Free online WKS to XLS converter

Older Microsoft Works spreadsheets may be unreadable in current office software, while the recipient or legacy application may require an Excel workbook. Converting the file to .xls provides a more widely supported editable copy without changing the original .wks file.

What the WKS format is

WKS is a legacy spreadsheet format used primarily by Microsoft Works Spreadsheet, a component of Microsoft Works for home and small-office computers. Depending on the Works release, a file can contain worksheet cells, formulas, basic formatting, and limited charts or other objects. Different Works releases used incompatible or partly different WKS variants, so one program may open a file that another cannot.

Microsoft Works is discontinued, and current Microsoft Excel versions do not provide dependable native support for old Works spreadsheets. A .wks extension alone may not identify the exact Works version; conversion software must recognize the file's internal format.

What the XLS format is

XLS is Excel's binary workbook format associated mainly with Excel 97–2003. It can store multiple worksheets, formulas, cell formatting, charts, named ranges, and other spreadsheet structures. Current Excel and LibreOffice Calc can generally open and save XLS files, although newer software may display a compatibility warning.

.xls is not the same as .xlsx. XLS uses the older binary format and has lower capacity limits, including 65,536 rows and 256 columns per worksheet. Select Excel 97–2003 (*.xls) when the receiving application specifically requires XLS.

Convert WKS to XLS on 101convert.com

1. Open the WKS-to-XLS converter on 101convert.com.
2. Upload the original .wks file.
3. Select XLS as the output format and start the conversion.
4. Download the resulting workbook, then open it in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or another application that supports XLS.

This method does not require installing discontinued spreadsheet software. Do not upload confidential or regulated data unless the service's storage, processing, and deletion terms meet your requirements.

Convert with LibreOffice Calc

1. Install a current desktop version of LibreOffice and make a backup of the WKS file.
2. In Calc, choose File → Open and select the .wks file.
3. If an import filter is requested, choose the Microsoft Works spreadsheet filter, not a text or delimited-file filter.
4. Check the imported sheets, formulas, dates, number formats, column widths, and sheet names.
5. Choose File → Save As, select Excel 97–2003 (*.xls), and save to a new filename.
6. If Calc warns about the format, choose Use Excel 97–2003 Format.

Support depends on the WKS variant and the LibreOffice build. If Calc reports an unknown format, opens an empty sheet, or shows corrupted content, use 101convert.com or open the file with an existing compatible Microsoft Works installation.

Use an existing Microsoft Works installation

If Microsoft Works is available on an old computer or supported virtual machine, open the file in Works and use File → Save As or File → Export. Choose an Excel-compatible output offered by that release, then open the result in a spreadsheet program and save it as Excel 97–2003 (*.xls) if necessary. Keep the original WKS file unchanged because Works versions differ in which export formats they provide.

Check the converted workbook

• Compare formulas and displayed results with the source. Some Works formulas have no direct Excel equivalent, and a converter may preserve only a calculated value or report an import error.
• Inspect dates, currency and decimal formatting, accented characters, hidden rows, column widths, row heights, print settings, charts, and every worksheet.
• Legacy conversion can change formulas, formatting, charts, and page layout. WKS does not provide modern Excel features such as tables, pivot tables, external connections, or VBA macros for a converter to preserve.
• If the source exceeds XLS's 65,536-row or 256-column worksheet limits, the result cannot contain all data in one XLS worksheet.
• After validation, retain the XLS for compatibility and optionally save a separate .xlsx copy when the recipient does not require the older format.