheet File Format
OpenDocument Format (ODF) spreadsheets have an ODS extension. This free format, using ISO standards, is popular in many countries around the world thanks to its support in many programs, including LibreOffice Suite and OpenOffice. Spreadsheets are interactive files that are used for storage, organization and analysis various types table-based data (format similar to Microsoft Excel). Programs that use the ODS format can often save files in the XLSX format. One of the biggest challenges when converting ODS format to Excel format and vice versa is the compatibility of the images of the two files.
Technical information about ODS files
When using OpenDocument spreadsheets, formatting may be lost after saving or opening created files in other programs. However, not all functions implemented in ODS files are available when opening the file in, say, Excel program(the same statement is true in the opposite direction). Like any free format for working with data, it is not identical to the format from Microsoft, as well as formats of other programs. That is why it is always necessary to ask those for whom the file is intended about the format of the final file. This will avoid conversion and loss of certain data. After receiving the files in ODS format that the user cannot open, you can download the OpenDocument Spreadsheets program.
Additional information about the ODS format
| File extension | .ods |
| File category | |
| Example file | (45.37 KiB) |
| Related programs | Microsoft Office 2007 Microsoft Office 2010 OpenOffice Calc |
