What Is an .XLK File? (Excel backup)

What Is an .XLK File?

Excel left an .xlk file beside your spreadsheet. It is Excel's backup copy. Here is how to open it and recover your data.

Filename or extension

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Safe to delete?

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What an XLK file is

An .xlk file is an Excel backup workbook. When you enable Always create backup (in the Save As → Tools → General Options dialog), Excel keeps the previous saved version as Backup of <name>.xlk in the same folder. It is essentially your spreadsheet one save behind.

How to open it

Open Excel, choose File → Open, and either set the file type to All Files or just rename a copy of the .xlk to .xls or .xlsx and open it. Then Save As a normal workbook.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes, when your main workbook is healthy. Deleting the .xlk removes only the spare copy; the working spreadsheet is not affected.

How to open a .xlk file by OS

Windows: .xlk is an Excel backup ("Backup of name.xlk"). Copy it, rename the copy to .xls, and open in Excel; or open Excel → File → Open, choose All Files, and select the .xlk.

macOS: same via Excel's Open dialog.

Linux: open in LibreOffice Calc after renaming to .xls.

Common problems

.xlk appears only when Always create backup is on for a workbook. If Excel refuses to open it, rename to .xls and use Open and Repair.

FAQ

How do I open an .xlk file?

In Excel use File → Open with type set to All Files, or rename a copy to .xls/.xlsx and open it, then Save As.

Is an .xlk the same as my spreadsheet?

It is the previous saved version of it — your data one save behind.

Can I delete .xlk files?

Yes, if the original workbook is fine. It is only a backup.

How do I recover an Excel file from .xlk?

Copy the .xlk, rename it to .xls, and open it in Excel; it contains the previous saved version of the workbook.