File format converters supplied with Excel

You can convert a file from Microsoft Excel to another file format by saving it with the Save As command (File menu) in Excel. The file formats available in the Save As dialog box vary, depending what type of sheet is active (a worksheet, chart sheet, or other type of sheet). For most file formats, Excel converts only the active sheet. To convert the other sheets, switch to each sheet and save it separately.

You can convert a file from another program to Microsoft Excel by opening it in Excel with the Open command (File menu).

If you do not see the file format you want in the Open or Save As dialog box, you can install the converter. For more information about installing add-ins and converters, you can go to the Microsoft Office Web site.

If you plan to share your workbook with users who have different versions of Excel, and you don't mind a larger file size, the most versatile Excel file format is the Microsoft Excel 97-2003 & 5.0/95 Workbook format. This format saves two versions of a workbook (one with the Microsoft Excel 97-2003 file format and one with the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 file format) in the same .xls file. Users of Excel 2003 can continue to work in the workbook and use any of the features or formatting unique to this version. Users of Microsoft Excel version 5.0 or Microsoft Excel 95 can open and use the workbook without having to convert the file.

It is recommended that users with older versions use the workbook read-only. If the workbook is saved in the earlier version of Microsoft Excel, features and formatting unique to the current version will be lost.

Formats that save the entire workbook	File name extension (Windows only)
Microsoft Excel Workbook (Microsoft Excel 2003)	.xls
Template (Microsoft Excel 2003)	.xlt
Workspace (Microsoft Excel 2003)	.xlw
Microsoft Excel 97-2003 & 5.0/95 Workbook	.xls
Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook	.xls
Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook (saves only worksheets, chart sheets, and macro sheets)	.xlw
HTML	.htm
Web Archive	.mht
XML Spreadsheet	.xml
Formats that save only the active sheet	File name extension (Windows only)
Microsoft Excel version 4.0 sheet formats (including Microsoft Excel macro or international macro sheets)	.xls, .xlc, .xlm
Microsoft Excel version 3.0 formats	.xls, .xlc, .xlm
Microsoft Excel version 2.x formats	.xls, .xlc, .xlm

When you open a .wk1 or .wk3 file in Excel, Excel applies the formatting in the associated .fmt, .fm3, or .all file. If you save a Lotus 1-2-3 file in Excel format, Excel saves the spreadsheet data and formatting in a single workbook file.

The WK1 (1-2-3) (*.wk1) and WK3 (1-2-3) (*.wk3) formats save only limited worksheet formatting. To save an Excel workbook in Lotus 1-2-3 format and retain borders, cell shading, fonts, and other formatting, select a Lotus 1-2-3 file format that stores formatting in a separate .fmt, .fm3, or .all file.

Lotus 1-2-3 file format	Release	Notes
WK4 (*.wk4)	4.0	Saves the entire workbook
WK3 (.wk3) WK3, FM3 (.wk3)	3.x and Lotus 1-2-3/W	Saves only worksheets and chart sheets
WK1 (.wk1) WK1 (FMT) (.wk1) WK1 (ALL) (*.wk1)	2.x	Saves only the active sheet
WKS (FMT) (*.wks)	1.0 and 1.0A	Saves only the active sheet
.pic (when included in an .all file)	3.x and Lotus 1-2-3/W	Excel can open but cannot save this format

You can open and save files in the following text formats. If you save a workbook in text format, all formatting is lost.

Format	Notes
Formatted Text (Space-delimited) (*.prn)	Lotus space-delimited format Saves only the active sheet
Text (Tab-delimited) (.txt) (Windows) Text (Macintosh) Text (OS/2 or MS-DOS) CSV (comma delimited) (.csv) (Windows) CSV (Macintosh) CSV (OS/2 or MS-DOS)	If you are saving a workbook as a tab-delimited or comma-delimited text file for use on another operating system, select the appropriate converter to ensure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet.
DIF (data interchange format) (*.dif)	Saves only the active sheet
SYLK (symbolic link format) (*.slk)	Saves only the active sheet

Format	Program	Notes
DBF 2, DBF 3, DBF 4 (*.dbf)	DBASE II, III, and IV	Opens and saves only the active worksheet
WQ1 (*.wq1)	Quattro Pro for MS-DOS	Opens and saves only the active worksheet
.wb1	Quattro Pro version 5.0 for Windows	Opens only, only available with converter loaded
.wb3	Quattro Pro version 7.0 for Windows	Opens only, only available with converter loaded.
.wks	Microsoft Works version 2.0 for Windows and Microsoft Works for MS-DOS	Opens only Microsoft Works version 2.0 for Windows or Microsoft Works for MS-DOS spreadsheets

You can paste data from the Microsoft Office Clipboard into Excel by using the Paste or Paste Special command on the Edit menu if the Office Clipboard data is in one of the following formats:

Format	Clipboard type identifiers
Picture	Picture (Windows enhanced metafile, EMF) Note If you copy a Windows metafile (WMF) picture from another program, Microsoft Excel pastes the item as an enhanced metafile format (EMF) picture.
Bitmap	Bitmap (BMP)
Microsoft Excel file formats	Binary file formats for Microsoft Excel versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0/95, Microsoft Excel 97-2000, Microsoft Excel Workbook (BIFF, BIFF3, BIFF4, BIFF5, and BIFF8)
Symbolic link format	SYLK
Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.x format	.wk1
Data interchange format	.dif
Text (tab-delimited) format	Text
Comma-separated values format	.csv
Formatted text (only from Microsoft Excel)	Rich Text Format (RTF)
Embedded object	Microsoft Excel objects, objects from properly registered programs that support OLE 2.0 (OwnerLink), and Picture or another presentation format
Linked object	OwnerLink, ObjectLink, Link, Picture, or other format
Office drawing object	Office drawing object format or Picture (Windows enhanced metafile format, EMF)
Text	Display Text, OEM Text
HTML	.htm Note When you copy text from another program, Microsoft Excel pastes the text in HTML format, regardless of the format of the original text.