XL5: List of File Formats Supported in Microsoft Excel 5.0

Last reviewed: March 12, 1997
Article ID: Q110761

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c

SUMMARY

Microsoft Excel 5.0 supports opening and saving files in many different file formats. The following is a list of these file formats, including version numbers (where applicable).

MORE INFORMATION

File format           Version   Filename extension            Open   Save

Microsoft Excel       4.0       .XLS .XLC .XLM .XLW .XLA       XX     XX
                                .XLT                           XX     XX
                                .XLB .XLL                      XX

Microsoft Excel       3.0       .XLS .XLC .XLM .XLW .XLA       XX     XX
                                .XLT                           XX     XX

Microsoft Excel       2.x       .XLS .XLC .XLM                 XX     XX

Text Files            n/a       Tab-delimited (.TXT)           XX     XX
                                Space-delimited (.PRN)         XX     XX
                                Comma-delimited (.CSV)         XX     XX
                                Text (Macintosh)               XX*    XX
                                Text (OS/2 or MS-DOS)          XX*    XX
                                CSV (Macintosh)                XX*    XX
                                CSV (OS/2 or MS-DOS)           XX*    XX

Lotus 1-2-3           up to     .WK3 .WK1 .WKS                 XX     XX
                      3.x       .FM3 .FMT .ALL                 XX     XX

Borland Quattro Pro   all but   .WQ1                           XX     XX
                      5.0 DOS

NOTE: Microsoft Excel cannot open files with the .WKQ extension.

Microsoft Works       up to     .WKS (version 2.0 or earlier)  XX
                      2.x

Symbolic Link         all       .SLK                           XX     XX

(SYLK)

Data Interchange      all       .DIF                           XX     XX

Format

dBASE                 up to     .DBF                           XX     XX
                      4.x

Items marked above with an asterisk do not actually appear in the list of file formats in the Open dialog box, but they can still be opened.

Note that although the above file formats are supported, certain features may not be available when opening or saving files in those formats: for example, some file formats do not support embedded charts or formatted text.

NOTE: For information on opening a Quattro Pro .WQ1 file saved in version 5.0 for DOS, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119881
   TITLE     : Opening Quattro Pro WQ1 File Causes GP Fault

NOTE: .WK4 files are supported using a WK4 File converter which is available as an Application Note. For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q122583
   TITLE     : XL5: AppNote: Lotus 1-2-3 WK4 File Converter (WE1130)

REFERENCES

"User's Guide," version 5.0, page 724

For more information about Data Exchange Specifications, choose the Search button in Help and type:

    exchanging data

Additional query words: 5.00
Keywords : kbusage
Version : 5.00 5.00c
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: March 12, 1997
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