A file extension is the group of letters that appear after the final period in a file name. File extensions are typically 2 to 4 characters long, but they can be any length. Excel uses a handful of standard extensions to distinguish certain types of spreadsheet files.
How to change Excel file extension xls, xlsx, xlsm, xlsb, xps, pdf
The current default file extension for an Excel file is XLSX. Before Excel 2007, the default file extension was XLS. The main difference between the two is that XLSX is an XML-based open file format and XLS is a proprietary Microsoft format. However, newer versions of Excel save and open XLS files to ensure compatibility with earlier versions of the program.
XML stands for extensible markup language. XML is related to HTML, the extension used for web pages. Advantages of this file format include:
If an Excel file has an XLTX or XLTM extension, it is saved as a template file. Template files are used as starting files for new workbooks. Templates contain saved settings, such as the default number of sheets per workbook, formatting, formulas, graphics, and custom toolbars. The difference between the two extensions is that the XLTM format can store VBA and XML macro code.
