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.XLTM file extension

To open .XLTM files on Windows, right-click the .xltm file and choose Open with → Microsoft Excel (or double-click if Excel is already the default).

To open a .xltm file, use Microsoft Excel (desktop). It’s an Excel template designed to create new spreadsheets with predefined formatting and (optionally) VBA macros.

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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 .XLTM files

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

Windows

  1. Right-click the .xltm file and choose Open with → Microsoft Excel (or double-click if Excel is already the default).
  2. If the file opens in Protected View or shows a security warning, review the source before choosing whether to enable macros.
Full Windows guide

Mac

  1. Open the .xltm file in Microsoft Excel for Mac (File → Open, then select the template).
  2. If prompted about macros, only enable them if you trust the file’s origin.
Full Mac guide

Linux

  1. If your desktop doesn’t recognize .xltm associations, check the MIME type mapping using your environment’s shared-mime-info database.
  2. For best compatibility (especially with macros), open the file in Microsoft Excel on Windows/macOS; Linux office suites may not fully support VBA macros.
Full Linux guide

iOS

  1. Open the .xltm in Microsoft Excel for iOS if available, but expect limited or no VBA macro support; for full macro behavior, transfer the file to a desktop Excel installation.
Full iOS guide

Android

  1. Open the .xltm in Microsoft Excel for Android if available, but for macro-enabled workflows, use desktop Microsoft Excel.
Full Android guide

Security notes

  • .xltm is macro-enabled and can preserve VBA macro code; treat files from unknown or unexpected sources as potentially unsafe before enabling macros.
  • Microsoft notes that this format can preserve VBA macros (and Excel 4.0 macro sheets), which increases the risk of active-content attacks compared to non-macro templates like .xltx.
  • If Excel opens the file in Protected View or shows a macro/security warning, use that as a signal to verify the file’s provenance before enabling content.

Macros, scripts, and embedded content

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Can't open this file?

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

Common reasons

  • Macros are disabled or won’t run
  • Opened as a template but changes don’t “save back” to the original file
  • File opens in another app or shows an unknown file type on Linux

Fix steps

  1. Confirm you trust the source of the template before enabling any macros.
  2. Open the file in Microsoft Excel desktop and review the security prompt/Protected View behavior before choosing to enable macros.

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .XLTM file?

.xltm is an Excel macro-enabled template in the Office Open XML family (a zipped XML-based package). Unlike .xltx templates, .xltm is designed to preserve VBA macro code (and can preserve older Excel 4.0 macro sheets). It is identified by the registered media type application/vnd.ms-excel.template.macroEnabled.12.

Background

An .xltm file is used when you want a reusable Excel starting point—layouts, formulas, styles, and settings—while also keeping automation such as VBA macros. When opened in Excel, templates are typically used to create a new workbook based on the template rather than editing the template content as a regular workbook.

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

Further reading

Authoritative resources for more details on the .XLTM format.

Common .XLTM issues

Macros are disabled or won’t run

.xltm can contain VBA macros, but Excel may block them depending on security settings or because the file came from an untrusted location (for example, downloaded from the internet).

  1. Confirm you trust the source of the template before enabling any macros.
  2. Open the file in Microsoft Excel desktop and review the security prompt/Protected View behavior before choosing to enable macros.

Opened as a template but changes don’t “save back” to the original file

Excel templates are meant to be used as a starting point for new workbooks. Opening a template often results in a new document derived from the template rather than editing the template itself.

  1. If you need to modify the template itself, open it from within Excel (File → Open) and then save it explicitly as an .xltm template.
  2. If you intended to create a new spreadsheet, use Save As to store the new workbook with a different name.

File opens in another app or shows an unknown file type on Linux

On Linux/Unix desktops, file association often depends on the shared MIME database, which maps extensions like .xltm to MIME types and applications.

  1. Ensure your system’s shared-mime-info database is installed/updated so .xltm is recognized and associated correctly.
  2. Manually choose an application to open it, or open it in Microsoft Excel on another platform for best macro compatibility.

FAQ

What is the difference between .xltm and .xltx?

.xltm is an Excel template that can contain macros (VBA), while .xltx is a template without macros. Use .xltm only when you need macro-enabled automation.

Is .xltm the same as .xlsm?

No. .xltm is a macro-enabled template intended to generate new workbooks; .xlsm is a macro-enabled workbook file.

What MIME type is used for .xltm?

application/vnd.ms-excel.template.macroEnabled.12 is registered for Excel macro-enabled template files (.xltm).

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