Excel Files are Opening in Notepad? 4 Ways to Fix That

Surefire solutions to make your Excel files open normally

4 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Microsoft Excel is one of the most used apps by students and companies alike. However, like every other software, there are times when users face issues, with some complaining that Excel files are opening in Notepad.

This problem can be pretty frustrating, as it makes your document disjointed. Fortunately, there are ways to fix thisExcel issue, and we will show you how to do it in this comprehensive guide.

Why is my Excel file opening in Notepad?

The reasons Excel files are opening in Notepad are within a close circle. Below are a couple of potential causes of the issue:

How can I stop my Excel files from opening in Notepad?

1. Use the Open with option instead

If Excel files are opening in Notepad on Windows 10 or 11, you need to use the Open with option to select your preferred app. With this, you remove the guessing game and open your file with the appropriate app.

2. Change file types settings

If you did not set Microsoft Excel as your default app for opening its related files, it would not be surprising that Excel files are opening in Notepad. To rectify this, follow the steps above and make the necessary changes.

3. Check the extension type

At times, Excel files might be opening in Notepad because the extension is written or set wrongly. The solution to this is to rename the file accordingly.

4. Repair Office installation

If push comes to shove and you can’t stop your Excel files from opening in Notepad, you need to repair your Office installation. This should eliminate the potential problems causing Excel files to malfunction.

If Excel files open in Notepad, it can make your files look disorganized and make it difficult to edit your document. But with the information in this guide, you should be able to fix the issue and restore normalcy on your PC.

Similarly, ifExcel runs into problemson your PC, check our comprehensive article to fix it effortlessly.

Let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.

Excel Files are Opening in Notepad? 4 Ways to Fix That#

Why is my Excel file opening in Notepad?#

How can I stop my Excel files from opening in Notepad?#

1. Use the Open with option instead#

2. Change file types settings#

3. Check the extension type#

4. Repair Office installation#