excel 2013 can't open old files

try this

Make sure all the Microsoft Office applications are close, then go to Control Panel > **Programs > Uninstall a Program >**on the list select Microsoft Office 2013> look at the top of the line list next to Uninstall and select Change> it will appear small window with two options, select QUICK Repair > follow the procedure. Once is done, close the small window.

Now try to open any Excel file you want it.

Hope it works for you.

This worked perfectly for me! Even Excel 1997 files open with no issues...

I found out a way to open the files, but unfortunately not directly from the Outlook.

Here are the steps that i performed to open word and excel files:

1. Right click on the file name
2. Click Properties
3. In the tab General look at the very bottom, below the Attributes it displays:

   Security: This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer.

Next to the text there is a button Unblock

4. Click Unblock, then Apply, and OK
5. Open the file regularly.

I'm still searching that rather lengthy and (so far) ineffective comment string on opening older versions of Excel using 2013. Like many here, I too an unable to open older versions - be they 2007 or 2003 - and my difficulty has nothing to do with Outlook. It is NOT a program association problem and everything I have tried up to the point in the commentary has failed to solve the problem. Note that when I follow the above steps associated with a problem file there is no security message below the Attributes area in the General tab and hence to Unblock option.

Note that I am using the desktop installation which came from Office365 and Windows 7. I do NOT get an error message - Excel opens but does not open a file (i.e., Workbook).

I'll keep trudging through the commentary to see if eventually one of the proposed solutions bears fruit.

I had this problem. Nothing seemed to work. Then I realised the file names were incorrect. Simply add " .xls" after the file name. No problems now.

WHere is this Run this program in compatibilityoption?

This may happen if you install office 2013 and then uninstall office 2007 or similar.

Go to Programs and features select office 2013 or 365 and then click change. It should give option to fix office offline or online, try offline first and then try open your spreadsheets again??