What Is an XLTM File and How Do You Open One?

Several free tools let you open, edit, and convert this MS Excel format

By
Tim Fisher
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Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on July 13, 2022

What to Know

  • An XLTM file is an Excel macro-enabled template file.
  • Open one with Excel, or for free with Google Sheets or WPS Office.
  • Convert to XLSX, PDF, and others with those same programs.

This article explains what an XLTM file is, how to open one on your computer, and how to convert one to a different file format, like XLSX, XLSM, XLS, CSV, PDF, and others.

What Is an XLTM File?

A file with the XLTM file extension is an Excel macro-enabled template file created by Microsoft Excel. They're used to build similarly formatted XLSM files.

The file is similar to Excel's XLTX format in that they hold data and formatting, except that they're also used to make spreadsheets that can run macros, while XLTX files are used to build non-macro XLSX spreadsheet files.

Excel XLTM Files

How to Open an XLTM File

XLTM files can be opened, edited, and saved back to the same format with Microsoft Excel, but only if it's version 2007 or newer. If you're using an older version, you can still work with the file, but you'll have to install the free Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack.

If all you need to do is open the spreadsheet and not edit it or run macros, use Microsoft's free Excel Viewer tool.

Some free Excel alternatives that can open this file include WPS Office Spreadsheets, LibreOffice Calc, OpenOffice Calc, and SoftMaker Office's PlanMaker. You can also edit one with those programs but when you go to save, you might need to choose a different file type if they don't support saving back to XLTM.

Google Sheets lets you upload XLTM files to view and even make changes to the cells, all within a web browser. You can also download it when you're finished, but not back to the same format. XLSX, ODS, PDF, HTML, CSV, and TSV are the supported export formats.

If you find that an application on your PC does try to open the file but it's the wrong application or you'd rather have another installed program open it, change the default "open" program for XLTM files in Windows.

How to Convert an XLTM File

If you have Excel installed, you can convert the file to lots of formats by opening it and then using the File > Save As menu. This lets you save to XLSX, XLSM, XLS, CSV, PDF, etc.

The other file openers listed above can convert the file, too, most likely to those same or similar formats.

Still Can't Open It?

As you might have already noticed, there are several file formats that Excel uses for different purposes (e.g., XLA, XLB, XLC, XLL, XLK). If your file doesn't seem to be opening correctly, double-check that you're reading the extension correctly and not confusing it with some other type of file.

Similar are files that look related to Excel but aren't spreadsheets, like XLMV, XTL, XTG, XTM, and XLF files.

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