Code
What is a .xla file?
A .xla file is a Microsoft Excel Macro (version 4.0). This is a code, script or executable format. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 2 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .xla over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .xla file
- VS Code opens and highlights nearly every text-based code format.
- Never run a script you didn't write or trust.
The registry records this extension against Microsoft Excel Macro, Microsoft Excel Add-In, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .xla file
- Text-based code needs no conversion — just save with a different extension if a tool insists.
MIME type
When a .xla file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
application/vnd.ms-excelThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .xla.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel Macro | 4.0 | application/vnd.ms-excel | x-fmt/123 |
| Microsoft Excel Add-In | — | — | x-fmt/124 |