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File Extension XLS - Spreadsheet Document

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File extension XLS is used for Microsoft Excel document files. An XLS sample file is provided. Free XLS file viewers and editors are listed.

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File Extension: .XLS

MIME Type: application/msexcel

File Content: Spreadsheet document.

What is XLS? XLS is a short name for Excel. XLS has been used as the file extension for Microsoft Excel documents since 1987.

Many XLS file formats exists because of multiple Microsoft Excel versions:

  • XLS file format for Microsoft Excel 2007.
  • XLS file format for Microsoft Excel 2003.
  • XLS file format for Microsoft Excel 2000.
  • XLS file format for Microsoft Excel 97.
  • XLS file format for Microsoft Excel 95.
  • ...

XLS format supports macros written in Visual Basic for Applications.

Here are the first 64 bytes of a sample XLS file (Excel 2000) dumped in HEX values: 

d0 cf 11 e0 a1 b1 1a e1 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 3e 00 03 00 fe ff 09 00 ................
06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 ................
19 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 fe ff ff ff ................

"0xd0cf11e0a1b11ae1" seems to be the file marker for DOC files.

XLS sample file: Click sample.xls to download.

Spreadsheet documents stored in XLS files can be retrieved, viewed or edited by many free software:

Sections in This Chapter

File Extension DOC - Word Document

File Extension XLS - Spreadsheet Document

File Extension PPT - Presentation Document

Updated in 2008
File Extension XLS - Spreadsheet Document