Associate Excel 2011 with xls files

**rcaballero** · 01-21-2012, 10:55 PM

I have Excell 2011 but my computer opens xls files (from Excell 2003) with a File Opener that does not allow me to edit. I've tried to change to association to Excell but Excell does not appear as an available program and when I browse I can only get to Microsoft Office and then drill down to a "12" file which I cannot open or associate. I can open the xls files directly with Excell but I need to first save them and then access with Excell.

Thanks
RCaballero

**dilipandey** · 01-21-2012, 11:17 PM

Hi RCaballero,

Welcome to the forum.
Do you see Excel.exe while browsing your folder Office / Office 12? If yes, choose this as a default program to open xls / xlsx files.

Regards,
DILIPandey

<click on below 'star' if this help>

**rcaballero** · 01-23-2012, 07:03 PM

Thanks DILLIPandey...I did get to Office 12 via Microsoft Office (did not see Excel.exe) but I cannot get Office 12 to be accepted as the new program to associate. It maintains its association with Free File Opener.

R. Caballero

**shg** · 01-23-2012, 07:23 PM

What is "File Opener"?

**dilipandey** · 01-23-2012, 10:49 PM

Hi R. Caballero,

If you can assign Office12 as a program to open a excel file then it is office12.exe - actually supposed to be a folder under which you should be having excel.exe and it all causing because of a virus which turns folders with in folders to "folder.exe". Did you not found excel.exe at all ? I would suggest you to use search feature of windows and try locating it and then assign it to be default file opener (xls, xlsx etc). Also get your system thoroughly scanned with a powerful / updated antivirus. Thanks.

Regards,
DILIPandey

<click on below 'star' if this helps>

**dilipandey** · 01-23-2012, 11:05 PM

Hi R. Caballero,

If you can assign Office12 as a program to open a excel file then it is office12.exe - actually supposed to be a folder under which you should be having excel.exe and it all causing because of a virus which turns folders with in folders to "folder.exe". Did you not found excel.exe at all ? I would suggest you to use search feature of windows and try locating it and then assign it to be default file opener (xls, xlsx etc). Also get your system thoroughly scanned with a powerful / updated antivirus. Thanks.

Regards,
DILIPandey

<click on below 'star' if this helps>

**OnErrorGoto0** · 01-24-2012, 01:31 AM

Excel 2011 is a Mac version so will not be a .exe file as Macs do not use them.

If I remember aright, the settings are stored in a preferences file but I cannot recall which one at the moment (will have a look later). You might try removing the Free File Opener program if it has an uninstaller, as that should reset the previous preferences. Alternatively you could reinstall Office to reset them, or try the diagnostics (I think those are available in 2011).

**OnErrorGoto0** · 01-24-2012, 01:50 AM

If you locate an Excel workbook in finder you should be able to right-click, use Get Info, then change the Open With section to use Excel 2011 and apply that to all workbooks.