Open Local Office Files in Google Chrome

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Status	Up-to-date for the 2023-2024 school year.

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.

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 Google Chrome.app
5. Click Change All...
6. Now all your .xlsx will open with Chrome
7. 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)