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

2017-03-14T00:04:33+00:00

It might have been a good thing to possibly provide a link to the solution.
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Anonymous

2017-03-24T09:03:34+00:00

Hello! Thank you all so much for your patience while we worked on this issue. The Excel team has released a fix for this problem:

When you try to open an .XLS or .XLSX file in Excel 2016, it does not recognize it as an Excel file and open it. Excel may not appear in the list of applications to choose from. This is caused by uninstalling Office and it removes the file associations.

This released fix should solve any issues that could also be fixed by the Quick Repair. If your issue is not solved by downloading the latest release of Excel, or by doing a Quick Repair, we are still working on other solutions.

Freya

Office Newsroom

Dear

I didn't have this problem till last week,

It seems that there is an update which brought it back.

Now, .XLS file aren't accessible anymore by EXCEL 2016 Win 10.
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Anonymous

2017-03-25T13:34:18+00:00

I figured this out. I could not find Office 16 where one very helpful reply said it was. I also have Win10, Office16 and 64-bit. You do have to locate Excel.exe. I guess I have a 32 bit version of office installed on my 64 bit system, not sure, but I found Excel.exe here:

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

Not as previously suggested:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16" (I run 64-bit Office)"

The way I was able to find where excel.exe resides was to open it then go to task manager, then right click on excel in the processes list and select show in folder, as explained here:

http://eforexcel.com/wp/tips-tricks-147-find-the-location-of-excel-exe/

Hope this helps, worked a charm for me! Now every .xls I click on will open Excel.
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