When you’re using an app and find yourself toggling between a few settings for each file, it might be a good idea to change the default settings.
Microsoft Excel 2100 for Mac has several of its own default settings, including one specific to the file types it creates.
The tutorial below will show you how to change the default file format in Excel 2011 for Mac if you want your files to be of a different file type.
How to switch the default Excel saving format for Mac
- Open Excel.
- Click Excel at the top of the screen, then Preferences.
- Select Compatibility.
- Select the “Save files in this format” drop-down menu, then select the option you want.
- Click OK.
Our guide continues below with more information on how to change the default file format in Excel 2011 for Mac, including step images.
Like most programs you will install on your computer, Excel 2011 for Mac includes a set of default options designed for a wide range of users.
Among these settings is the default Save As format, which is set to .xlsx.
This is the new standard for Excel files since the introduction of Microsoft Office 2007, and it also extends to the Mac versions of the software.
For example, if you want to change the default file format in Excel 2010 on Windows, you can follow the instructions in this article to use the default CSV file format in that program.
But to change the default file save option in Excel 2011, follow the instructions below.
How to Set the Default File Saving Format for Excel 2011 for Mac (Illustrated Guide)
The .xlsx file format is the default for the latest versions of Excel, and even older versions of the program can use it. With compatibility package Allows these versions of the program to open and edit new types of files.
Conversely, you can use the instructions below to set a different file type for new files created in Excel 2011, such as the old default xls format or the commonly used .csv file type.
Each of these file types has its own limitations compared to the xlsx file type. , but the situation you’re in will determine which file type is best for you.
Step 1: Launch Excel 2011.
Step 2: Click Excel at the top of the window, and then click Preferences.
Step 3: Click the Compatibility icon in the Sharing & Privacy section of the window.
Click the compatibility icon.
Step 4: Click the drop-down menu under Save files in this format, and then select the default format you want to use when creating files in Excel 2011.
Choose a new default save format
Step 5: Click the OK button at the bottom of the window to save your changes.
Now that you know how to change the default file format in Excel 2011 for Mac, you can tweak this setting anytime you find yourself frequently changing the file format in Excel to a different one.
Any new file created in Excel 2011 will now be saved in the format you just selected.