Windows 10: Win-10 FILE EXPLORER opens Excel .xls files but now, suddenly and uniquely, fails to open...

Hello all


For the last 3 months my new Win-10 FILE EXPLORER has opened both Excel.xls and Excel.xlsm files without a hitch.


Suddenly, several days ago, the FILE EXPLORER stopped opening Excel.xlsm files while, surprisingly, continuing to open Excel.xls files.

The FILE EXPLORER error during the failure to open .xlsm files is - “not responding”.


Importantly the difficulty in opening .xlsm files is idiosyncratic to the FILE EXPLORER since when I navigate to the .xlsm files using the Excel 2007 app they open without a hitch.


It appears that the file extension, and not the file content, is causing the .xlsm problem. This is because when make a new excel file (containing only a formula summing two numbers) and save it once as .xls and then again as .xlsm the FILE EXPLORER uniquely fails to open the .xlsm file.


Despite the .xlsm designation neither of these files contains a macro.


The macro TRUST setting is the same for the two file formats.


Incidentally, I should note the the FILE EXPLORER "Rename" function also fails with Excel.xlsm files. The FILE EXPLORER works fine with Word, ppt and access applications.


It seems likely that some kind of Win-10 setting has been altered but that would be well beyond my pay grade.


Any help is deeply appreciated



BobWald

:)

 

How to make Excel 2016 the default app to open xls and xlsx data files


You are supposed to double click on the entry for .xls in control Panel > Set Associations and in the window that opens choose "More Apps" then in the file explorer window that opens up browse to the Excel executable and select it.








See: Cant find Office applications in Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7? - Office Support

So launch Excel and leave it running. Start Task Manager [Ctrl+Shift+Esc]

In task manager processes tab scroll to excel.exe and right click on it. Choose "open file location" from the list and in the window that opens locate excel.exe and note the folder path. Use that path to browse to the executable in the step above that mentions browsing to the executable.

 

How to make Excel 2016 the default app to open xls and xlsx data files

Thanks for the info but unfortunately when I double click NOTHING happens *Sad

 

Why can't Excel open xls or csv files?

I've got a Dell Venue Pro running WP7 and when trying to open either xls or csv files I get the following message:

"Excel doesn't recognize the file format "Seed List 2011".

Note: these files are created on Excel using Office 2011 for the Mac.

xlsx files open no problem.

Thanks for any help.

Tony