XLS – Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Workbook
XLS is the legacy binary Excel format used before 2007. It is limited to 65,536 rows and is usually converted to XLSX or CSV.
More XLS conversionsDrop your XLS files here
or click to choose XLS files · up to 95MB each
How to convert XLS to XLSX
- Choose your files. Click Select File or drag your XLS files into the upload box. You can add many at once.
- Pick the settings. XLSX is already selected as the output format. The conversion starts as soon as a file is added.
- Download. Each file appears in the list when it is ready. Download them one by one, or all together with Download all.
Why convert XLS to XLSX?
XLS is the old Excel format from before 2007. It is limited to 65,536 rows and some programs warn about it. Converting to XLSX gives you a current Excel file that is smaller and works with all new features.
When to keep the XLS
Keep the XLS only for very old software that cannot open XLSX; for everything else the XLSX replaces it.
Tips for the best result
- All sheets, formulas and cell formatting are converted.
- Charts are kept in most workbooks.
- Macros are not kept, because XLSX cannot hold them.
Common problems and fixes
- My macros are gone.
- XLSX files cannot store macros. Open the XLS in Excel and save it as XLSM if you need them.
- The file will not convert.
- Password-protected workbooks cannot be opened. Remove the password in Excel first.
XLSX – Microsoft Excel Workbook
XLSX is the standard Excel format. It stores sheets, formulas, formatting and charts in a zipped XML package.
More XLSX conversionsConverting XLS to XLSX
- CSV and TSV keep only the first sheet and no formatting.
Frequently asked questions
Is XLSX better than XLS?
Yes, for almost everything: it is smaller, allows over a million rows and is the default in all current spreadsheet programs.
Will formulas still work?
Yes. Formulas are converted and recalculate as usual.
How do I convert XLS to XLSX?
Click Select File or drop your XLS file onto the upload box. The converted XLSX appears in the list below with a download button. You can add many files at once and download them together as a ZIP.
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. To keep the service available for everyone there is a 95MB limit per file and a cap on how many files one connection can process in a short period.
Are my files stored?
Your upload is used only to make the converted file. Images are processed in memory; other files are written to a private temporary folder that is deleted as soon as the conversion finishes. Nothing is kept after the result has been sent back.
Will quality drop?
For images, a little, by design: the image is re-encoded at the Quality you choose (default 75%). Audio and video are re-encoded with high-quality settings; documents keep their text and layout as far as the target format allows. Converting never restores detail that is already missing from the original.
How this works: your file is uploaded over HTTPS and converted on this server with open-source engines (libvips for images, FFmpeg for audio and video, LibreOffice and Pandoc for documents, Calibre for ebooks, Ghostscript and Inkscape for PDF and vector files). Images are processed in memory; other files use a private temporary folder that is deleted as soon as the conversion finishes.