Need to open .xls files with Excel 2016/Win10, default is now Adobe

Anonymous
2015-10-06T15:57:22+00:00
Please check out Office<br> documents don't open in the correct application <br>for the latest information on this topic.

Just installed Win10 and upgraded to Excel 2016. Find I can't open .xls files as default app to open them is now ...Adobe. Excel is not an available option in setting default apps to open .xls files. I got sent to the Store and the app I selected can be set as the default, but when I saved file as .xlsx, Excel balks about opening it. Somehow this doesn't make sense that Excel is not the default for .xls files. Any help here?

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Anonymous
2015-10-06T20:05:58+00:00

Hi Darrell - Windows 10 puts you in control of which of your apps act as the default for file types, so we don't automatically take over the association (I guess you could imagine how much we'd upset a confirmed OpenOffice user if we did :-))

Easiest way to fix this:

Press the Windows key/select the Windows Icon in the start bar

Type "Default" - and search should then suggest: "Default Programs", select it

Wait for the applet to start and then select the "Set your default programs" choice

Find Excel 2016 in the list, select it, and then select "->Set this program as default"

Then sit back and enjoy Excel opening your workbook files!

Apologies for the somewhat long set of instructions, I feel we should award some kind of "dedication above and beyond the expected calls of duty" :-)

Hope this helps...pc

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Anonymous
2017-04-11T20:45:08+00:00

Hello! We've created a "Fix It" tool that may further assist if you're continuing to experiencing problems with file associations. You can learn more and access the tool here: Double-clicking an Office file fails to open it

Freya

Office Newsroom

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-10-08T16:44:20+00:00

    Thanks Chris & Darrell - we're working on understanding how this happens with the Windows team. In the meantime I could work around this by using the second option in the default programs list: "Associate a file type or protocol with a program"

    > Navigate down to the ".xls" line & select the "Change Program" button

    > In the pop up dialog: if you see "Excel 2016" then select it, otherwise select "More apps", again, if you see "Excel 2016" then select it, otherwise select "Look for another app on this PC"

    > In the file dialog that pops up you need to find your EXCEL.EXE - mine was living in "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16" (I run 64-bit Office) - you can find this quickly by using the Excel 2016 icon in the start menu, selecting More/Open File Location, and then looking at the properties of the icon (lmk if that doesn't make sense to you)

    > Once you've opened the directory with Excel.exe in the file dialog, select it and then select the "Open" button

    This *should* now mean that when you double-click .xls files that Excel 2016 will launch and open the file (it works for me). One note: when Excel 2016 launches you'll also get a dialog "Microsoft Excel isn't currently your default program...", to stop this becoming annoying select "Don't show this message again" and select "No".

    I hope this gets you unblocked while we work on understanding how this happens and fix it...

    ...pc

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-06-07T18:10:03+00:00

    Hello! Thank you all so much for your patience while we worked on this issue. The Excel team has released a fix for this problem:

    When you try to open an .XLS or .XLSX file in Excel 2016, it does not recognize it as an Excel file and open it. Excel may not appear in the list of applications to choose from. This is caused by uninstalling Office and it removes the file associations.

    This released fix should solve any issues that could also be fixed by the Quick Repair. If your issue is not solved by downloading the latest release of Excel, or by doing a Quick Repair, we are still working on other solutions.

    Freya

    Office Newsroom

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-10-09T03:04:48+00:00

    Patrick, this works but let me add a few notes for more casual users to help them follow your instructions:

    Beforehand you may want to right click on the Excel icon in the start menu (possibly twice..), choose Properties, then you'll see a path like this: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16". Copy that path (highlight it, hit Control and C as you'll need to paste it in a moment.

    Regarding: "In the meantime I could work around this by using the second option in the default programs list: "Associate a file type or protocol with a program",  I don't believe you get this option through the Windows Key>Settings>System path, you will have to get to it via the Control Panel. Ask Cortona to give you the Control Panel, then choose Default Programs and choose that second option.

    When you get to that point of having to paste in the path (where it asks File Name), when you paste the path (Control and V), you will have to add "\EXCEL.EXE" after \Office16 if it's not already there.

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