Whether it's for data collection, representation, or business number verification, Excel stands as an invaluable tool that streamlines data analysis for both businesses and individuals alike. However, life can get tough when Excel starts to malfunction, with a common error message reading, “Excel cannot open the file because the extension is not valid.” Show
The error prevents you from opening your important files, thus, denying you any access to them. If you find yourself facing this issue, rest assured that we have identified seven reliable solutions to help you overcome this obstacle and open your Excel files without any interruption. Fix 1: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File via Dedicate Excel Repair ToolSometimes, when an Excel file itself is corrupted or has a problematic format, you may encounter the "Excel cannot open the file because the file format or file extension is not valid" error. In this case, your go-to solution is to utilize a specialized Excel repair tool to diagnose and resolve any underlying issues within the problematic Excel file. One such powerful tool that can come to your rescue is 4DDiG File Repair. This dedicated software is designed to repair corrupted Excel files and recover data from files that Excel cannot open due to issues like corruption or an invalid file format or extension. Here's why it stands out as the perfect solution for repairing Excel files.
Here's a detailed guide on how to use 4DDiG File Repair to fix the "Excel cannot open the file" error.
Fix 2: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File by Changing Excel File ExtensionBy default, Excel 2004-10 would save a file in XLS format while the later versions would save it in XLSX format. As the message "Excel Cannot Open the File Error Because the File Format or File Extension Is Not Valid" highlights an error in the file extension, we can consider changing the file extension to another type to resolve the issue.
Fix 3: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File by Restoring the Previous ExcelIf you've recently made changes to the Excel file that triggered the "Excel cannot open the file" error, you can try reverting to a previous version of the file. The following are the steps to restore your Excel file to an older version.
Fix 4: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File by Using Open and Repair FeatureExcel includes a built-in "Open and Repair" feature that attempts to automatically repair corrupted or problematic files. By using this feature, you can instruct Excel to repair the file and make it accessible again. Follow the steps below to fix “Excel cannot open the file because the file format or file extension is not valid” error easily.
Fix 5: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File by Recovering Unsaved WorkbookSometimes "Excel cannot open the file because the extension is not valid" error is caused by power cut or improper save. The unsaved Excel can not open since it's corrupt due to such reasons. Microsoft Excel offers a great feature called "Recover Unsaved Workbook." By taking the assistance of this feature, the excel file can be recovered and then it can be opened. Here are the steps to recover unsaved workbook:
Fix 6: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File by Opening Safe ModeStarting Excel in Safe Mode can help identify and bypass any problematic add-ins or customizations that might be causing the "Excel cannot open the file because the file format or file extension is not valid" error. Let's move to the procedure to resolve the problem.
Fix 7: Fix Excel Cannot Open the File by Recovering Excel FileIf you haven't had any success with the above-listed methods, you might need to use third-party data recovery software. We would highly recommend you to try Tenorshare 4DDiG Windows Data Recovery. It is the safest and most powerful software that can help recover lost or deleted data from an external drive, windows system or USB flash disk. The tool can recover various types of data, including photos, videos, pictures and office documents. Additionally, the software also supports the latest Windows 11, including both 32bit and 64bit versions. Some of the exciting features of Tenorshare 4DDiG include:
Here is what you need to do to recover the Excel file:
Sum upFacing the "Excel cannot open the file because the extension is not valid" error can be incredibly frustrating. However, fret not, for this guide has the solution you need. With 4DDiG File Repair, you can effortlessly repair corrupted Excel files and get rid of any format-related issue within your Excel files. Altenatively, try using Tenorshare 4DDiG to recover your Excel files in just a few clicks. If you have any questions or doubts, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for taking the time to read this guide, and do share it with friends who might find this solution valuable. William Bollson (senior editor)William Bollson, the editor-in-chief of 4DDiG, devotes to providing the best solutions for Windows and Mac related issues, including data recovery, repair, error fixes. |