Advanced Excel - File Formats
Save a Workbook in another File Format
When you save an Excel 2013 Workbook, by default it saves in the .xlsx format. Excel 2013 supports saving in other formats, but whenever you save a workbook in another file format, some of its formatting, data, and features might not be saved.
File Formats (File Types) that are supported in Excel 2013 −
- Excel File Formats
- Text File Formats
- Other File Formats
Excel File Formats
| Format |
Extension |
Description |
| Excel Workbook |
.xlsx |
The default XML-based file format for Excel 2007-2013. Cannot store Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro code or Microsoft Office Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
| Strict Open XML Spreadsheet |
.xlsx |
An ISO strict version of the Excel Workbook file format (.xlsx). |
| Excel Workbook (code) |
.xlsm |
The XML-based and macro-enabled file format for Excel 2007-2013. Stores VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm) |
| Excel Binary Workbook |
.xlsb |
The binary file format (BIFF12) for Excel 2007-2013. |
| Template |
.xltx |
The default file format for an Excel template for Excel 2007-2013. Cannot store VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
| Template (code) |
.xltm |
The macro-enabled file format for an Excel template in Excel 2007-2013. Stores VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
| Excel 97- Excel 2003 Workbook |
.xls |
The Excel 97 - Excel 2003 Binary file format (BIFF8). |
| Excel 97- Excel 2003 Template |
.xlt |
The Excel 97 - Excel 2003 Binary file format (BIFF8) for an Excel template |
| Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook |
.xls |
The Excel 5.0/95 Binary file format (BIFF5). |
| XML Spreadsheet 2003 |
.xml |
XML Spreadsheet 2003 file format (XMLSS). |
| XML Data |
.xml |
XML Data format. |
| Excel Add-In |
.xlam |
The XML-based and macro-enabled Add-In format for Excel 2007-2013. An Add-In is a supplemental program that is designed to run additional code. Supports the use of VBA projects and Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
| Excel 97-2003 Add-In |
.xla |
The Excel 97-2003 Add-In, a supplemental program that is designed to run additional code. Supports the use of VBA projects. |
| Excel 4.0 Workbook |
.xlw |
An Excel 4.0 file format that saves only worksheets, chart sheets, and macro sheets. You can open a workbook in this file format in Excel 2013, but you cannot save an Excel file to this file format. |
Text File Formats
If you save a workbook in any text format, all formatting is lost.
| Format |
Extension |
Description |
| Formatted Text (Spacedelimited) |
.prn |
Lotus space-delimited format. Saves only the active sheet. |
| Text (Tabdelimited) |
.txt |
Saves a workbook as a tab-delimited text file for use on another Microsoft Windows operating system, and ensures that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
| Text (Macintosh) |
.txt |
Saves a workbook as a tab-delimited text file for use on the Macintosh operating system, and ensures that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
| Text (MS-DOS) |
.txt |
Saves a workbook as a tab-delimited text file for use on the MS-DOS operating system, and ensures that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
| Unicode Text |
.txt |
Saves a workbook as Unicode text, a character encoding standard that was developed by the Unicode Consortium. |
| CSV (comma delimited) |
.csv |
Saves a workbook as a comma-delimited text file for use on another Windows operating system, and ensures that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
| CSV (Macintosh) |
.csv |
Saves a workbook as a comma-delimited text file for use on the Macintosh operating system, and ensures that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
| CSV (MS-DOS) |
.csv |
Saves a workbook as a comma-delimited text file for use on the MS-DOS operating system, and ensures that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
| DIF |
.dif |
Data Interchange Format. Saves only the active sheet. |
| SYLK |
.slk |
Symbolic Link Format. Saves only the active sheet. |
Other File Formats
| Format |
Extension |
Description |
| DBF 3, DBF 4 |
.dbf |
dBase III and IV. You can open these files formats in Excel, but you cannot save an Excel file to dBase format. |
| OpenDocument Spreadsheet |
.ods |
OpenDocument Spreadsheet. You can save Excel 2010 files so they can be opened in spreadsheet applications that use the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format, such as Google Docs and OpenOffice.org Calc. You can also open spreadsheets in the .ods format in Excel 2010. Formatting might be lost when saving and opening .ods files. |
| PDF |
.pdf |
Portable Document Format (PDF). This file format preserves document formatting and enables file sharing. When the PDF format file is viewed online or printed, it retains the format that you intended. Data in the file cannot be easily changed. The PDF format is also useful for documents that will be reproduced by using commercial printing methods. |
| XPS Document |
.xps |
XML Paper Specification (XPS). This file format preserves document formatting and enables file sharing. When the XPS file is viewed online or printed, it retains exactly the format that you intended, and the data in the file cannot be easily changed. |
Step 1 − Select the File menu.
Step 2 − Click on the option Save As. You get a choice of places to save the Workbook, both on local devices (e.g. Computer) and internet (e.g. OneDrive).
Step 3 − Click on Computer.
The Save As Dialog box opens.
Step 4 − Click on Save As type. The file formats will be listed.
The file formats displayed depend on the type of active Worksheet in your Workbook (Data Worksheet, Chart Worksheet, or other type of Worksheet).
Step 5 − Click on the File Format you want.
File Formats that Use the Clipboard
You can use the Clipboard to copy data to the clipboard in few File Formats, which you can paste into Excel using the command Paste or Paste Special.
| Format |
Extension |
Clipboard Type Identifiers |
| Picture |
.wmf or .emf |
Pictures in Windows Metafile Format (WMF) or Windows Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF).
NOTE − If you copy a Windows metafile picture from another program, Excel pastes the picture as an enhanced metafile. |
| Bitmap |
.bmp |
Pictures stored in Bitmap format (BMP). |
| Microsoft Excel file formats |
.xls |
Binary file formats for Excel versions 5.0/95 (BIFF5), Excel 97-2003 (BIFF8), and Excel 2013 (BIFF12). |
| SYLK |
.slk |
Symbolic Link Format. |
| DIF |
.dif |
Data Interchange Format. |
| Text (tabdelimited) |
.txt |
Tab-separated text format. |
| CSV (Commadelimited) |
.csv |
Comma-separated values format. |
| Formatted text (Space-delimited) |
.rtf |
Rich Text Format (RTF). Only from Excel. |
| Embedded object |
.gif, .jpg, .doc, .xls, or .bmp |
Microsoft Excel objects, objects from properly registered programs that support OLE 2.0 (OwnerLink), and Picture or another presentation format. |
| Linked object |
.gif, .jpg, .doc, .xls, or .bmp |
OwnerLink, ObjectLink, Link, Picture, or other format. |
| Office drawing object |
.emf |
Office drawing object format or Picture (Windows enhanced metafile format, EMF). |
| Text |
.txt |
Display Text, OEM Text. |
| Single File Web Page |
.mht, .mhtml |
Single File Web Page (MHT or MHTML). This file format integrates inline graphics, applets, linked documents, and other supporting items referenced in the document. |
| Web Page |
.htm, .html |
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
NOTE − When you copy text from another program, Excel pastes the text in HTML format, regardless of the format of the original text. |
File Formats not Supported in Excel 2013
Excel 2013 does not support the following File Formats anymore and you cannot open or save files in these File Formats.
| Format |
Extension |
Clipboard Type Identifiers |
| Excel Chart |
.xlc |
Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 2.x file formats |
| WK1, FMT, WK2, WK3, FM3, WK4 |
.wk1, .wk2, .wk3, .wk4, .wks |
Lotus 1-2-3 file formats (all versions) |
| Microsoft Works |
.wks |
Microsoft Works file format (all versions) |
| DBF 2 |
.dbf |
DBASE II file format |
| WQ1 |
.wq1 |
Quattro Pro for MS-DOS file format |
| WB1, WB3 |
.wb1, .wb3 |
Quattro Pro 5.0 and 7.0 for Windows. |
If you have to work with your Workbook data in a program that is not supported anymore, try the following −
Search the web for a company that makes File Format Converters for File Formats that are not supported by Excel 2013.
Save your Workbook to another File Format that can be opened in the other program. For example, save to an XML spreadsheet or text File Format that the other program might support as well.
