How to open .XLTM files on Windows
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).
Step-by-step instructions
- Right-click the .xltm file and choose Open with → Microsoft Excel (or double-click if Excel is already the default).
- If the file opens in Protected View or shows a security warning, review the source before choosing whether to enable macros.
Common 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).
- Confirm you trust the source of the template before enabling any macros.
- 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.
- If you need to modify the template itself, open it from within Excel (File → Open) and then save it explicitly as an .xltm template.
- 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.
- Ensure your system’s shared-mime-info database is installed/updated so .xltm is recognized and associated correctly.
- Manually choose an application to open it, or open it in Microsoft Excel on another platform for best macro compatibility.
Security note
.xltm is macro-enabled and can preserve VBA macro code; treat files from unknown or unexpected sources as potentially unsafe before enabling macros.