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How We Can See File Extension in Excel Windows

July 22, 2022
7.5K Views

The extension of an Excel file provides you with important information about that file before you open it. It also lets you organize the files you save into your directories as template files, macro-enabled files, and more. With just a glance at the Excel file extension, you know more about the Excel file and what it’s used for.

Excel file extensions tell you:

  1. Whether macros or VBA are included.

  2. If the file was saved with an older version of Excel.

  3. Whether the file format is based on XML documents or binary.

  4. The general legacy version of the file was saved.

  5. Whether the file is a template.

Excel File Extensions By Version

The first group of file extensions are related primarily to which version of Excel the worksheet was saved with. The following extension types are connected to the Excel versions shown here:

  1. Excel 97-2003: *.xls

  2. Excel 97-2003 template: *.xlt

  3. XML Spreadsheet 2003: *.xml

  4. Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook: *.xls

  5. Excel 97-2003 Add-in: *.xlam

  6. Excel 4.0: *.xlw

  7. Microsoft Works: *.xlr

How to Change the Excel file Extension?

For changing the file extension, follow the below steps:

  1. Open the workbook for which you want to change the format.

  2. Go to the Home

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

  1. Click on Save As

  2. It will open a dialog box, as shown below.

  3. Select the type in which you want to save your document.

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

  1. I have selected theDocuments for saving this file as a destination.

  2. Under the File namefield, give the file name for the workbook.

  1. Under Save as typefield, we need to choose the file format.

  2. Click on Save as type filed; it will open a list of formats as shown in the below screenshot.

  1. Choose the file format and click on the Savebutton to save the file.

  2. It will save the file with the extension.

How do you know the file extension of the saved file?

For this, follow the below steps:

  1. Select the file for which you want to know the file format.

  2. Right-click on that file.

  3. It will open a drop-down list of options.

  4. Click on the Propertiesoption from the list. Refer to the below screenshot.

  5. It will open a Properties window.

  1. Under the Type of fileoption, you can see the file type or extension of the file. Refer to the below screenshot.

Things to Remember about Excel File Formats

  1. Any file format doesn’t support all the features of excel like formulas etc.; then it will display an alert message box.

  2. Then you can change the file format again.

Did you learn how we can see file extensions in excel? You can follow WPS Academy to learn more features of Word Document, Excel Spreadsheets, and PowerPoint Slides.

You can also download WPS Office to edit the word documents, excel, PowerPoint for free of cost. Download now! And get an easy and enjoyable working experience. 

15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.