How to Convert Old Excel Files to New Format: 2 Quick Methods

Method 1 – Using Convert Option

Steps:

Go to the File tab from Ribbon.

Using Convert Option to convert old Excel files to a new format

The following window will open in your worksheet.

Select the Info option as marked in the image below.

In the Compatibility Mode section, click the Convert option.

Using Convert Option to convert old Excel files to a new format in Excel

The following dialogue box will open on your worksheet.

Click OK in the dialog box.

The old Excel file will be converted into the new format, as demonstrated in the following picture.

Final output of method 1 to convert old Excel files to a new format

Method 2 – Saving As New Format

Steps:

Open the Excel file and go to the File tab from Ribbon.

Saving As New Format to convert old Excel files to a new format

Choose the Save As option, as shown in the following image.

Select the Browse option to specify the location of the saved file.

Click on the Save as type option.
Choose the Excel Workbook option from the drop-down.
Click the Save option.

The old Excel file will be converted to the new format, as shown in the picture below.

Final output of method 2 to convert old Excel files to a new format

How to Change .XLS to .XLSX Without Opening in Excel

Steps:

Create two new folders named “New Format” and “Old Format” in your computer.

Creating 2 new folders to convert old Excel files to a new format

Place the file in .XLS format in the “Old Format” folder.

Open Excel and go to the Developer tab from Ribbon.
Choose the Visual Basic option from the Code group.

Using VBA Macro to convert old Excel files to a new format

Go to the Insert tab from the Microsoft Visual Basic window
Choose the Module option from the drop-down.

Creating module to convert old Excel files to a new format

Write the following code in the blank Module.

Sub Rename_It()
Name "H:\Old Format to New Format\Old Format\Converting Old Files to New Format.xls" As "H:\Old Format to New Format\New Format\Converting Old Files to New Format.xlsx"
End Sub

Writing the code to convert old Excel files to a new format

Code Breakdown

We initiated a Sub routine named Rename_It.
Used the Name statement to rename the Excel file and save it as .XLSX format.
We ended the Sub routine.

Click Save.

Use the keyboard shortcut ALT + F11 to go to the worksheet.
Use the shortcut ALT + F8 to open the Macro window, as shown in the following image.

In the Macro window, choose the Rename_It option.
Cick Run.

Running the Macro to convert old Excel files to a new format

The .XLS file will be removed from the Old Format folder and will be saved into the New Format folder as .XLSX format as shown in the image below.

Final output of method 3 to convert old Excel files to a new format