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XLS to ODS Converter

Turn XLS files into ODS in a couple of clicks. Excel's pre-2007 binary workbook. The open standard spreadsheet format. Content is preserved and the layout is rebuilt for the target format.

On your deviceNever uploadedGone when you close the tabHow this works

Drop your files here

XLS files (.xls) · up to 100 MB each

or paste files from your clipboard

Ready when you are

Drop a XLS file above and FileTools360 will turn it into ODS — right here on your device, without uploading anything.

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How to use it

  1. 1

    Add your XLS files

    Drag them onto the upload area, choose them from your device, or paste them from your clipboard. You can queue several at once.

  2. 2

    Adjust the settings if you want to

    The defaults suit most people. Open Advanced to control delimiter and header handling.

  3. 3

    Convert and download

    Press Convert. Everything happens on your own device — nothing is uploaded. Download files one by one, or grab them all as a ZIP.

XLS and ODS explained

The pre-2007 Excel format is a binary structure limited to 65,536 rows and 256 columns — limits modern datasets routinely exceed.

ODS is the OpenDocument spreadsheet format, the open-standard counterpart to XLSX used by LibreOffice Calc.

Where XLS files come from
Spreadsheets from Excel 2003 or earlier, and some legacy export systems.
Where ODS is used
LibreOffice Calc and open-standards environments.

XLS vs ODS

The two formats solve different problems, which is why converting between them involves trade-offs rather than a straight upgrade.

XLS compared with ODS
PropertySourceTarget
CompressionNoneLossless
Introduced19872005
Browser supportStill opens in Excel and LibreOffice.LibreOffice natively, Excel with basic fidelity.
XLS is stronger at
Still opens in Excel and LibreOffice.
ODS is stronger at
Open ISO standard. Formulas, formatting and multiple sheets. Default in LibreOffice.

Why convert XLS to ODS?

People make this switch when they run into the limits of XLS: anything else — XLSX is better in every respect. ODS is the better fit when working in LibreOffice or under an open-standards policy.

XLS limitations that prompt the switch
Hard row and column limits. Larger files than XLSX. Binary format that is awkward to parse.
What you give up
Excel support is imperfect, particularly for complex formulas. Less common in business.

What is preserved when converting XLS to ODS?

Both formats store the content without discarding data, so this conversion preserves it exactly. The file size may change because the two formats compress differently, but the content itself is unaffected.

About these formats

Source

Legacy Excel Workbook

Excel's pre-2007 binary workbook.

Extensions
.xls
MIME type
application/vnd.ms-excel
Best for
Legacy systems that reject XLSX
Compatibility
Still opens in Excel and LibreOffice.

Target

OpenDocument Spreadsheet

The open standard spreadsheet format.

Extensions
.ods
MIME type
application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet
Best for
LibreOffice Calc · Open standards policies
Compatibility
LibreOffice natively, Excel with basic fidelity.

Good to know

XLS to ODS Converter — questions

Runs entirely in your browser

FileTools360 by the numbers

521 converters and tools65 file formatsnothing ever uploaded.