Free online TMP to XLS converter

What the TMP format is

TMP is not one standardized document format. In document workflows, the extension usually identifies a temporary copy, autosave, recovery file, or working data file created by applications such as Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, and word-processing or database programs. The actual contents may be an Excel workbook, CSV-like text, XML, HTML, or application-specific binary data.

Excel temporary files can appear in the same folder as the original workbook, in an application recovery folder, or with names beginning with ~$. A ~$ file is normally a lock file containing editing-session information, not the spreadsheet itself, and cannot be meaningfully converted to XLS.

What the XLS format is

.xls is Microsoft Excel's binary workbook format used primarily by Excel 97–2003 and compatible spreadsheet programs. It stores worksheets, formulas, formatting, charts, and some macros in a single workbook.

XLS is appropriate when a receiving system specifically requires the older Excel format. It remains widely readable, but it has lower limits than modern XLSX: a worksheet supports up to 65,536 rows and 256 columns. Newer Excel features may be removed or changed when saved as XLS.

How to actually convert TMP to XLS

1. Make a copy of the TMP file and work on the copy. Keep the original unchanged in case it is needed for recovery.
2. Identify the program that created it. If the file came from Excel or Calc, open that program and use File → Open. Set the file filter to All files, then select the copied .tmp file.
3. If the application recognizes the contents as a workbook, verify several sheets, formulas, dates, and formatted values before saving. In LibreOffice Calc, use File → Save As, select Excel 97–2003 (*.xls), choose a new filename such as recovered.xls, and confirm the format warning.
4. In Microsoft Excel, use File → Save As, select Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls), and inspect the compatibility warning. Select the option to keep the current workbook format only after checking which features may be lost.
5. If Calc or Excel cannot open the TMP file, test whether it is delimited text. Open it through File → Open or Data → From Text/CSV, select the correct character encoding and delimiter, then save the imported table as .xls.
6. For a no-installation conversion attempt, use the free converter on 101convert.com, upload the TMP file, select XLS, and download the result. This works only when the service can identify the underlying document data; it cannot reconstruct a deleted or incomplete temporary file.

Quality and compatibility limits

The extension alone does not determine the conversion method. If the TMP file is an autosave that was interrupted during writing, it may be incomplete or corrupted. If it contains only a lock record, there is no worksheet data to export.

Check formulas, merged cells, named ranges, charts, date and currency formats, external links, and hidden sheets after conversion. Saving a modern workbook as XLS can remove unsupported features, alter formulas, or trigger the row and column limits. Macros may require separate verification and should not be enabled unless the source is trusted. If the recipient accepts it, XLSX generally preserves newer spreadsheet features more accurately than XLS.