Open Local Office Files in Google Chrome

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Open Local Office Files in Google Chrome

If you have local Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Word (.docx), or Powerpoint (.pptx) files, you can choose to open them locally in Google Chrome with Sheets, Docs, or Slides. On your computer (macOS or Windows), you can choose to open these file types by default in Google Workspace. This is great if you do not have access to the Microsoft Office suite and just need to view or make quick changes to files.

On macOS

Install the Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides Chrome Extension and then register the file types that you want to open with Chrome. You need to follow these directions once per file extension you want to register. The example below is for .xlsx file, but you can do this for any regular Word, Powerpoint, or Excel file extension.

1. Open Finder
2. Select a file (ex. some-sheet.xlsx)
3. Press Command + i on your keyboard
4. Change the Open with: option to Other
5. Select All Applications in the dropdown menu next to Enable:
6. Click on Applications on the left hand side of window
7. Click on Google Chrome
8. Click on Add
9. Click on Change All
10. Click on Continue
11. Now all your .xlsx will open with Chrome
12. Repeat for other file types (.xlsx, .docx, .pptx)

On Windows 11

1. Install the Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides Chrome Extension and then register the file types that you want to open with Chrome. You need to follow these directions once per file extension you want to register.
2. Follow these instructions to change default apps for all the applicable file extensions on Windows (.xlsx, .docx, .pptx)
   • Go to Start
   • Open Settings
   • Click on Apps
   • Click on Default apps
   • Set default apps for every applicable file type (.xlsx, .docx, .pptx)