File Sharing Problems

How to Fix SharePoint Excel XLS File Cannot Be Edited by Multiple Users

WPS Editor Sep 25, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users are unable to simultaneously edit or co-author an Excel workbook saved in the older XLS format when it is hosted on SharePoint.

Fix SharePoint Excel XLS File Cannot Be Edited by Multiple Users

Product: Microsoft Excel, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collaborating on shared Excel spreadsheets within a team using a SharePoint document library with check-in/check-out enabled.
Observed behavior: When multiple users attempt to open and edit the same XLS file, they are prevented from saving simultaneously or are locked out by SharePoint's check-in/check-out restrictions.

Before you start

Ensure you have edit permissions for the SharePoint document library and back up the original XLS file locally before converting its format.

Solution 1Recommended

Convert Workbook to XLSX and Disable Check-Out Restrictions

Older XLS files do not support modern Excel co-authoring. Converting the file to the newer XLSX format and adjusting SharePoint library settings will enable simultaneous editing.

The legacy Excel 97-2003 format (.xls) uses a binary structure that cannot sync changes from multiple authors in real-time. To use Microsoft's co-authoring feature, files must be saved in .xlsx, .xlsm, or .xlsb formats.

Additionally, if a SharePoint document library enforces strict check-in and check-out rules, files will be locked to a single user regardless of the file format. Both the format and the library settings must be updated.

Open the original XLS file

Launch Microsoft Excel and open the problematic XLS workbook directly from SharePoint or your synced local folder.

Convert to XLSX format

Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, select 'Save As', and choose 'Excel Workbook (*.xlsx)' from the file format dropdown menu.

Save to SharePoint

Save the newly created XLSX file back into your shared SharePoint or OneDrive folder.

Disable Check-Out in SharePoint

Navigate to your SharePoint document library in a web browser. Go to 'Settings' (gear icon) > 'Library settings' > 'More library settings' > 'Versioning settings'. Ensure 'Require documents to be checked out before they can be edited' is set to 'No'.

Verify co-authoring

Have multiple users open the new XLSX file simultaneously. You should now see presence indicators in the top right corner, confirming co-authoring is active.

Convert Workbook to XLSX and Disable Check-Out Restrictions

Format Compatibility: Once converted, any user with a modern Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, or Excel for Web account can seamlessly collaborate on the document.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Excel's co-authoring work on older .xls files?

The older .xls format (Excel 97-2003) uses a legacy binary architecture that does not support the modern metadata and cloud-sync capabilities required for real-time co-authoring. Only newer formats like .xlsx, .xlsm, or .xlsb support this feature.

How do I know if someone has checked out a file in SharePoint?

In your SharePoint document library, a checked-out file displays a small green arrow overlay on its file type icon. You can hover over this icon to see exactly which user currently has the document checked out.

Can I co-author an Excel file if a team member is using an older version of Office?

No, real-time co-authoring requires all participating users to have a compatible version of Excel (such as Microsoft 365, Excel 2016 or later, Excel for the Web, or mobile apps). Users on unsupported versions will lock the file for others.

Document & File Issues