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
    2015-10-06T21:10:11+00:00

    Patrick, I had tried this before and it didn't work this time either. Let me note that it's only with .xls files, Excel is the default on .xlsx files. When I follow your suggestion and click Excel there's not change. If I use the "select an app for this find of file" feature, Excel never comes up as one of potential choices - although Word does....   As I mentioned, I can open .xls files with one of the apps from The Store and even set that as default for .xls files, but something seems out of place.

    Thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-10-07T00:34:42+00:00

    Darrell - "bang" (the sound of my mind being blown), I see the same as you on my desktop machine; but a colleague sees what I'd expected above.

    There is weirdness going on here - perhaps the action of changing file association/protocol ownership has left things in a funky state :-(

    We'll investigate more tomorrow - sorry this is a pain but at least you're not blocked as you can open from within the Excel app once it has started up?

    ...pc

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-10-08T14:03:06+00:00

    There is weirdness going on here - perhaps the action of changing file association/protocol ownership has left things in a funky state :-(

    Same thing experienced here. I feel like it might be helpful to mention that I'm a subscriber to Office 365. While Excel 2013 was properly associated as the default app for the .XLS extension, the update to Excel 2016 seemed to mess up those previously established defaults.

    -Hoping a fix is near!

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