XLS to CSV Converter
Convert legacy Excel .xls (97-2003) files to CSV — free and private in your browser.
Get the data out of old Excel .xls (97-2003) files and into CSV — the format every modern tool can import. These binary workbooks turn up in decade-old report archives, exports from legacy ERP systems, and email attachments from organizations still running old Office.
The converter parses the BIFF binary format directly in your browser: no Excel install, no compatibility-mode warnings, and no uploading a file whose contents you may not even know yet. Pick a sheet, choose delimiter and encoding, or download every sheet at once as a ZIP.
This page accepts .xls only. For modern .xlsx workbooks use the XLSX to CSV Converter, or the Excel to CSV Converter linked below, which accepts both formats.
Drop your file here or browse from your device
Accepts XLS. Maximum input: 10 MiB. Files above this hard limit are rejected before local processing.
How to Convert
- Upload your .xls file or drag it onto the page
- Pick the sheet to convert if the workbook has more than one
- Choose your delimiter and encoding options
- Download one sheet as CSV, or all sheets together as one ZIP archive
Features
- Reads legacy Excel .xls (97-2003) workbooks
- Sheet selector for multi-sheet workbooks
- Choose the delimiter (comma, tab, semicolon, pipe)
- Select output encoding (UTF-8, UTF-8 BOM, Latin-1)
- Download every sheet together in one ZIP archive
- Runs entirely in your browser — files never leave your device
Use Cases
- Modernize old .xls exports into universal CSV files
- Extract legacy spreadsheet data for a database or CRM import
- Prepare .xls data for scripts and data pipelines
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this open old .xls files?
Yes. It reads the legacy Excel 97-2003 .xls format and converts any sheet to CSV. For modern workbooks, use our XLSX to CSV converter.
What happens to formulas in the .xls file?
Formulas are exported as their calculated values, so the CSV contains the results rather than the formula text.
Can I choose the delimiter and encoding?
Yes. Export with a comma, tab, semicolon, or pipe delimiter and UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM, or Latin-1 encoding.
Is my file uploaded to a server?
Never. The conversion runs locally in your browser, so your data stays private and works offline.
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