How to download Excel spreadsheet on Mac

Your computer’s desktop is often the easiest and most convenient place to store files, especially those you use often. But the desktop is rarely Excel’s default working folder. Instead Excel usually saves to a directory labelled “My Documents” or to a folder within that directory. Fortunately, changing the saving location of a file is a snap in Excel.

Table of Contents Show

How to export Apple Numbers files as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
How do I download an Excel file on a Mac?
How do I download an Excel spreadsheet?
How can I download Excel for free on Mac?
Does Mac Have Excel spreadsheet?

Create or open your file. If this is a new file you’ve just created and are saving it for the first time, proceed to Step 2. If you’re re-saving an existing Excel document, navigate to its location on your computer and open it.
Launch the save file window. With your Excel file open, click “File” from the menu in the top left-hand corner of Excel. Then click “Save As.” If you’re using a Windows computer, you can also launch the Save File window by pressing the "Control" key and then the “S” key on your keyboard. If you’re using a Mac, press the "Command" key and then the “S” key.
Type the name of your file into the box beside the words “Save As” at the top of the Save File window.
Navigate to the Desktop folder in the Save File window. Below the box where you’ve entered the name of your file, you’ll see a series of folders, each of which represents a location on your computer. Click through the folders until you locate the one labelled “Desktop.” On a Mac, you’ll see it on the left-hand side of the Save File window under the heading “Places.” On a PC, its location varies depending on your version of Windows. If your current default working folder is My Documents, click the "Up one level" button until you reach the desktop.
Click the “Save” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the Save File window.

Apple

If you use Microsoft Excel on your Mac, you can save the spreadsheets you create and open them in Numbers, Apple’s spreadsheet app. It’s a handy feature to use in case you can’t access Microsoft’s apps.

Apple’s iWork apps are available for free in the App Store: Pages (word processor), Numbers (spreadsheet), and Keynote (presentations). Your Mac must have macOS Catalina 10.15 or later to run these apps. And these apps can import Office documents. Here’s how you can open Excel spreadsheets in Numbers, as well as export Numbers spreadsheets for use in Excel.

This procedure works with .xlsx and .xls file formats. You can also import .csv and tab-delimited files.

Launch Numbers (it’s in the Applications folder of your Mac).
In the window that automatically opens when you launch the app, navigate to the location of your Excel file. For example, if it’s in Documents, click on the Documents folder in the left sidebar. (You can also click on the File menu and select Open, then navigate to your spreadsheet.)

Once you’ve located your file, select it and click Open. A progress window will appear.

A window may appear, explaining any changes that were made during the import process. The more complicated your Excel spreadsheet (lots of formulas, charts, etc.), the higher the possibility that a change had to be made. The simpler the spreadsheet, the more your file will resemble what you created in Excel.
That’s it. The Excel file should open in Numbers.

Before you start working on your spreadsheet, look it over carefully. Formatting may have changed, especially with charts. Check to make sure the formulas you are using are intact. There’s always a chance that so much happened during the import that you can’t use your spreadsheet.

How to export Apple Numbers files as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets

If you’ve been working in Numbers and will eventually return to Excel, you can export your spreadsheet as an Excel file. Here’s how.

In Numbers, click on the File menu and move your cursor to “Export to.”
A pop-up menu will appear. Select Excel.

In the Export Your Spreadsheet window that appears next, you can opt to include a summary worksheet and require a password. Click on Advanced Options, and you can select between .xlsx and .xls file formats. Click Next when you have finished selecting your options.

Choose where you want to save the file and name it.
When you click Export, this will save the file.

Also read: How to fix sequences in Numbers data by using a text editor.

We also have a Microsoft Office For Mac buying guide, so you don’t spend more than you need to!

Roman has covered technology since the early 1990s. His career started at MacUser, and he's worked for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.

How do I download an Excel file on a Mac?

Sure - either of at least 2 ways assuming that it is a file type supported by Excel & that you do, in fact, have Excel installed: Use File> Open from Excel's main menu. Right-click the file in Finder, point to Open With then select Excel [It may be necessary to choose Other first]

How do I download an Excel spreadsheet?

To do this: Select File > Save As > Download a Copy. If Excel asks whether to open or save the workbook, select Save.

How can I download Excel for free on Mac?

Simply go to Office.com and sign up for a free Microsoft account to start using Word, Excel, or PowerPoint for free on your Mac. You can also upload files from your Mac into Office.com which will be saved in Microsoft OneDrive.

Does Mac Have Excel spreadsheet?

Open a spreadsheet on a Mac: For a Numbers spreadsheet, double-click the spreadsheet name or thumbnail, or drag it to the Numbers icon in the Dock or in the Applications folder. For an Excel spreadsheet, drag it to the Numbers icon (double-clicking the file opens Excel if you have that app).