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
    2016-01-03T07:04:10+00:00

    An even easier way to solve this that I found is to go to the control panel, select the option default programs and then select 'Set Associations'. Scroll down to the endings .xl and you find all the Excel endings described with no program associated. Select .xls and click the Çhange program'button on the top right. Excel 2016 is the first option, select that and repeat for any Excel ending you want to.

    I must also add that I find this really ridiculous, having had Office 2013, upgraded to 2016 with Office 365 yesterday and now suddenly Excel is not the default program and office tells you to go to the app store. How something like this slipped through the quality control is beyond me, one simple install test from scratch would have shown this. Hope someone looks at the testing procedures again here.

    Hard to believe that this bug is still out there and it has been MONTHS now. The manual way is another way as you indicated but may not reassociate all the extensions. The repair does. It will do PPT, Word, Acess - so it will fix ALL associations with ALL the components of Office

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-05T02:50:14+00:00

    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?

    Hi Patrick and Darrell,

    I agree. This is MS-****!!

    Try this way:

    Copy the xls-file to One-drive.

    open with Excel-online. The file will automaticly be converted to xlsx. Close file again.

    switch to Excel 2016 and open file.

    It works for me.

    Best Regards

    Sten

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-09T19:08:20+00:00

    No, this does NOT work. I'm using Windows 7, just installed Office 2016. When I try the EXACT SAME STEPS YOU MENTION (default programs, .xls, select other program, drill down to EXCEL.EXE in the Office 16 program folder), it does NOT change the default program for opening .xls files to Excel 2016. Instead, it substitutes a program (7-Zip) that I most assuredly did NOT select nor WANT as the default.

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