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

Anonymous

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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

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

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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470 additional answers

Anonymous

2017-03-31T09:08:15+00:00

Hi,

To assist you, can you tell us if you see the option "More apps"? Kindly check the screenshot below.

Looking forward to your response. Thank you.
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Anonymous

2017-03-29T02:07:13+00:00

In my case, this solution doesn't quite work.

In the "Choose default apps by file type", when I click "Choose a default" next to the .xls extension, the only option that shows up is "Look for an app in the Store" (which doesn't help).
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Anonymous

2017-03-25T19:28:38+00:00
What is the released fix? I bought Excel 2016 and am still having this problem and it is very, very frustrating and wastes considerable amounts of my time.

Dear BradFish

I don't think that there is a new fix.

In case that the you mean the old Fix which was mentioned in Freya[MSFT]'s post dated June 7th , 2016 , I'm pretty sure that there is a recent bug which prevented me during the last week from opening the old files ( .xls) while the new versions ( .xlsx) were running fine.

You may try the workaround mentioned above by franzdom.

I did it as follows:
- write click on the file
- select open with
- choose another application
- choose more application
Ususally you may find the Office Word but you won't find the EXCEL program. To add it
- choose "look for another application in this PC"
Then follow the directory mentioned above where you may find the "EXCEL16.exe"

In my case it was as follows

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

Hope you succeed

BR

Ayman
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