Excel以及所有核心Microsoft Office应用程序都经历了数十年的版本升级。随着这些升级，对Excel 文件扩展名进行了一些小调整，以解决这些(Excel file)Excel 文件(Excel file)之间的差异。
产生新文件扩展名的不仅仅是版本差异。某些文件扩展名专门指文件的类型，例如它是Excel 模板(Excel template)还是包含宏的Excel 文件。(Excel file)
如果您了解所有 Excel 文件扩展名(understand all of the Excel file extensions)，您将更好地处理如何在文件保存对话框中(dialogue box)保存文件。
为什么 Excel 文件扩展名很重要
Excel 文件(Excel file)的扩展名会在您打开它之前为您提供有关该文件的重要信息。它还允许您将保存到目录中的文件组织为模板文件、启用宏的文件等。只需看一眼Excel 文件(Excel file)扩展名，您就可以更多地了解Excel 文件(Excel file)及其用途。
Excel 文件扩展名告诉你：
- 是否包含宏或 VBA
- 如果文件是使用旧版本的Excel保存的(Excel)
- 文件格式(file format)是基于 XML 文档还是二进制
- 保存文件的通用旧版本(legacy version)
- 文件是否为模板
您可以通过从菜单中选择“文件”，选择“(File)另存为(Save As)”，然后在“文件名”字段下选择“(file name field)文件类型(file type)”下拉菜单来查看Excel中的所有文件扩展名。
如您所见，每种文件类型都有一个描述性名称，有助于理解文件扩展名(file extension)的用途。
Excel 文件扩展名（按版本）
第一组文件扩展名主要与保存工作表的Excel版本有关。以下扩展类型连接到此处显示的Excel版本：
- Excel 97-2003：*.xls
- Excel 97-2003 模板：*.xlt
- XML 电子表格 2003：*.xml
- Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 工作簿(Workbook)：*.xls
- Excel 97-2003 加载项：*.xlam
- Excel 4.0：*.xlw
- 微软作品：*.xlr
如您所见，*.xls 文件扩展名是Excel 2007 之前所有版本的 Excel 的默认旧版(default legacy) Excel 格式。(Excel format)
从Excel 2007开始，任何Excel 文件的(Excel file)默认文件扩展名(default file extension)都是（并且仍然是）*.xlsx。
XLS 与 XLSX 之间的差异
虽然Microsoft在(Microsoft)Excel 2007之后切换到XLSX 扩展名(XLSX extension)似乎只是表面上的命名约定更改，但事实是除了(naming convention change)文件扩展名(file extension)之外还有更多的更改。
XLS以称为二进制交换文件格式的(Interchange File Format)文件格式存储(file format)Excel电子表格。这是由Microsoft创建的专有文件格式(file format)。
随着Excel 2007的发布，Microsoft将默认设置更改为XLSX，它基于Office Open XML 格式(Office Open XML format)。这是一种将电子表格信息(spreadsheet information)保存在XML 文件(XML file)中的方法。
切换到这种保存Excel 电子表格(Excel spreadsheet)信息的新方法有哪些优势？有许多。
- 互操作性(Interoperable)：Office Open XML格式的文件可以更容易地被拉入其他(pulled into other applications)可以读取 Office XML 格式的应用程序中。
- 可扩展(Extensible)：外部应用程序或程序可以操作底层XML 格式(XML format)的内容——这意味着程序员可以创建软件来编辑Excel电子表格，而无需打开Excel 应用程序(Excel application)本身。
- 防止损坏(Safer from corruption)：与XLS文件等二进制文件相比， XML 格式的文件(XML formatted files)不易损坏或损坏(corruption or damage)。
- 更小：使用(Smaller)XLSX 格式(XLSX format)时，可以在更小的文件中存储更多数据。微软(Microsoft)声称XLSX文件比 XLS 文件小 75%。
如果这些优势对您来说都不重要，那么您最好还是使用较旧的默认XLS Excel 格式(XLS Excel format)。当你这样做时，你确实有两个好处。
首先是XLS文件往往保存和打开速度更快。其次，具有XLS 扩展名的(XLS extension)Excel文件可以在每个版本的Excel上打开，无论多旧。
其他 Excel 文件扩展名
既然您了解了XLS 和 XLSX(XLS and XLSX)之间的区别，就可以更容易地理解所有其他Excel 文件(Excel file)扩展名的含义。
- .xlsm：XML 格式的Excel文件，也支持Excel宏
- .xlsb ：也支持Excel宏的二进制格式Excel文件（旧版本）(Excel)
- .xltx：保存为模板的Excel 文件(Excel file)，用作未来Excel 工作簿的(Excel workbooks)起点(starting point)
- .xltm：启用宏的Excel 文件(Excel file)，另存为模板
Excel 模板文件
如果您不熟悉Excel模板，现在可能是了解和开始使用它们的好时机。如果您发现自己创建了许多共享相同格式、公式或布局的电子表格，则模板可以为您节省大量时间。
创建模板所需要做的就是设置您不想每次都重新创建的工作表的格式、布局和其他方面。然后使用上面列出的模板格式的(template format)Excel 文件(Excel file)扩展名之一保存文件。
事实上，当您在Excel中打开一个新文件时，您可以搜索多个类别的数千个预制模板。
打开其他文件类型
Excel(Excel isn)不仅限于打开具有Excel 文件(Excel file)扩展名的文件。当您在Excel 中打开一个文件并(Excel and select)从文件类型下拉框中(file type drop box)进行选择时，您会看到一个超出本文所列内容的长列表。
这是因为Excel(Excel)也支持非 Microsoft 文件格式。
- *.xmlXML 电子表格 2003(XML Spreadsheet 2003)格式或直接XML格式的数据文件存储工作表的应用程序的任何电子表格。
- *.prn : Lotus 电子表格
- .txt：制表符分隔或Unicode文本文件
- .csv：逗号分隔的文本文件
- .dif：数据交换格式文本(Interchange Format text)文件
- .slk：符号链接格式文本文件
- .dbf : dBase 数据文件
- .ods：Opendocument 电子表格（Google Docs或OpenOffice）
- .pdf : 打开(.pdf)PDF数据文件时保留数据的格式
- .xps：XML纸张规范(Paper Specification)数据文件
请记住，根据您使用的Excel 版本(Excel version)，当您保存或打开文件(saving or opening files)时，并非所有这些文件类型都会显示为选项。
A Guide To All Excel File Extensions & What They Mean
Excel, as well as all of the core Microsoft Office applіcations, have gone through decades of version υрgrades. Along with those υpgrades came small tweаks to Excel file extensions to account for the differences between those Excel fileѕ.
It isn’t just version differences that spawn new file extensions. Some file extensions refer specifically to the type of file, such as whether it’s an Excel template or an Excel file that contains a macro.
If you understand all of the Excel file extensions, you’ll have a better handle on how to save your file in the file save dialogue box.
Why Excel File Extensions Matter
The extension of an Excel file provides you with important information about that file before you open it. It also lets you organize the files you save into your directories as template files, macro-enabled files, and more. With just a glance at the Excel file extension, you know more about the Excel file and what it’s used for.
Excel file extensions tell you:
- Whether macros or VBA is included
- If the file was saved with an older version of Excel
- Whether the file format is based on XML documents or binary
- The general legacy version the file was saved with
- Whether the file is a template
You can see all of the file extensions in Excel by selecting File from the menu, select Save As, and then select the file type dropdown under the file name field.
As you can see, each of the file types have a descriptive name that helps with understanding what the file extension is for.
Excel File Extensions By Version
The first group of file extensions are related primarily to which version of Excel the worksheet was saved with. The following extension types are connected to the Excel versions shown here:
- Excel 97-2003: *.xls
- Excel 97-2003 template: *.xlt
- XML Spreadsheet 2003: *.xml
- Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook: *.xls
- Excel 97-2003 Add-in: *.xlam
- Excel 4.0: *.xlw
- Microsoft Works: *.xlr
As you can see, the *.xls file extension is the default legacy Excel format for all versions of excel prior to Excel 2007.
From Excel 2007 onwards, the default file extension for any Excel file was (and remains) *.xlsx.
The Differences Between XLS Vs XLSX
While Microsoft switching to the XLSX extension after Excel 2007 seems like a superficial naming convention change, the truth is that there was more change than just the file extension.
XLS stores Excel spreadsheets in a file format known as Binary Interchange File Format. This was a proprietary file format created by Microsoft.
With the release of Excel 2007, Microsoft changed the default to XLSX, which is based on the Office Open XML format. This is a method of saving spreadsheet information in an XML file.
What were the advantages of switching to this new method of saving Excel spreadsheet information? There are many.
- Interoperable: Office Open XML formatted files can more easily be pulled into other applications that can read Office XML formats.
- Extensible: External applications or programs can manipulate the contents of the underlying XML format — this means programmers can create software to edit Excel spreadsheets without ever opening the Excel application itself.
- Safer from corruption: XML formatted files are less susceptible to corruption or damage than binary files like XLS files are.
- Smaller: You can store more data in a smaller file when you use the XLSX format. Microsoft claims XLSX files are 75 percent smaller than XLS files.
If none of those advantages matter much to you, then you might be better off staying with the older default XLS Excel format. You do get two advantages when you do this.
The first is that XLS files tend to save and open faster. Secondly, Excel files with the XLS extension can be opened on every version of Excel, no matter how old.
Other Excel File Extensions
Now that you understand the difference between XLS and XLSX, it’s a little bit easier to decipher what all of the other Excel file extensions mean.
- .xlsm: XML format Excel files that also support Excel macros
- .xlsb: Binary format Excel files (older version) that also support Excel macros
- .xltx: An Excel file saved as a template to be used as a starting point for future Excel workbooks
- .xltm: A macro-enabled Excel file that’s saved as a template
Excel Template Files
If you’re unfamiliar with Excel templates, it may be a good time to learn about and start using them. If you find yourself creating a lot of spreadsheets that share the same formatting, formulas, or layout, a template can save you a great deal of time.
All you have to do to create a template is set up your formatting, layouts, and other aspects of your worksheet that you don’t want to recreate every time. Then save the file with one of the Excel file extensions listed above for template format.
In fact, when you open a new file in Excel, you can search through thousands of premade templates across many categories.
Opening Other File Types
Excel isn’t limited to opening only files with Excel file extensions. When you open a file in Excel and select from the file type drop box, you’ll see a long list beyond what’s listed in this article.
This is because there are non-Microsoft file formats that are also supported in Excel.
- *.xml: Any spreadsheets from applications that stored the sheets in XML Spreadsheet 2003 format, or straight XML formatted data files.
- *.prn: Lotus spreadsheets
- .txt: Tab-delimited or Unicode text files
- .csv: Comma-delimited text files
- .dif: Data Interchange Format text files
- .slk: Symbolic Link Format text files
- .dbf: dBase data files
- .ods: Opendocument spreadsheets (Google Docs or OpenOffice)
- .pdf: Retains the formatting of data when you open PDF data files
- .xps: XML Paper Specification data files
Keep in mind that depending on the Excel version you’re using, not all of these file types will display as options when you’re saving or opening files.
