How to convert XLSM to XML
- Add your .XLSM file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .XML in a few seconds.
- Download your new .XML file.
What to expect
- VBA macros are silently dropped on export - XML Spreadsheet 2003 has no container for executable code, so any automation in the original file is lost.
- XML Spreadsheet 2003 uses an older 2003 SpreadsheetML schema, not the modern OOXML schema; sparklines, slicers, and complex conditional formatting are lost in the export.
- The resulting XML file can be five to ten times larger than equivalent CSV because every cell gets its own explicit XML element.
Frequently asked questions
Will VBA macros be included in the XML output?
No - XML Spreadsheet 2003 has no support for executable code, so the macro project is dropped on every export path.
What is the difference between XML Spreadsheet 2003 and the raw OOXML inside an XLSM?
XML Spreadsheet 2003 is a single flat file using an older 2003 schema; OOXML (inside the XLSM ZIP) uses a different modern schema - if a system asks for OOXML, use the unzip method, not Save As.
Why is my converted XML file so large?
XML Spreadsheet 2003 is verbose - every cell is a separate XML element with explicit row and column attributes, which makes it far larger than the same data in CSV.
Can I convert XLSM to XML without Microsoft Excel?
Yes - use our free converter above, LibreOffice Calc, or rename the
.xlsm to .zip and extract the raw XML worksheets directly from the package.Programs that convert XLSM: Microsoft Excel · Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) · LibreOffice Calc
