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
    2015-11-25T11:02:09+00:00

    Seriously, when is this going to get fixed. None of my excel programs open with excel. I upgraded to the new office 2016 and it breaks everything. This is extremely frustrating.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-11-25T15:43:58+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

    Thanks. That helped. I plan to deploy 2016 to our users early next year. We have a lot of legacy "xls" files so this "fix" has to be done to a large number of computers. What a pain!  What puzzles me is your comment about upsetting an OpenOffice user if Microsoft took over associations. Seriously? You want to make it easier for people using competitive products than people using yours? You have taken over associations for xlsx, doc, docx, ppt, pptx for Office 2016 so why is XLS any different.  This looks more like an oversight than an intentional decision. Please patch Office so Excel 2016 is the default to XLS files and put the burden on the OpenOffice users to deal with re-associating extensions and not those "paying" for software.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-12-03T19:51:22+00:00

    I tried what you described above but I still can't open Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Worksheet (.xls). Please help as I have hundreds of files I need to have access to

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