Blog Post

Excel Blog
3 MIN READ

Open & Edit more files in Excel for the Web

GirishBaj's avatar
GirishBaj
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Dec 06, 2021

Excel for the web has transformed into a full-featured modern spreadsheeting experience. We continue to add features and improvements to close the gap with desktop. We are excited to share that you can now open and edit more files on the web and complete your job anywhere, in the browser of your choice.

Excel for the Web now supports opening & editing of the files with the following features:

 

Support large Files from SharePoint up to 100 MB

You can now open and edit large files from SharePoint up to 100MB. This allows you to work with 1000s of rows of data and compete your work without having to switch to the Desktop.

 

Edit Files with Legacy Art Objects & Smart Art

You can now edit files containing Legacy Art objects & SmartArt objects in Excel for the Web. These legacy art objects include Form Controls, ActiveX Controls, Camera Tools, and OLE objects. This enables you to access & interact with any of such workbooks but not with the objects themselves. If you are using Button Form Control /ActiveX Control to run a macro, check out the upcoming Office Scripts functionality that allows you run office scripts with a workbook button.

 

Fig: Workbook with Legacy Art & SmartArt Objects

Open and Edit Password Protected Files – Rolling Out

Files protected with a Password to Open

You can now access your password protected workbooks on Excel for the Web. This allows you to open & interact with your files protected with a password to open without switching back to desktop. Note that co-authoring is not supported with password protected files (same as Excel Desktop). We recommend to switch to the new Microsoft Information Protection encrypted workbooks that allow you to co-author and still protect sensitive data.

 

Fig: Password Protected Workbook (Password to Open)

Files protected with a Password to Modify

In addition to the above, you can also edit files which are protected for editing using a password to modify, thus allowing you to access & interact with different types of protected workbooks on the browser itself. Note that co-authoring is not supported for Password to Modify (same as Desktop), we recommend share edit access to specific people that allows you to block editing for others.

 

Fig: Password Protected Workbook (Password to Modify)

Coming Soon

In addition to the above features, the following capabilities will soon be coming to Excel for the Web:

  • Support for large files up to 100 MB from OneDrive (only for M365 subscribers) in Excel for the Web, thus enabling you to work with large datasets in the browser.
  • Editing of files with the presence of legacy shared workbook feature, by provisioning you with one-click turn-off of the legacy feature, thus allowing you to interact & collaborate with the workbook.
  • Editing of files containing the legacy data wizard connections like Text Queries, Web Queries, Query Table or SharePoint Lists, thus enabling interaction with the workbook. We do not plan to support the connection itself and recommend to switch to import data via Power Query to connect and refresh data.  

Have feedback on opening & editing of Excel files?  Send us a smile or frown.  Also, subscribe to our Excel Blog to get the latest product updates and announcements, and join our Excel Community to stay connected with us and other Excel fans around the world.

Updated Dec 06, 2021
Version 2.0
Blog
excel
  • mtarler's avatar
    mtarler
    Silver Contributor
    Dec 06, 2021

    This is great and so glad more support keeps rolling out.  

  • bethpurnell's avatar
    bethpurnell
    Brass Contributor
    Dec 08, 2021

    Great news!  Will the ability to create, edit, run VBA macros in Excel web be added at some point? This would be a major improvement 😉

  • DyannaC's avatar
    DyannaC
    Copper Contributor
    Dec 09, 2021

    The roadmap does say that they've added support for co-authoring protected files for both web and desktop last month. Has anyone tested this?

    • Feature ID: 60348
    • Added to roadmap: 12/23/2020
    • Last modified: 12/2/2021
    • Product(s): Excel
    • Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
    • Platform(s): Desktop, Web
    • Release phase(s): General Availability
  • JCuijon's avatar
    JCuijon
    Copper Contributor
    Dec 15, 2021

    DyannaC I do not think this includes password protected files although it doesn't explicitly exclude it either. I think this refers to the Co-authoring on Microsoft Information Protection encrypted documents is now generally available - Microsoft Tech Community mentioned in the blog.

     

    When I open a password protected file the first user gets the prompt for the password and the other user get the prompt that it is already locked for editing.

    Hope it helps.

  • modano's avatar
    modano
    Copper Contributor
    Feb 14, 2022

    GirishBaj I may be missing something but I can't open and edit workbooks containing controls / forms - the image below is what I get when opening a workbook containing drop down boxes and check boxes:

     

     

    Your post indicates these controls are now supported.

     

    What am I missing?

     

    Thanks, M.

  • jPreus1500's avatar
    jPreus1500
    Copper Contributor
    Feb 22, 2022
    Spoiler
    GirishBaj wrote:

    Excel for the web has transformed into a full-featured modern spreadsheeting experience. We continue to add features and improvements to close the gap with desktop. We are excited to share that you can now open and edit more files on the web and complete your job anywhere, in the browser of your choice.

    Excel for the Web now supports opening & editing of the files with the following features:

     

    Support large Files from SharePoint up to 100 MB

    You can now open and edit large files from SharePoint up to 100MB. This allows you to work with 1000s of rows of data and compete your work without having to switch to the Desktop.

     

    Edit Files with Legacy Art Objects & Smart Art

    You can now edit files containing Legacy Art objects & SmartArt objects in Excel for the Web. These legacy art objects include Form Controls, ActiveX Controls, Camera Tools, and OLE objects. This enables you to access & interact with any of such workbooks but not with the objects themselves. If you are using Button Form Control /ActiveX Control to run a macro, check out the upcoming Office Scripts functionality that allows you run office scripts with a workbook button.

     

    Fig: Workbook with Legacy Art & SmartArt Objects

    Open and Edit Password Protected Files – Rolling Out

    Files protected with a Password to Open

    You can now access your password protected workbooks on Excel for the Web. This allows you to open & interact with your files protected with a password to open without switching back to desktop. Note that co-authoring is not supported with password protected files (same as Excel Desktop). We recommend to switch to the new Microsoft Information Protection encrypted workbooks that allow you to co-author and still protect sensitive data.

     

    Fig: Password Protected Workbook (Password to Open)

    Files protected with a Password to Modify

    In addition to the above, you can also edit files which are protected for editing using a password to modify, thus allowing you to access & interact with different types of protected workbooks on the browser itself. Note that co-authoring is not supported for Password to Modify (same as Desktop), we recommend share edit access to specific people that allows you to block editing for others.

     

    Fig: Password Protected Workbook (Password to Modify)

    Coming Soon

    In addition to the above features, the following capabilities will soon be coming to Excel for the Web:

    • Support for large files up to 100 MB from OneDrive (only for M365 subscribers) in Excel for the Web, thus enabling you to work with large datasets in the browser.
    • Editing of files with the presence of legacy shared workbook feature, by provisioning you with one-click turn-off of the legacy feature, thus allowing you to interact & collaborate with the workbook.
    • Editing of files containing the legacy data wizard connections like Text Queries, Web Queries, Query Table or SharePoint Lists, thus enabling interaction with the workbook. We do not plan to support the connection itself and recommend to switch to import data via Power Query to connect and refresh data.  

    Have feedback on opening & editing of Excel files?  Send us a smile or frown.  Also, subscribe to our Excel Blog to get the latest product updates and announcements, and join our Excel Community to stay connected with us and other Excel fans around the world.