XLS Viewer

XLS Viewer is a convenient piece of freeware that gives users the ability to open Excel files natively

Start Download

XLS Viewer is a convenient piece of freeware that gives users the ability to open Excel files natively

Start Download

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What is XLS Viewer

Billed as a lightweight option for reading files from Microsoft Excel 2000/2003 (.XLS), Microsoft Excel 2007 (.XLXS), and Open Office spreadsheet files (.ODS), Bytescout’s XLS Viewer fully meets expectations. Requiring less than 0.9 MB installed space, the reader more than satisfies as lightweight. It opens files with lightning speed. In fact, Bytescout’s XLS Reader opens files so much faster than the full version of Excel, it may deserve a permanent position in the productivity toolkit.

Originally based on .NET utilities for software developers, the program is a breeze to download and install. Once opened, the Bytescout XLS Viewer user interface opens directly to a click and query screen to browse for a spreadsheet file. Browse to the directory, double-click and it is done. If that is too fast and easy, the user interface offers the usual ‘Open’ option on its Files drop down menu.

If the Bytescout XLS Viewer has a serious weakness, it lies in its minimum requirement for Microsoft .NET 2.0. Keeping in mind that Microsoft released Windows XP without the .NET framework, but eventually made XP Professional SP3 compatible with .NET framework 3.5 via Windows Update, running the Bytescout XLS Viewer on older machines that run Windows, may require finding and installing a version of the .NET framework before using the viewer.

In addition, since the Bytescout XLS Viewer was last copyrighted in 2007, it is not currently compatible with either Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Nevertheless, for computer users, running older versions of Microsoft Windows a fast, easy utility that reads, prints, and exports spreadsheets directly to HTML will save time and money over finding, buying, and installing an older version of Microsoft Excel.

PROS

Free and freely distributable
Handles .XLS, .XLSX, and ODS files
Tiny installation footprint
Easy download and install
Loads fast
Opens directly to file query
Opened spreadsheets faster than Excel
Compatible with Microsoft Windows 95, NT, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista
Global search and replace

CONS

Incompatible with Windows7 or Windows 8