Differences between the OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods) format and the Excel for Windows (.xlsx) format

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When you work with two file formats, like .xlsx and .ods, there might be formatting differences, and not all features are available. You’ll be able to convert data and content, but the way you work with the content might be different depending on which formats you use.

Switch your default file format

Go to File >Options.
Select Save.
Under Save workbooks, in the Save files in this format list, select the file format you want to use by default.

What is supported when I save an Excel spreadsheet in the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format?

The table below shows which Excel features are fully, partially, or not supported in the OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods) format.

Supported Both Excel and the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format support this feature. Content, formatting, and functionality won’t be lost.
Partially Supported Both Excel and the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format support this feature, but formatting and functionality might be affected. No text or data is lost, but formatting and how you work with text or graphics might be different.
Not Supported The feature in Excel isn’t supported in the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format. If you plan to save your Excel worksheet in the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format, don’t use this feature or you risk losing content, formatting, and functionality of that part of your worksheet.
Not Applicable The feature was introduced in a later version of Excel for Windows.

To see information about graphic features, see the Graphics Elements table at the end of this article.

Level of Support

Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021

Excel 2016-2019

Row Heights/Column widths

Appearance should be similar.

There might be issues with Hyperlink styles.

Dates before 1900-01-01

If save workbook with dates before 1900-01-01 as .ods, the pre-1900 dates won't save correctly.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, Image, First page or Odd/even options are not supported.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, Local Names, Named expressions, and names to discontinuous ranges are not supported.

Regular Expressions (RegEx)

Use Advanced Filters instead.

Cell Comments (or Notes)

Comments with content are round-tripped. Formatting on the comment might not be supported when you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel.

Cell Threaded Comments

Threaded Comments will be converted to legacy comments when you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, protection without a password is supported. However, files with a password-protected sheet cannot be saved or opened.

Information Rights Management (IRM)

Files with IRM turned on cannot be saved.

Files with of this type protection cannot be saved.

Labels will not be saved.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some formula type Data Validation cannot be saved.

Some settings, such as inserted columns, are not supported.

Some advanced settings are not supported.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, the formulas themselves are supported, but the settings for re-applying are not supported.

Basic filtering is supported, but some Filter features are not supported.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some layouts, such as compact axis, are not supported.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some Data Labels are not supported.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some Trendlines are not supported.

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some Error Bars are not supported.

Leader lines on data labels

Filled Radar Charts

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some settings are not supported.

Pie of Pie or Bar of Pie

Box and Whisker

Shapes on charts

When you save the file in .ods format and open it again in Excel, some Shape types are not supported.

Graphics Elements

The table below shows which Excel graphics features are fully, partially, or not supported in the OpenDocument Format (.ods).

Supported The Excel format and the OpenDocument Format support this feature. Graphics using this feature generally appear and behave the same in either format.
Partially Supported The Excel format and the OpenDocument Format support this feature, but graphics might appear different between the formats. No data is generally lost between the formats, but formatting and how you work with these graphics might be different.
Not Supported Because of the unique differences of features and implementation between the Excel format and the OpenDocument Format, this feature isn’t supported in OpenDocument Format. If you plan to save your worksheet in an OpenDocument Format, don’t use these features.

Basic shapes

Level of support

Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021

Excel 2016-2019

Supported except for objects inside text boxes. The objects inside the text box are dropped when you open an OpenDocument file.

ODF does not support the WordArt options in Excel. As a result, WordArt is converted to a text box on save. The text and base text color are maintained but WordArt effects and formatting are lost.

3D shapes options

Supported except for the insert and link option that are not supported in ODF.

Converted to a group of shapes.

Excel form controls

Objects in charts

Converted to a group containing the chart and objects.

Signature line object

Camera tool/paste as picture link object

The ink annotation is converted to an Enhanced Metafile (EMF) image.

Group of objects

Some objects cannot be grouped together, so the objects are ungrouped when you open the OpenDocument file. This includes a chart, picture, shape, or text box grouped with an OLE object.

Invisible objects become visible after saving the file in .ods and opening again in Excel 2013.

Invisible objects become visible after saving the file in .ods and opening again in Excel 2016.

Not all border styles are supported. Border styles that are not supported are saved as the default border style (black, solid line).

Supported except that gradient fills with more than two stops lose all stops after the first two.

Not all line and line end styles are supported in ODF. Styles that are not supported are saved as the default, black solid line and open arrow type, respectively.

Regular cropping of a picture is supported. However, cropping a picture with a shape is not supported.

Some picture recoloring has the equivalent in ODF, such as black and white. Other picture recoloring does not have an equivalent and is flattened. The picture appears the same but the recoloring can no longer be changed or removed.

3D picture options

Borders are partially supported, but might not look the same.