after creating a excel file, I am getting an error saying " file format or extension is not valid" . Please help

Question

after creating a excel file, I am getting an error saying, " file format or extension is not valid" . Please help

Answer 1

Hi Serviceteam2,

The error message "file format or extension is not valid" typically occurs when there is an issue with the format or file extension of the Excel file you are trying to open. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve this issue:

1. Double-check the file extension: Ensure that the file extension of the Excel file is correct. Excel files typically have the extension ".xlsx" for newer versions of Excel or ".xls" for older versions. If the file extension is incorrect, rename the file and change the extension accordingly.
2. Verify the file format: Make sure that the file format of the Excel file matches the version of Excel you are using. For example, if you are using Excel 2016, the file format should be compatible with that version. Newer versions of Excel may have different default file formats. If you are using an older version of Excel, try saving the file in a compatible format.
3. Check for file corruption: It's possible that the Excel file is corrupted, which is causing the error. Try opening the file on a different computer or using a different version of Excel to see if the issue persists. You can also try repairing the file using Excel's built-in repair tools or by using third-party file repair software.
4. Consider file size limitations: If the Excel file is very large, it might exceed the file size limitations of your Excel version or the storage medium you are using. In such cases, you may need to reduce the file size by removing unnecessary data or splitting the file into smaller parts.
5. Try opening in compatibility mode: If you are using a newer version of Excel and the file was created in an older version, try opening the file in compatibility mode. This can help ensure compatibility between different versions of Excel.

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it's possible that there may be other factors at play. In such cases, it may be helpful to provide more specific details about how you are creating the Excel file and any relevant error messages you encounter.

Kindest regards

Answer 2

Hi Serviceteam2!

One possible cause is that the user does not have sufficient permissions to open the file.

Another possible cause is that the file extension is not supported by the version of Excel being used.

Please try this:

1. copy and past the file to your desktop, right-click, rename and changed '.xlsx' to '.xls'.
2. Try to open your corrupt file in safe mode. Press Windows+R and write excel.exe /safe and click OK. In the safe mode> click File> Open> and then select the file to open it

Best Regards, Shakiru

Answer 3

Upload this file to Excel online and see whether you are able to open there or not. If yes, save a copy locally from Excel online.

Answer 4

Unfortunately we have the same issue, when creating an Excel file (format XLSX) from the Teams app - it opens directly in the desktop app (as set in my Teams environment) then the error "file format or extension is not valid" appears.
Tested it out with the Classic version of Teams as the Modern version, both act the same but note; ONLY for Excel, all the other files, Word, PPT are opening when created from Teams in the Desktop app without any issues.

Both answers mentioned above are no solutions, they are workarounds.
Hopefully Microsoft has the solution for this?