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.XLSM file extension

To open .XLSM files on Windows, double-click the .xlsm file to open it in Microsoft Excel, or open Excel and use File > Open.

To open an .xlsm file, use Microsoft Excel on Windows or macOS. Because .xlsm files can contain macros, Excel may open the file with macros disabled until you explicitly enable them.

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Last updated: June 12, 2026

Open on your device

Choose your operating system for a dedicated step-by-step opening guide.

How to open .XLSM files

Use these platform-specific instructions to open .XLSM files safely.

Windows

  1. Double-click the .xlsm file to open it in Microsoft Excel, or open Excel and use File > Open.
  2. If you trust the file source and need the automation, follow Excel’s prompt to enable macros; otherwise keep macros disabled and review the contents first.
Full Windows guide

Mac

  1. Open the .xlsm file with Microsoft Excel for macOS (File > Open from within Excel if needed).
  2. If Excel shows a security warning about macros, only enable them if you trust the workbook and understand what the macro does.
Full Mac guide

Linux

  1. If you need the macros to run, open the file on a Windows or macOS machine with Microsoft Excel.
  2. If you only need to view the spreadsheet data, try opening it in a compatible spreadsheet application; be aware that macro behavior may not be supported.
Full Linux guide

iOS

  1. If you need macro functionality, open the file in Microsoft Excel on Windows or macOS; mobile viewing may not support running macros.
Full iOS guide

Android

  1. If you need macro functionality, open the file in Microsoft Excel on Windows or macOS; mobile viewing may not support running macros.
Full Android guide

Security notes

  • .xlsm files can contain macros; the “m” extension indicates macro-capable content, so treat files from unknown sources as potentially unsafe.
  • If a workbook asks you to enable macros, only do so when you trust the sender and you understand why the macro is needed.
  • If you only need the data, open the workbook with macros disabled to reduce risk from unwanted macro execution.

Macros, scripts, and embedded content

PDF, Office, and some rich e-book containers may include macros, JavaScript actions, or external links. Phishing campaigns abuse that. Keep your viewer suite patched, avoid enabling macros on unexpected documents, and treat “urgent” invoices or parcel notices as untrusted until verified.

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Can't open this file?

These are the most common causes and fixes when .XLSM files fail to open.

Common reasons

  • Macros are blocked or won’t run
  • Saving removes macros when using the wrong format
  • Features don’t transfer when exporting to other formats

Fix steps

  1. Confirm you trust the file’s source and that you actually need the macro to run.
  2. In Excel, use the security prompt/notification to enable macros for the workbook if appropriate.
  3. If you don’t need automation, keep macros disabled and use the workbook as a regular spreadsheet.

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .XLSM file?

.xlsm is an Excel macro-enabled workbook in the Office Open XML family (the “m” indicates the file can contain macros). It is an Open XML Spreadsheet (SpreadsheetML) package variant designed to preserve macro content alongside normal workbook data. The registered media type is application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroEnabled.12.

Background

.xlsm is the macro-enabled workbook format used by modern versions of Excel that support the Office Open XML file formats. Microsoft’s “m” extensions indicate that the document can contain macros, and Excel requires this format when saving workbooks that contain macros.

In practice, .xlsm is used for spreadsheets that automate tasks with macros (for example, workflow buttons, data cleanup routines, or reporting automation) while still using typical Excel features like worksheets and formulas. Microsoft notes that the Macro-Enabled Workbook format preserves macros and macro sheets in addition to standard workbook features.

At a standards level, .xlsm builds on the Office Open XML standard (ECMA-376) for spreadsheet documents, with additional conventions for macro-enabled files described in Microsoft’s Office macro-enabled format specifications.

Common MIME types: application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroEnabled.12

Further reading

Authoritative resources for more details on the .XLSM format.

Common .XLSM issues

Macros are blocked or won’t run

Because .xlsm files can contain macros, Excel may open the workbook with macros disabled and require user action before any macro code can run.

  1. Confirm you trust the file’s source and that you actually need the macro to run.
  2. In Excel, use the security prompt/notification to enable macros for the workbook if appropriate.
  3. If you don’t need automation, keep macros disabled and use the workbook as a regular spreadsheet.

Saving removes macros when using the wrong format

If you save a macro-containing workbook to a non-macro-enabled format (such as a standard Office Open XML workbook), the macros may be lost or not preserved.

  1. In Excel, use Save As and choose the macro-enabled workbook format (*.xlsm).
  2. Reopen the saved file to confirm the macros are still present and functioning.
  3. If you must share a macro-free copy, save a separate non-macro version and keep the original .xlsm as the source.

Features don’t transfer when exporting to other formats

Some Excel features, including macros and macro sheets, are preserved in .xlsm but may not transfer to other file formats.

  1. Keep the master copy as .xlsm when you need macros preserved.
  2. When exporting or converting, verify that the destination format supports what you need (especially macros).
  3. Test the exported file in the target application before distributing it.

FAQ

What does the “m” in .xlsm mean?

Microsoft uses “m” extensions in the Office Open XML family to indicate the file can contain macros; .xlsm is the Excel macro-enabled workbook format.

Can I save a workbook with macros as .xlsx?

If the workbook contains macros, Microsoft advises saving it as a macro-enabled workbook (*.xlsm); saving to a non-macro-enabled format can remove or not preserve the macros.

What is the MIME type for .xlsm?

application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroEnabled.12 (as registered with IANA).

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