Document
What is a .xlsb file?
A .xlsb file is a Microsoft Excel Non-XML Binary Workbook (version 2007 onwards). This is a document format, so it holds text and layout meant to be read.
How to open a .xlsb file
- Try LibreOffice (free, Windows/Mac/Linux) — it opens an enormous range of current and historic document formats.
- Microsoft Word and Google Docs handle most mainstream document types.
- If nothing opens it, open it in a text editor: many older document formats have readable text inside.
The registry records this extension against Microsoft Excel Non-XML Binary Workbook, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .xlsb file
- Once it opens in LibreOffice or Word, Save As .docx or .pdf to get it into a format you can use anywhere.
MIME type
When a .xlsb file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.binary.macroEnabled.12The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .xlsb.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel Non-XML Binary Workbook | 2007 onwards | application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.binary.macroEnabled.12 | fmt/595 |