01
ADD YOUR XLSX
Drop the XLSX file into the box above or choose it from your device.
XLSX → XLS / online converter
XLSX to XLS Converter
Save a modern XLSX workbook as an old-style XLS file (Excel 97-2003) for programs and devices that cannot open the newer format.
01 / how to
How to convert XLSX to XLS
02
CONVERT TO XLS
XLS is already selected. Press Convert and wait a few seconds.
03
DOWNLOAD
Save the finished XLS file. The original is deleted from our server.
02 / what you get
What happens to your data
Kept
- Rows and columns of the first sheet, with the first row as the header
- Numbers as real numeric cells, so they can still be summed and sorted
- Text, and dates as readable text
- Opens in Excel 97-2003, LibreOffice, and legacy accounting or industrial software
Good to know
- The XLS format holds at most 65,536 rows and 256 columns per sheet — a bigger sheet will not fit.
- Only the first sheet is converted. If your workbook has several sheets, move the one you need to the front in Excel first, or convert to JSON, which keeps every sheet.
- The result contains plain values on one sheet named Sheet1: formulas, cell styles, charts, images and macros are not carried over.
- If every program you use can open XLSX, keep XLSX — it is smaller and has no row limit.
03 / formats
XLSX vs XLS
XLSX
An XLSX file is a modern Excel workbook: sheets of cells with numbers, text, formulas and formatting. It is the default for spreadsheets today. Converting it gives you the first sheet as plain data (JSON keeps every sheet), so other tools can read it.
Used in: Excel · Business reports · Financial data
XLS
An XLS file is the older Excel workbook format (Excel 97-2003). It still turns up in old exports and archives. Converting it gives you the first sheet as plain data (JSON keeps every sheet), or a modern XLSX.
Used in: Legacy Excel files · Old exports · Archives
04 / more
More conversions
Have a different file? Open the main converter — it detects the format for you.