How to open an XLS or XLSX file without having Excel

· Tech,How to,Tips and tricks

We are going to explain how to open an XLS file without having Excel installed on your computer. The XLS extension is that of Excel files in versions 97 to 2003, and XLSX files are those of the most modern Excel versions. The normal thing is to use the Microsoft Apps to Open Xlsx Files, but being a payment tool, you may want other alternatives.

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We are going to try to make this article short and effective, focusing on the three best alternatives you have available to open these types of files . In all of them there is a common denominator, and that is that you can use them on any PC and at no cost.

Google Sheets

The first method is to use spreadsheets from Google Drive , Google's office and cloud storage service. If you have a Google account, you can enter Google Drive . In this service, whose website is drive.google.com , you can upload your XLS or XLSX file by dragging it from the folder to the browser itself.

Once inside, you just have to open it as if it were a native document , by double clicking, and the Google spreadsheet will open it without any problems. You will be able to see what is there and edit it without great problems.

LibreOffice

The second method is to use LibreOffice , which is the open source office suite that you can download for free from es.libreoffice.org . LibreOffice has alternatives to all Microsoft office tools, including a LibreOffice Calc which is an alternative to Excel.

All you have to do is download LibreOffice on your computer. Then, right click on the XLS or XLSX file, choose Open With from the pop-up menu, choose LibreOffice Calc to open it. It is fully compatible and will not give you any problems.

Office free with Office Online

Office has a free online version that you can use at no cost, and although it may seem confusing, the My Office application is an Office Online webapp , which allows you to open Excel files in Excel on your computer. Therefore, you can enter the Office Online website and use it without problems.