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

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

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.

HI Guys:  The Live feed from New York city on October 6th was great, wasn't it!  Some great stuff from Microsoft.  Microsoft can really put the run to Apple, if they can only make stuff work now.  There are two things from this post that concern me. 

First, that a Microsoft program (Office 2016), installed on a Microsoft OS (Windows 10) messes up the file extension assignments for common programs like Word and Excel.  As far as Microsoft has come, this should not even remotely happen.  And to add to the pain, Excel doesn't even show up in the list to add, until you manually add it once, then it becomes available.  Not a confidence builder.

Second, why would we have two "Settings" menus?  Why bother with this?  It is a recurring nightmare from Windows 8.  Windows 10 is still suffering a bit from a personality disorder.  For example, if you go to the "associate a file type or protocol with a specific  program" section as listed in above posts, you get two different results, depending on how you got there.  If you use the cute "App", you are powerless to add a desktop application for the .xlsx extension and are directed to the Windows store to install a new "App", when you already have Office 2016 installed.  If you go through "Control Panel", you have the power to do what needs to be done. (Ah, good ole' Control Panel)

The development team have done a great job with Windows 10.  But I am seeing bugs that should not exist, not with today's technology in Windows.  The MacHeads are going to have a field day with issues like this.  We needs solid consistency throughout the OS and consistent ways to get things done, not half applied apps that behave differently depending on how you get there.

Just my nickel's worth.

:)