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
    2015-11-04T02:41:42+00:00

    I had the same issue on windows 8, and your solution worked for me. Weird, never had such problem before..

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-11-03T17:34:14+00:00

    I'm having the same problem with Windows 7 Pro and Office 365 ProPlus or Office 2016.  When we open Excel (happens with Word and Powerpoint too)  Go into Options Default Programs, it sees .xls extension as the Excel 2016 default program, but not the .xlsx, I have to set it as the default.   Yet when we go to open .xls or .xlsx, we have to right click on the file and choose the default program of Excel 2016 every time we need to open.  

    We have migrated from Office 2003, Office 2003 has been uninstalled, except for Access 2003, we still have some legacy DB that still require it.  We did have the Office 2007 compatibility pack installed, now that it's been uninstalled we are able to right click and open the program.  With the pack installed we could only get Saved As for an option.  Plus we had the 2003 viewers installed, those have also been uninstalled. 

    Not sure what else to do to get the file association to the application.  I hoping if we solve it for Excel it's the same fix for Word and Powerpoint.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-10-31T18:02:45+00:00

    Hi Patrick,

    I'm also having a similar issue. I have Windows 10 OS and 2016 MS Suite. What my issue is I can't open any excel files (even a new .xlsx that I just created) from a folder it will ask "How do you want to open this file?" I select Excel 2016 but it never opens and I try again and it does that again forever. So I can't open any excel documents from a folder. I wondered if there was a glitch with the desktop folder so I tried one in my C drive and it doesn't open from there either. 

    However, I tried opening it from the application it self and it opens.  However, I am a visual person and I like to open documents from folders and not from the app. Please let me know if there is anything that will fix this or is this a known issue that is still trying to be fixed?

    To conclude, I think it's an Excel bug becuase MS Word will open old and new documents on the desktop and the C drive. Also test and see if you can see the new excel document you save onto your desktop because it doesn't show. However, it will show in any folder you create it in. 

    Look forward to hearing back with the solution.

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