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XLSX to XLS Converter

Save a modern workbook in the Excel 97–2003 .xls format that older software still asks for.

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About XLSX to XLS

XLSX to XLS turns a current Excel workbook into the older .xls format. It's for the cases where something downstream hasn't moved on: a tax or customs portal that only takes .xls, a legacy ERP import, the software of a lab instrument, or a colleague still on Excel 2003. Upload the .xlsx and download the same workbook as an Excel 97–2003 file.

Keep the old format's limits in mind before you convert. An .xls sheet holds at most 65,536 rows and 256 columns, up to column IV, so larger sheets can't fit in full, and features newer than Excel 2003 have no place to go. For everything else, including sharing with people on current Excel, keep the .xlsx.

How to use XLSX to XLS

  1. 1
    Upload your .xlsx

    Choose or drop the workbook. Free accounts can convert files up to 50 MB.

  2. 2
    Click XLSX to XLS

    The workbook is saved in the Excel 97–2003 format on our server, in an isolated process.

  3. 3
    Download the .xls

    Save the file and pass it to the system or person that needs the old format.

Why use Cubfile for this

  • The format old systems expect

    An Excel 97–2003 workbook that older software, portals and Excel versions can open.

  • Works without Excel

    Convert on a Mac, a phone or a shared computer with no Office installed.

  • No sign-up to start

    Your first 2 conversions need no account at all.

  • Private by default

    Files travel over HTTPS, are processed in isolation and are erased an hour later.

FAQ

XLSX to XLS: questions and answers

When do I need XLSX to XLS?
When the receiving end can't read .xlsx: older ERP and accounting imports, some government upload portals, lab equipment software, or Excel 2003 and earlier without the compatibility pack. If the import also takes CSV, Excel to CSV is another option, with one file per sheet.
What happens to data beyond row 65,536?
The .xls format has no room for it. A sheet in that format stops at 65,536 rows and 256 columns, so split a larger sheet first, for example with Split Excel.
How do I convert XLSX to XLS on a Mac?
Open this page in Safari or Chrome, upload the .xlsx, press XLSX to XLS and download the result. You don't need Excel installed.
Is this XLSX to XLS converter free to use?
Yes, within the free limits: 2 tasks in total without an account, or 2 a day with a free one, for files up to 50 MB. VIP lifts the daily limit and raises the file size cap to 1 GB.
Is my workbook safe with you?
Yes. It's uploaded over an encrypted connection, converted in its own isolated process and deleted automatically after an hour. Nobody here looks at it.
Share XLSX to XLS with a friendIt runs in any browser, and they can try it without signing up.

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