Installing Microsoft Excel helps you create spreadsheets for budgeting or tracking stocks. But on a Mac, spreadsheets might open in a different app, like Apple Numbers, by default. Once you’ve installed Excel on your Mac, you can change the default app for spreadsheets.
However, a Mac requires you to set a default app for each file type separately. If you don’t want to spend time changing the default app for multiple file types, you can just open a file in Excel manually. In this article, we explain how. Before you get started, ensure you have Microsoft Excel installed on your Mac.
How to Change the Default Spreadsheets App on Mac
Changing the default app on your Macis a great solution if you frequently open spreadsheets. Sure, it might take a few minutes to change the default app for various file types, but it’s a permanent, one-off solution.
Here are the most common spreadsheet file types you may open with Microsoft Excel:
Set Microsoft Excel as the default app for these file types, and you’ll be all set.
Start by right-clicking on an XLSX, CSV, or ODS file. Click onGet Infofrom the context menu.
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You’ll see a window pop open. At the bottom of the window, you’ll see theOpen withfield. Click on the dropdown right under the section name and select Microsoft Excel from the list.
If the file type you’re trying to perform this action on isn’t compatible with Microsoft Excel, you won’t see Excel in this list. If you believe your file type is compatible, you can clickOtherin the list and navigate to the Excel app manually.
Click theChange Allbutton. You’ll see a confirmation prompt. ClickContinue.
How to Manually Open a Single File with Excel
If you want to open a file with Microsoft Excel just this once, there’s no need to set Excel as your default spreadsheet app. Instead, you can just open a file with Excel without changing the default app.
To open a file with Excel, right-click on the file you want to open and selectOpen With. Then, selectMicrosoft Excel.
How to Open Numbers Files in Excel
Numbers, Apple’s default spreadsheet app, comes pre-installed on new Mac devices. It uses a different file format that Excel can’t open natively.
If you try opening a Numbers file with Microsoft Excel, you’ll see the following prompt.
If you selectYes, you’ll see a message that the file is corrupt.
You’ll need toconvert the Numbers file into an Excel spreadsheetby exporting it as an Excel file using the Numbers app. Alternatively, you can use anonline file converter for spreadsheetslikeCloudConvert.
Spreadsheets Simplified for Mac Users
Spreadsheets are a staple for many professionals and financially savvy households. For many users, spreadsheets and Microsoft Excel are synonymous. However, things are a little different on Mac devices because they use the Numbers app by default.
Fortunately, setting Microsoft Excel as the default app on Mac is fairly easy, as is converting Numbers files into Excel files. Hopefully, you were able to open your spreadsheet in Excel or set it as the default spreadsheet app.
Of course, apart from Microsoft Excel and Numbers, there are various other powerful spreadsheet apps you might want to consider.
