Click the "Select File" button above, and choose your XLA file.
You’ll see a preview, if available.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to extract text information.
Convert XLA to another file type
To convert your XLA file to another format, you need Microsoft Excel or other Plugin software.
Convert a file to XLA
To convert other file formats to the "Legacy Spreadsheet Add-in" file type, you need software like Microsoft Excel or a similar tool.
About XLA files
The .XLA file extension defines a legacy Microsoft Excel Add-In, a format used in Excel versions 97 through 2003 to distribute custom functions, macros, and automation tools. These files are typically stored in the proprietary Microsoft Compound File Binary format (OLE2). While powerful for their time, .XLA files present significant challenges in modern workflows: they are opaque binary blobs that are difficult to version control, they pose security risks due to unrestricted VBA macros, and they are often blocked by default in newer security configurations of Microsoft Office. Furthermore, they cannot be natively edited or viewed in cloud platforms like Google Sheets or Excel for the Web. To ensure long-term compatibility and security, it is highly recommended to convert .XLA files to the XML-based XLAM format. For auditing code or recovering data from a corrupt add-in, converting to a standard macro-enabled workbook (XLSM) or a strict spreadsheet (XLSX) allows for easier inspection and data extraction.
Convert.Guru analyzes your XLA file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert XLA file to XLSX, XLAM, XLS, XLSM, DLL, SO, DYLIB, BUNDLE, PLUGIN, XPI, CRX or SAFARIEXTZ, you can use Microsoft Excel or similar software from the "Spreadsheet Automation & Customization" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert LV2, DYLIB, VST, AAX, DRV, TDE, LADSPA, BUNDLE, AU, DLL, RTAS or SO files to XLA, try Microsoft Excel or another comparable tool in the "Spreadsheet Automation & Customization" category.
The XLA Converter Story
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our XLA converter.