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DBF XLS
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Convert DBF to XLS

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DBF to XLS converterFREE
Drop a .DBF file here
or pick one - we convert it to .XLS and give you the file to download

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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How to convert DBF to XLS

  1. Add your .DBF file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
  2. Convert it to .XLS in a few seconds.
  3. Download your new .XLS file.

What to expect

  • .xls supports only 65,536 rows - DBF tables larger than that will be silently truncated; switch to .xlsx for bigger exports.
  • If accented or special characters look wrong, the DBF uses a DOS code page (e.g. IBM 850) rather than Windows-1252 - reopen in LibreOffice Calc and choose the correct character set in the import dialog.
  • Memo fields (type M) require a companion .dbt or .fpt file alongside the .dbf; without it, those columns will be empty in the converted spreadsheet.

Frequently asked questions

Can I open a DBF file in Excel without converting first?
Yes - older Excel (up to 2003) opens .dbf directly from File > Open. Current Excel can import it via File > Open with the file-type filter set to All Files, or through Data > Get Data > From File.
What is the difference between XLS and XLSX?
XLS is the legacy Excel 97-2003 binary format limited to 65,536 rows; XLSX is the modern XML-based format supporting over 1 million rows with smaller file sizes. Target XLS only when the receiving system cannot accept XLSX.
What happens to DBF field types Excel does not support?
Date fields convert to Excel date values and Logical fields become TRUE/FALSE. Memo fields are blank if the companion .dbt or .fpt file is missing; Binary and OLE fields are not carried over.
Will a GIS shapefile .dbf convert the same way?
Yes - the file format is identical regardless of origin. For scripted or bulk GIS conversions, GDAL's ogr2ogr can export the attribute table directly to CSV.
Learn about the formats: .DBF · .XLS
Programs that convert DBF: DBF to XLS (Excel) Converter · Microsoft Excel · Corel Quattro Pro · Full Convert Enterprise · DBF Manager · Microsoft Access · Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) · PlanMaker